Arthritis of the toes is an inflammatory disease. And therefore, if you start treating it correctly in a timely manner, the likelihood of recovery is very high. But how often do you pay attention to pain and swelling of your toes? Agree, not often. We chalk it all up to fatigue, standing for a long time, and uncomfortable shoes. Meanwhile, arthritis develops.
The causes of arthritis in the toes are varied. And very often this illness is not an independent disease, but accompanies another pathology. These include:
Arthritis of the toes can be either single (affecting selectively one joint) or multiple (affecting the joints of several fingers).
Let us consider the characteristic symptoms of arthritis of the toes using the example of arthritis of the big toe, since it is in this area that pathology occurs most often.
Arthritis begins with the appearance of pain in the big toe, gradually spreading to the entire foot. The joint swells, the skin over it turns red, and the patient experiences difficulty putting on shoes. Sometimes, due to significant swelling, it is simply impossible to wear everyday shoes. In addition to swelling and pain, there are difficulties when walking.
Painful symptoms intensify at night, becoming especially unbearable in the early morning hours. Sleep is disturbed, and when the day comes, the patient needs several hours to overcome the morning stiffness of the lower limb and to “unwind” properly. Feeling the painful area of the foot, the patient notes an increase in temperature in the inflamed area; any touch to it also causes pain.
Arthritis of the toe joints requires immediate action because freedom of movement is at risk.
Diagnosing arthritis of the toes is not difficult . By analyzing the symptoms of the disease, medical history and modern laboratory methods, the doctor determines the cause that triggered the occurrence of joint inflammation. The patient is required to undergo a general and biochemical blood test and have an X-ray of the foot. Elderly patients may be prescribed densitometry, a special method for studying bone tissue. This procedure is performed to identify osteoporosis, which can also cause arthritis. Based on the diagnostic results, the patient will be prescribed treatment.
Symptoms of polyarthritis of the lower extremities
As mentioned above, treatment for arthritis should first of all be aimed at eliminating the causes that caused it. Therapy of the underlying disease sometimes does not require additional prescription of drugs that affect joint inflammation, since arthritis disappears during the recovery process. If arthritis is an independent process, complex treatment is carried out, which includes:
In order to relieve inflammatory symptoms in the joints of the toes, doctors prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac. Patients should be aware that they should not take these medications on their own.
Due to the many side effects, treatment with NSAIDs should only be carried out under strict medical supervision.
The doctor takes into account the individual characteristics of the body and assesses how common the signs of inflammation in the joints are. Depending on this, the method of drug administration and the duration of the course of treatment are selected.
Along with NSAIDs, painkillers may be prescribed, and in especially severe cases, hormonal drugs. For rheumatoid arthritis, long-term treatment is carried out with basic drugs (methotrexate, sulfasalazine).
Physiotherapeutic treatment includes thermal procedures, phonophoresis, laser, cryotherapy.
At home, especially with severe pain, you can use traditional treatment for arthritis of the toes. We offer several simple recipes.
Usually grate the horseradish rhizome. Apply the resulting mass to the sore joint and wrap with cling film. Do not remove the compress for half an hour, the pain should calm down.
To prepare homemade ointment you will need to mix in equal quantities:
Mix the herbs, brew with boiling water, then simmer in a water bath for 20 minutes. Mix the strained broth with vegetable oil (25 grams) and pork fat until an ointment consistency is achieved. Treat with homemade ointment in the evening, rubbing it into the sore toes. Wrap your leg in a woolen scarf and leave it like that until the morning.
A diet for arthritis should be balanced and complete. Exceptions require alcohol, fatty meat products, smoked meats, and spices. The diet should contain a sufficient amount of dairy products, vegetables, and cereals. There are no strict restrictions. Some sources recommend that patients with arthritis eat more dishes prepared with gelatin and avoid vegetables from the nightshade family - tomatoes, eggplants. We think that such restrictions are unnecessary. The main thing in this case is measure.