Soreness and Pain in Your Big Toe … Could It Be a Bunion?
You have a painful bump at the base joint of your big toe. Right where your big toe connects to your foot, you have soreness and pain that just won’t go away. What could it be? It could be a bunion…especially if you are a woman.
A common foot problem among women, bunions are often the result of wearing tight, narrow, high heeled shoes. There is a genetic tendency for bunions, but it seems the majority of the cause of bunions is shoes that are too tight. Unfortunately, it is estimated that nine of ten women wear shoes that are too small. Wearing properly fitting shoes will help to eliminate your chances of getting a bunion.
Bunion (Hallux valgus) refers to a bump on the side of the great toe joint. Bunions are partially due to the swollen bursa sac and or a bony anomaly on the joint where the first metatarsal bone and Hallux meet. The largest part of the bump is a part of the head of the first metatarsal bone that is tilted sideways and sticks out at its top.
As stated bunions occur when the metatarsophalangeal joint, the base of your big toe, becomes larger and protrudes out. Initially, there may only be some tenderness along with redness of the skin. With every step, this joint is being used. Continuing to wear improperly fitting shoes and not getting treatment for the bunion can cause worsening and even more foot problems.
Over time, the bunion may get bigger. As the size increases, it becomes more painful to walk. Wearing shoes may be painful. The angle of your big toe will move towards your second toe. Eventually this pressure on the second toe may cause it to get out of alignment, thus further complicating your foot pain. Another common issue of bunions is bursitis, which is inflammation of the bursa (a fluid-filled sac that lies between a tendon and bone). Arthritis may also develop.
If a bunion continues to worsen, severe pain and an inability to walk may result. In severe cases, surgery may be necessary to correct the problem.
Bunion Treatment
At the first signs of a bunion, be sure to take good care of your feet. Wear shoes with wide toes. You may even want to have your feet professionally measured to ensure you’re getting a proper fit. If caught early, making this simple change can solve your problem and prevent the need for any other treatment.
While there are over-the-counter products to help with bunion pain, the best way to get relief is to seek the professional advice of a podiatrist. Your podiatrist can often diagnose a bunion just by looking at it. An x-ray of your foot can reveal any abnormal angling of the big toe as well as other issues such as arthritis.
If you’re having problems with bunions, or any other foot or ankle issue, Triad Foot Center can help. Just call today to make an appointment at any of our three Triad locations.
Originally published in the “Ask the Expert” column of Asheboro Magazine.
What Makes Your Toes Curl? Hammer Toes Can Cause Serious Foot Pain
We’ve all heard the phrase, “enough to make your toes curl,” used in conversation about various happenings or events in life. The phrase is used to strongly emphasize whatever fact, so it is not taken lightly. Moreover, that’s just how you should treat your toes if they curl in real life. If your smaller toes buckle or curl, you can have some real pain and discomfort. Commonly called a hammertoe, this condition causes pain, and may eventually, make movement more difficult.
Hammer Toes
Your four smaller toes help with balance and movement as you walk or run. As you walk, your foot flattens and the smaller toes bend to grip the ground. Next, they become straight to help push your foot. If you develop a condition known as hammertoe, the process of this movement can become difficult.
A hammertoe is one that buckles or curls under. The joints at the end or middle of the toe can be affected. Usually this curling occurs because of muscle imbalance. Tendons may tighten causing the toe to curl.
Depending on the affected joint’s ability to move, hammertoes may be flexible or rigid. Pain may or may not be present. Sometimes you can straighten a hammertoe with your fingers. For some, a hammertoe doesn’t cause a major problem with pain. Still it is important to correct, as other problems can arise.
Hammer Toes Treatment
For mild symptoms, changing the shoes you wear may be all that is necessary to resolve the issue of a hammertoe. Don’t wear tight hose, socks, or shoes. Avoid wearing high heels. Make sure your insoles are soft to help relieve pressure on the affected toe. Make sure your shoes are wide enough at the front to fit properly your foot.
For chronic, painful symptoms, further evaluation by a podiatrist may be necessary to relieve the issue. Your podiatrist will do a physical exam of the affected toe and possibly take x-rays to determine the amount of deformity and whether or not arthritis is present. Surgical procedures may be necessary to correct the hammertoe. Only a trained podiatrist can recommend the appropriate treatment method for your particular situation.
At Triad Foot Center, we can help resolve all issues with your feet and ankles. Don’t suffer with pain or discomfort. Make an appointment today.
PubMed Health. A service of the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia. Atlanta (GA): A.D.A.M.; 2011.
Flat Feet Problems
Our feet include arches that are taken care of through the bones of the feet, muscles and tendons. These arches assist us in running and going for walks by transmitting body volume equally around the entire of the feet. Therefore these arches are essential for locomotion. One of the arches is the longitudinal arch.
