Arthritis in foot

Learning to live with foot pain is hard and you feel helpless at times and angry. I was told that I DID have arthritis in my right foot (left one is great) but not in my ankle. However the ankle is puffy and hurts. What in the world can reduce this? I bind it with a compression sock, etc. There is fluid in ankle because when I press it, it leaves a dimple. Any help would be appreciated.

[Janet28]

Hi Skokie Dee  I have exactly the same and my poor toes are bent over they are always swollen and my ankles blow up like balloons.

I find cold cream being gently rubbed into them helps. Putting feet into a bowel of tepid water or sometimes hot water and putting them up on a pillow not all at once though ☺ But the very best way to make them feel better is dip them in the sea ☺works wonders ☺

Peace, Luv n light

Jan x

[Hidden in reply to Janet28]

Thanks Jan.  Do you have arthritis in the knees also?  I find it is worse at night and I wake up with pain.  It continues through the night and I never had it this bad before.  I'm thinking of getting intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid for relief.

[Janet28 in reply to Hidden]

Yes Sookiedee, both knees and night time can be bad and wake me. The pain is like toothache but In your knee and every time you move it just slightly is very painful.

I normally put heat blanket on them, this eases the pain a bit.

I've had injections in my thigh a few times for hip but not in knees. They helped the pain and was able to walk.  My back and hips are worse. 

Jan

[Hidden in reply to Janet28]

Janet that is so apt - pain is like a toothache except in the knee.  I am up now at 04:04 Army time!  Sides of knee stick out with the inflammation - really a dog shouldn't have this much less us!  Comic relief still reigns even though knees and foot are kaput. Ha.  Thanks for the heat comment and definitely will do that one.

[pat66]

Hi sookiedee, this area for me can be a right pain as it usually hurts the most I think its because that there is not alot of protection for the ankle.

I find these two methods help me so thought I would mention elevation if your sofa has arms on it rest your foot on the arm higher than you and your other foot ( so like laying down on the sofa with one foot on the arm) I hope you understand what I mean.

The other is a hot water bottle I know some people prefer cold but it works for me and I suppose it could work too if you put colder water in it ?!?

Hope you feel good soon.

[Hidden in reply to pat66]

Hi Pat and thank you for the tips.  I elevate my foot (do yoga with the shoulder stand) and my sister bought me a heating pad for Xmas which feels soothing on aching bones.

It's nice  to vent on here trying to manage arthritis with group support!

All the best, Sookie

[flow4]

Have you had blood tests and seen a rheumatologist, sookiedee? If not, it's time you did. Joint pain which is worse at night, plus swelling, suggest you may have inflammatory arthritis as well as, or rather than, the more common 'wear and tear' osteoarthritis.

[Hidden in reply to flow4]

Flow, I'm going to the GP next week and request a blood test for it after you mentioned that. Thanks for the reminder.

[flow4 in reply to Hidden]

You're welcome! Be aware you can have inflammatory arthritis even if your blood tests are normal, but it's a first step... 

[Callierae in reply to flow4]

Hi I'm the same,I have really bad pain in the inside of my knee's also badly swollen ankles, sore hip's thighs outer shoulder's like were you get a jag also my groin under butt cheeks and my toes and knuckles. I've been seeing the Dr now for a year and I'm on sick due to this .seen orthopedic, I've had xrays,blood's on top of blood's, thyroid checks, and also seen rheumatoid arthritis Dr. She took bloods also and sent me for MRI,also seen heart Dr had heart Scan and blood's done by her.still waiting on results but the rheumatology Dr said she thinks I have Fibromyalgia before she's even seen out come of bloods and MRI.I've been waiting 12weeks Thursday and I'm at my Witt's end.someone please tell me I have more than just Fibromyalgia. Thank you x

[flow4 in reply to Callierae]

Callierae, have you ever had any of the following...? Skin rashes, including anything like 'nappy rash'; nail problems; swollen fingers or toes; a close relative with psoriasis; IBS symptoms; eye problems...

[Callierae]

All I've had are swollen fi gets knuckles toes ankles and sometimes my daughter tells me my Right leg is swollen, I did notice it myself when putting Jean's on.my sister had psoriasis

[flow4 in reply to Callierae]

Ok. With swollen fingers and toes, joint pain and a sister with psoriasis, it is possible that you have psoriatic arthritis (PsA), Callierae. PsA is another type of inflammatory arthritis, like RA, and is what is called 'sero-negative', which means you have no RF and other blood tests are often normal too. Some of the places you describe having most pain are also classic sites where people with PsA feel most pain, particularly ankles and under your buttocks. (This is because they are the places where your tendons attach to your bones, the entheses, and they are particularly prone to inflammation in PsA... But that may be more info than you need at this point).

