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By Dr. Kuvent, March 21, 2012 8:56 pm

What is Foot Gout?

Foot gout is a medical condition that is unknown by most people. It generally occurs in the foot or the big toe. However, it’s also known to move to other parts of the body, too. Doctors consider gout as a type of inflammatory arthritis, and although it can affect anyone, it’s more likely to happen in men than women.

Causes of Foot Gout

Generally speaking, all of us have uric acid in our bodies. It’s starts in our bloodstream and is then sent through the kidneys, and it is eliminated through our urine. If we eat too many foods that are greasy, spicy and rich, we can develop foot gout.

Foot gout is usually caused by high levels of uric acid in the blood. By the time most people notice symptoms of gout, the uric acid has already built up in the blood over a period of time and it has been accumulating within the joints.

Symptoms of Foot Gout

• Extreme pain in the foot area that last more than a few days
• A swollen or painful big toe can be a tell-tale sign of foot gout
• A high fever and overall feeling of fatigue can also be a sign of foot gout, but it could also be a more serious infection
• Your big toe cannot withstand any weight, including that of you bed sheets

What is the Treatment for Foot Gout?

Here are some treatments for foot gout:

• Eliminate Foods High in Purine – Foods that contain a high amount of purine are one of the main causes of gout. Try eliminating mackerel, sardines, organ meat, and some beans and lentils.
• Anti-Inflammatory Medication – Using anti-inflammatory drugs can reduce inflammation and pain. You should talk to your foot doctor and see if it’s possible to prescribe any anti-inflammatory medicine if the pain and swelling doesn’t subside.
• See Your Podiatrist – Your podiatrist can run tests to see if you actually have gout. It’s possible to extract fluid from your joins and have it tested for uric acid.

You should remember that foot gout can be prevented, treated and cured. Live a healthy lifestyle and eat a balanced diet to help prevent foot gout. However, if you are still battling foot gout, you need to see a podiatrist. For an excellent podiatrist in the Chandler, Arizona area, contact Advanced Foot Care today! Call (480) 917-2300

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By Dr. Kuvent, February 16, 2012 8:39 am

Toenail fungus (Onychomycosis), is a common disorder that attacks toenails and fingernails. Fungus grows more rapidly in warm, humid, tropical type climates. Once you’ve got it on one toenail or fingernail, it can spread to others.

Symptoms of Toenail Fungus

When it strikes, your toenails usually are discolored, and the nails become very thick. Another sign is when your toenails start to crumble when you attempt to cut them. Once it gets itself imbedded under your nails, it can be very difficult to get rid of. Toenail fungus can make your toes and fingernails look ugly, and the infection can spread to other parts of the body.

What Causes Toenail Fungus

• Foot fungus is caused by dermatophytes, which is a type of fungus.
• Some people pick up toenail fungus from toenail clippers and other instruments used by their beauticians.
• You can pick up fungal infections in showers.
• Toenail fungus can be a sign of other infections or problems of the immune system, too.

Toenail Fungus Prevention

Here is a list of ways to prevent toenail fungus:

• It’s good to wear protective wear, such as flip flops when you shower.
• Change your socks daily.
• You should cut back on white sugar. Fungus feeds off of the sugar that you put into your body.
• You should never share towels or wear other people’s shoes or socks.
• Wear comfortable shoes that allow your feet to get some air.
• Use foot powder to keep your feet dry.

Toenail Fungus Treatment

Here are some natural methods of treatment:

• Tea Tree Oil
• Vicks VapoRub
• Listerine can stop toenail fungus from spreading
• Vinegar works well with athlete’s foot and toenail fungus

Always remember that toenail fungus can be secondary effects from another underlying health problem. For this reason, it’s a good idea to have your toenail fungus checked by a professional. If you have toenail fungus or you feel you might be getting it, contact the Advanced Foot Care, the office of Dr. Robert Kuvent DPM, to get proper toenail fungus treatment at (480) 917-2300.

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By Dr. Kuvent, January 24, 2012 9:41 pm

Oftentimes, people involved in sports want to know how to deal with Achilles tendonitis. It usually happens during running, or other form of workout. It comes in the form of an uncomfortable pain in the ankle and heel area. However, you don’t need to be an athleteto have problems with your Achilles.

How to Deal with Achilles Tendonitis – Causes

Achilles tendonitis is a common medical condition, which occurs due to irritation and inflammation of the tendon on the rear of the ankle. Arthritis and infection can also be underlining causes of Achilles tendonitis.

How to Deal with Achilles Tendonitis – Symptoms

• Weakness or sluggishness in your lower leg
• You might have a bump on your Achilles that is due to swelling
• Lower leg weakness
• Mild pain in the heel and lower leg area when you finish with a sporting activity
• Stiffness and pain upon awakening, that loosens up later in the day
• A popping sound when you try to move your Achilles

How to Deal with Achilles Tendonitis – Diagnosis

Your podiatrist usually diagnoses Achilles tendonitis after a thorough physical examination. This also includes an ultrasound and x-ray.

Your podiatrist will also want to know about any history of other pain you have had in your legs or feet. You will be questioned about the kind of shoes you wear, and any other weaknesses you have had in your legs.