In the event that this arch get in touch with the floor or isn’t high enough as a person taking walks, the problem is called fallen arch or flat feet. The arch nevertheless, builds up in between four and eight years. Flat feet in grown ups could possibly be induced as a result of their age, injuries or pregnancy. Generally flat feet aren’t a reason of worry.
On the other hand, occasionally specific flat feet problems within youngsters and older people (such as pain in the tendons and joint pain) could possibly be a contributing factor of worry.
The Most Common Flat Feet Problems
Lots of individuals, nearly twenty five percent of People in America (who’ve flat feet), don’t make a complaint of flat feet problems. On the other hand, that won’t imply that it’s a deformity that wouldn’t result in any kind of unwanted results. There can be particular flat feet additional complications, the commonest of these are generally discomfort within the foot, the hip and knee. A number of frequent flat feet problems are the following:
Hip Pain
Men and women having flat feet have a tendency to roll or pronate their feet inwards whenever they go walking. This specific will cause the leg to rotate inwards. Having internal rotation, there’s pressure around the hips that ends in hip ache.
Knee Discomfort
It’s once more for the identical motive of moving within their feet, that individuals having flat feet might go through knee soreness. Rotating the knees inwards, to ensure that they face the other person, will cause an abnormal position of the knees. This particular may possibly lead to knee pain in those having flat feet.
Arthritis
Too much flattening of the foot will cause the joints to advance beyond their regular range. This destroys the bones at the joints and this is termed arthritis.
Plantar Fasciitis
Whenever an individual having flat feet steps on the ground his feet elongate. This particular leads to an extra pull around the plantar fascia, which is called the arch tendon of the foot. Repetitive elongation might produce the swelling of the structure. This particular situation is named plantar fasciitis.
Tendonitis
Abnormal placement of the feet leads to excessive stress around the tendons of the feet and legs. This might cause tendonitis.
Additional Flat Feet Problems and Concerns:
- Shin splints (an ache inside the front area of the lower leg)
- Bone injuries within the lower legs
- Calluses and Corns
- Bunions
Flat Feet Treatment
In case you’re being affected by one of the previously mentioned as a result of your flat feet, you can find several methods to deal with your flat feet problems. You may test one of the subsequent flat feet remedies.
Orthotics
These are arch supports that could possibly be obtainable over the counter or customized according to a person’s necessity. Orthotics offer the foot assistance that’s absent because of flat feet and make up for the biomechanical inadequacy as a result of the compressed arch. Customized orhotics tend to be more suitable towards the over the counter types, because these accommodate much better on a person’s feet. Orthotics may aid relieve flat feet pain as well as protect against additional flattening of the arch. As a result, decreases the requirement for flat feet surgical treatment.
Extra Foot Assistance
Just in case, a person has posterior tibial tendinitis, he could possibly be needed to make use of extra foot assistance such as walking boots or ankle braces, until the irritation of the tendon has cured.
Medications
A number of over the counter medications may possibly be recommended by your physician. Nevertheless, these will not contain a primary role to execute within flat feet remedy. These types of medications are usually recommended by doctors to ease flat feet ache.
Footwear
You can find specific footwear for the people having flat feet. These kinds of footwear provide assistance to the legs that the flat foot is not able to. From running shoes to dress shoes intended for flat feet, there can be a number of alternatives as far as shoes for individuals having flat feet problems are involved.
Physical Exercises
There can be many physical exercises that a person’s physician may possibly recommend to complete on a regular basis. These types of workout routines assist an individual to fortify his leg muscles and foot that would certainly aid his legs to greater take the stress of balancing a person’s bodyweight in the absence of the arch.
Surgical treatment
Flat feet surgical procedure can be a choice in particular situations. Generally it will involve correcting the harmed tendons and in exceptional situations combination of joints may possibly be necessary. Nevertheless, there’s often the danger of producing infection as well as the fusions not curing within an appropriate way.
Since it has previously described lots of individuals having flat feet tend not to experience any kind of discomfort. On the other hand, in the event that an individual is affected by any one of the flat feet problems talked about within the article, appropriate medical care is important. Whether it is flat feet problems in youngsters or in adults, well-timed therapy may decrease the difficulty and also the additional complications as a result of flat feet.
Originally published on Plantar Fasciitis Advices.
Your Feet, Self Treat or See a Podiatrist?
At some point or another, almost everyone will have an issue with their feet or ankles. So how do you know when self-treatment is sufficient or when it is time to see a podiatrist? Just walk into any drugstore and you’ll see shelves full of over-the-counter self-treatment fixes for your feet and ankles. There are blister and corn pads, nail clippers, shoe inserts, fungus sprays, ankle braces and more. Following the guidelines below will help you know when it is time to see your podiatrist.