I have PsA. I was only diagnosed 5 weeks ago, after years of problems. I saw 4 rheumatologists, and was told I 'only' had osteoarthritis, then hypermobility syndrome, then fibromyalgia, but not inflammatory arthritis, for years. I knew something more was wrong, and gradually I got more and more symptoms... Also I did a lot of research (and I'm lucky because I have a background as a researcher) so was able to find a lot of info that was useful. PsA is poorly recognised and under diagnosed, even by rheumatologists.

I suggest you get in contact with your rheumatology department and chase up your test results. Ask for another appointment. Say you have seen this webpage (see below) and that because you have swollen fingers and toes, joint pain and a sister with psoriasis, you wonder whether you have PsA. You should push for an ultrasound in your hands, if the MRI hasn't already shown inflammation.

seepsoriasislookdeeper.co.u... (The video and the 'infographic' poster are good places to start).

Diagnosis of PsA is very important, because it needs different treatment, and if you get it early, joint damage can be prevented or limited.

Sorry for hijacking your thread, sookiedee. Maybe it'll be useful to you too.

[Hidden in reply to flow4]

I just came back to this - I have an autoimmune disease where the white blood cells attack the skin and have had it for 6 years. Anyway, soon after that, I developed the foot arthritis so caught the PsA information Flow suggested. Will research on that one.

I mentioned before, once you've had one autoimmune disease, you're likely to get others. Woe is me.....ha.

[Callierae]

What would you say my symptoms are.me and my boyfriend say so sort of arthritis x

[Hidden]

Callierae, I don't blame you for being at your wit's end.  You've had so much to deal with and the waiting part must be especially hard.  We all just want to be pain-free and I hope you find out the necessary information to ease your mind.  There are so many types of arthritis that inflict the body I just couldn't believe it.  Flow above here mentioned inflammatory arthritis which I think I'll get a blood test for.  All I want at this point in time is to keep the arthritis at bay and not worsen and I hope that happens to you.

All the best, Sookie

[flow4 in reply to Hidden]

Unfortunately there isn't a blood test for inflammatory arthritis (IA), sookiedee. IA is a 'family' of diseases that includes rheumatoid arthritis, and also other diseases like psoriatic arthritis (see above) and others. (It's a bit like bananas and apples all being in the family of fruit!) There are various blood tests that point towards one IA disease or another, but none of them are conclusive, and it is possible to have IA with normal blood tests. That's one of the reasons it's hard to get diagnosed. It often takes a lot of detective work!

[Hidden]

Thanks Flow for that information.  I'm going to ride it out with my arthritis and exercise and lose a few pounds.  I love to stretch and am getting tired of doctors at this point - self-management will be my creed!

[flow4 in reply to Hidden]

Exercise and losing weight are always a good idea if you're overweight, with any kind of arthritis, and can reduce your pain a lot. They have def helped me! If your pain is in one joint, like yours, it is most likely to be osteoarthritis, and then exercise and losing weight are the best things you can do for yourself. Good luck!

[Seenie in reply to Hidden]

Sookiedee, I rode my arthritis out for about fifteen years, and self-managed quite well, so you see it can be done. The trouble was, I was undiagnosed. By the time the doctors diagnosed me with Psoriatic Arthritis, I'd already had two knee replacements. I was treated, I worked hard at self-management, and the doctors said my disease was mild. When I suddenly needed a total hip replacement, they realized my disease was severe. By the time they found a treatment that worked for me, I had serious damage in both my feet.  I now have a blue badge, a disability tax credit and a mobility scooter. 

Self-management is fine up to a point. 

[Hidden]

That is scary, Seenie, when something as painful as psoriatic arthritis is undiagnosed.  I really give you credit for all you tried to do yourself.  My foot problem was going on for some time - They thought it was tendonitis three years ago and I had the usual injections, etc.   Then finally I went back to the surgeon who had done the injections and he felt around my foot and pronounced it as osteoarthritis. You know, I always thought doctors/surgeons were God-like and really knew what was going on but they aren't at all much to the chagrin of us seeking an answer.

I wish you best of luck  and thanks for your insightful post.