How to Deal with Achilles Tendonitis – Treatment

• R.I.C.E. – The immediate treatment of Achilles tendonitis is rest, ice and elevation of your foot for the first 48 hours after your injury.
• NSAIDs – Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs help to reduce the inflammation and pain. The most common is ibuprofen.
• See a Podiatrist – If the pain is severe and it lasts more than a few days, you need to have it examined by a podiatrist. Performing some First Aid and relieving the immediate pain is good, but trying to self-diagnose your injury can be dangerous. In more severe cases, surgery might be needed.
• Physical Therapy – This includes strengthening and stretching exercises.

How to Deal with Achilles Tendonitis – Prevention

• Warm Up – Before you perform any strenuous activities, such as running, you need to do some light jogging and perform other quick exercises, like jumping jacks. After that, you need to do some good stretching exercises to help loosen up the muscles and tendons.
• Wear Proper Shoes – You need to get a pair of comfortable shoes that are suited for your training. Don’t use everyday walking shoes to do any serious jogging or running. If you are serious about your hobby or sport, you need proper fitting footwear.

Achilles tendonitis can affect everything you do, because it’s necessary to walk around every day. If you begin feeling pain in your Achilles, you should give it some rest. If the pain is persistent, you need to see a podiatrist.

Discover a professional’s way of how to treat Achilles tendonitis. If you are in the Chandler, AZ., you can locate a highly qualified podiatrist, by visiting Advanced Foot Care with Dr. Robert Kuvent, DPM.

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By Dr. Kuvent, December 20, 2011 1:07 pm

Before you learn how to treat hammertoes, it’s important to understand about this medical condition. A Hammertoe is a disfigurement caused in the second, third, or fourth toes. Hammertoe can affect multiple toes at once, or you can just have one toe that is deformed.

The disfigurement caused by hammertoe is not only a cosmetic worry, but it can cause excruciating pain, too. Therefore, it’s necessary to get treatment early on. The only way how to treat hammertoes in advanced stages is surgery. Continue reading 'How to Treat Hammertoes'»

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By Dr. Kuvent, May 16, 2011 2:25 pm

Every day, across America, foot and ankle emergencies occur. Broken bones, dislocations, sprains, contusions, infections and other very serious injuries can occur at any time, to anyone involved in a multitude of activities. It is important to seek early attention from a medically trained podiatrist whenever you sustain an injury to your foot or ankle.

There are a number of myths about foot and ankle injuries that may prevent one from running to a doctor right away. We’ll try and dispel a few of them now: Continue reading 'Let’s Talk About Foot & Ankle Injuries'»

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By Dr. Kuvent, April 11, 2011 11:12 am

How Does a Podiatrist Treat it? Warts

Chances are if you like going barefoot, if you enjoy swimming or if you frequently use public showers, you’ve had a wart on your foot. If you’ve had a wart before, implying you’ve since had it removed, you know it can take a long time and many doctor’s visits to finally vanquish that wart. A question you may be wondering is how your podiatrist can go about treating your warts, which is what we’re going to discuss in the next few paragraphs. Continue reading 'How Does a Podiatrist Treat it? Warts'»

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By Dr. Kuvent,

How Does a Podiatrist Treat it? Ingrown Toenails

Most of you probably know the pains involved with having an ingrown toenail. What you may not know, unless you’ve had this problem taken care of before, is how your podiatrist can go about treating the ingrown nail. In the next few paragraphs, you’ll learn about the treatment of ingrown toenails. Continue reading 'Ingrown Toenails, How Does a Podiatrist Treat it?'»

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By Dr. Kuvent,

Eating Brach’s Candy Won’t Cause This Shortened Toe

If you have one or two toes that are shorter than the rest, and we’re talking significantly shorter, then there is a chance you have a condition called “Brachymetatarsia” (pronounced “break-e-meta-tars-e-uh”). This condition usually involves one of the five long bones in your feet (which are called the metatarsals) being abnormally shorter than the rest, resulting in a shortened toe. While it can occur on just one of your feet, it is almost always present in both feet, with the fourth toe (the one next to the littlest piggy) being most commonly affected. This condition can affect more than one toe, in which case it assumes a new name: brachymetapody.

Continue reading 'Brachymetatarsia'»

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By Dr. Kuvent, March 22, 2011 6:54 pm

On a typical Arizona day, you probably won’t experience temperatures cold enough to cause this to happen, unless of course you’re an early riser who ventures out while the air is still crisp. For those readers who live or travel to colder environments, it may be more important for you to know about avoiding the possible dangers of the cold as it pertains to your little toes.

Continue reading 'Chilly Enough to Turn Your Toes Blue'»

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By Dr. Kuvent, February 15, 2011 2:33 pm

“Age is an issue of mind over matter.  If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” Mark Twain said that in the 19^th century, and whether you find humor in it or not won’t change the fact that certain aspects of aging are just downright painful. Almost everyone approaching threescore and ten will suffer from some general joint pain.  After many years of constant walking, running, jumping, falling, sliding, standing, dancing, kicking, your feet have been subjected to the best and worst this world has to offer. Time naturally makes changes to your body, and nothing experiences as much wear and tear as your feet. This wear and tear is also referred to as “osteoarthritis.” While there are other types of arthritis, today we’ll focus on osteoarthritis. Continue reading 'Your Feet After Fifty: Arthritis'»