Certain conditions such as diabetes or peripheral vascular disease (PVD) are strong indications to visit your podiatrist. In fact, anyone with these two conditions who has foot and ankle problems, should always visit the podiatrist even for minor issues. For people with these conditions, minor issues can become major health concerns when left untreated by a podiatrist. If you do not have these conditions, you should be wary of pain, color changes, drainage, heat, swelling, or open areas in or on any part of your foot or ankle. These types of problems warrant the help of a podiatrist to resolve the issue.
Use home remedies in moderation as they can sometimes cause a new problem or make existing problems worse. If there is any concern, see your podiatrist.
Advice for Common Foot and Ankle Issues
Blisters – Blisters on your feet can usually be self-treated. If a blister pops, cover it with a band-aid or sterile dressing. Watch it carefully to make sure proper healing is occurring.
Ingrown Toenail – Many people will try to contend with an ingrown toenail for far too long. Over-the-counter treatments for an ingrown toenail are not recommended. If you believe you have an ingrown toenail, see your podiatrist as soon as possible. Your podiatrist can safely remove the ingrown nail, prevent or treat infection and help you prevent the possibility of a future recurrence.
Warts and Fungal Nails – Over-the-counter medication for wart removal is relatively mild. If left on too long they can cause ulcerations. Your podiatrist can do a simple procedure to rid you of warts. A podiatrist also has more effective medications than you will find over-the-counter. Despite numerous suggestions of curing warts and fungal nails with duct tape, Vicks Vapo-Rub, white vinegar and other household items, there is no scientific evidence or research to support the use of these items.
Sprains and Strains – Initially sprains and strains can be treated at home using the “RICE” treatment…rest, ice, compressions, and elevation. If swelling does not diminish, it is best to visit your podiatrist to determine the exact cause such as a fracture or other issue causing the problem.
In general, if you have any condition with your feet or ankle that persists, don’t hesitate to visit your podiatrist. In some cases, not getting sufficient treatment can cause worsening and even other medical conditions with your feet and ankles.
Originally published in the “Ask the Expert” column of Asheboro Magazine.
Get Moving While You’re Traveling – Prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis
Keep the Blood Flowing to Help Prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) During Travel
If you travel frequently or have a long trip coming up, be sure to keep on the move even while you’re sitting. Whether traveling by plane, car, train, or bus, sitting motionless for long periods puts some travelers at risk for deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The good news is that with a few simple precautions, you can reduce your risk of this potentially dangerous affliction.
Dangers of DVT
A condition in which a clot, or thrombus forms in a deep vein of the thighs or lower leg, DVT can affect anyone, but is most prevalent in adults over 60. When the clot develops it blocks the blood flow and causes pain and swelling. If a part of the clot breaks free, it can move through the bloodstream and lodge in other parts of the body such as the brain, heart, or lungs. This is called an embolism. Depending on where the embolism lodges, severe damage and even death can result.
Causes
Sitting without moving for long periods may lead to inadequate circulation of blood, thus causing a clot. Other conditions that alter blood flow or normal clotting also puts some people at a higher risk for DVT. These risk factors include a prior DVT, some heart diseases, cancer, smoking, pregnancy, older age, and certain medications such as birth control pills and related hormones.
Prevention
The best way to avoid DVT is to keep moving. Moving your legs often during long trips or periods of sitting is perhaps the best preventative action you can take. Ankle circles, knee bends, and thigh lifts are all movements you can make right in your seat. If you’re on a plane , train, or bus, get up and move during the travel. When traveling by car, be sure to stop periodically, get out of your vehicle, and walk around for a few minutes. The goal is to keep moving to keep blood flowing properly through your legs. This movement decreases your risk of DVT significantly.
Another suggestion supported by clinical evidence is to wear compression socks, support hose, or tights while traveling. These items help to improve circulation, which is vitally important in reducing DVT occurrence. This is especially important if you have any of the associated risk factors for DVT.
Just remember, as you’re traveling for long periods, or doing anything that requires sitting for extended periods, be sure to move your feet and legs. Get moving and keep the blood flowing to help prevent DVT.
Originally published in the “Ask the Expert” column of Asheboro Magazine.
Triad Foot Center – New Site Launch at TriadFoot.com
Triad Foot Center and it’s associates are delighted to announce the launch of the totally redesigned TriadFoot.com web site.
The new site provides users with a comprehensive overview of the services provided by the certified specialists and expertly trained staff at each of the Triad Foot Center locations: Greensboro, Asheboro and Burlington. The site also showcases an extensive list of articles, answers to common questions and live video sessions with each of the doctors on a variety of topics related to their practice.
Founded in 1972, Triad Foot Center has become a leading foot and ankle care provider both regionally and nationally and is one of the largest podiatric practices in the Piedmont Triad Region of North Carolina. The team of specialists include six podiatric doctors who are all certified surgeons by the board of podiatry examiners. Among the most highly respected practitioners and innovators in their fields, each of these doctors is a partner in the Triad Foot Center practice.