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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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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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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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.

What Causes Hammertoes
Hammertoes usually affect women. Our feet support us while walking upright. However, beauty and other perceived images of women in high heeled shoes and ones that fit so tightly they can hardly walk, have caused women to choose style over the health and safety of their feet. Our toes were not meant to be bunched together in a curled position.

Arthritis, toe injuries, and stroke can also cause hammertoes.

Symptoms of Hammertoes
The tell-tale signs of hammertoes are deformed looking toes that resemble a hammer shape. It usually affects the longest toe. In addition, it can also cause corns due to excessive rubbing against shoes. Pain and difficulty to move around the toe is also a symptom of hammertoes.

How to Prevent Hammertoes
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure when it comes to how to prevent hammertoes. Try to keep affected toes stretched as much as possible each day. Simples toe stretching exercises should accomplish that. Also, make sure that you have comfortable fitting shoes to stop hammertoe before it starts.

How to Treat Hammertoes
Contrary to popular belief, most inserts will not treat hammertoes. You need special mold inserts to stop more damage. However, you could try taping or splints. In addition, to stop excessive skin pressure you could apply pads to the affected area.

You can apply ice every three or four hours to reduce swelling. Anti-inflammatory medications will also provide temporary relief, too.

The only way how to treat hammertoes when your toes are really deformed is through corrective surgery. This can be done by repairing a tendon, or it can be as complex as reshaping the bone. The main objective for such surgeries is to straighten the toe and to alleviate the constant pain. So, the only way how to treat hammertoe deformities is through some type of surgery.

If you want to know more about how to treat hammertoes, or possibly need corrective surgery from a podiatrist in the Chandler, AZ. area, contact the office of Dr. Robert Kuvent at Advanced Foot Care: 480.917.2300

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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:

1. “It can’t be broken if I can still move it.” False; this crazy idea has kept many fractures from ever receiving prompt, proper treatment. The truth is, often times you can walk with certain types of fractures. Some common examples include: breaks in the smaller, outer bones of the lower leg, small “chip” fractures of the ankle and foot bones, and the biggest one of all is the broken toe.
2. “If you break a toe, immediate care isn’t needed.” False; a toe fracture can require prompt attention. If x-rays show that the fracture is a simple displacement, where a little toe bone has just been shifted out of place, your podiatric physician can usually provide you rapid relief. In the unfortunate event that the x-rays show a “displaced” or “angulated” break, you need the help of a podiatrist to prevent improper or incomplete healing, which left untreated, can cause years of pain and trouble. There are times when the initial x-rays won’t show a fracture, even though it is there. In this case, it may be necessary to return at a later date to have a second set of x-rays performed. It is not uncommon for untreated toe fractures to develop into “post-fracture deformities”, which can lead to deformed toes that can generate painful corns and calluses in response to new abnormal pressures. In general, a good rule of thumb is: seek prompt treatment for injuries to your foot.
3. “You should soak your foot or ankle injury in hot water immediately.” False; never use hot water or heat on an area you suspect to be fractured, sprained or dislocated. Heat increases blood flow, which causes greater swelling. More swelling in turn means more pressure on the surrounding nerves, which causes more pain! Icing the injury, on the other hand, can have the opposite effect on blood flow, which reduces swelling and it has an added numbing effect, which helps with the pain. Upon examination by a podiatrist, additional recommendations may be given, based on your specific situation.
4. “Elastic bandages are an effective treatment for severe ankle sprains.” False; ankle sprains often involve torn or severely overstretched ligaments, and thus, they should receive immediate care by a physician. X-rays, immobilization with crutches or a boot and physical therapy may be needed to give you the best chance for a full recovery. It is possible that surgery may even be necessary, and you don’t want to delay this if you want to avoid trouble later in life.
5. “The words ‘Fracture’, ‘Break’, and ‘Crack’ are all different.” False; all of those words can be used to describe a broken bone.

Should you sustain an injury to your foot or ankle, there are a few steps you can take to help yourself until you can see your podiatrist. It’s an old saying, and many of you may have even heard it before, but it is often forgotten in times of trouble: “RICE”. “R” stands for Rest, meaning you should stay off your foot/ankle. “I” stands for Ice because applying ice wrapped in a towel over the injury for periods of 20-25min, followed by 45min of no ice can help limit swelling and help with the pain. “C” stands for Compression, as you can gently wrap an ACE bandage around the injury, taking care not to pull it too tight. “E” stands for Elevation, as you should sit in a position to keep your foot/ankle higher than your waist, which can also help reduce swelling. Remember, RICE is NOT a substitution for medical attention, it is just a few things you can employ before seeing the doctor.

Finally, there are a few precautions you can take to limit your risk of injury to your foot and ankle. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes for your chosen activities (in other words, don’t run a 5K in your dress shoes or sandals) and lace them up properly. If you need to wear steel-toed boots, make sure you leave enough room to accommodate your toes comfortably. Always wear closed toe, preferably hard-top shoes when mowing the lawn; and when you’re mowing the lawn, be sure to pay attention to what you’re doing! Don’t go barefoot on paved streets, even sidewalks. Watch out for slippery floors at home or work. Clean up obvious spills immediately. If you awake in the middle of the night, whether nature is calling or you suddenly remember your dog is still outside, you should turn on a light (or use a flash light). Many fractured toes and other foot injuries occur while walking in the dark.

Should you ever find yourself in need of medical attention for your foot or ankle, don’t hesitiate to contact your local Chandler Podiatrist immediately. We feel your feet are VERY important, and so should you!

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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.

There are many topical solutions aimed at destroying the wart via direct application. These can often be found at your local pharmacy. Depending on which doctor you see, there are plenty of options to rid yourself of those hard-to-treat warts. Many doctors try freezing the warts off with liquid nitrogen (which is negative 320 degrees Fahrenheit). This extreme cold actually burns the wart, causing it to turn black and eventually fall off. If used properly, there should be no scarring with this method.

Doctors also try cutting the warts out in conjunction with electricity or ultrasound. First the area is numbed with medicine, then the physician uses an electrical or ultrasonic device to destroy the wart. After this, the remainder of the wart is removed with a tool called a “curette” (which is like a tiny ice-cream scoop). This technique is likely to cause a scar. A major problem with this method is that the scar can often be painful and there is a good chance the wart will return unless all of it was properly removed.

New technology has enabled doctors to use lasers to destroy warts. This procedure can actually be performed in a podiatrist’s office (provided they have the proper equipment). This is expensive however, and may result in some scarring. Because this is relatively new, it is still largely considered an unproven method.

One of the most common and successful methods is to burn warts off with a mild acid. The acid is applied topically to the wart, and many applications may be required over the course of several weeks to achieve positive results. While this seems excessive, this technique is highly successful.

While some of these treatment options seem brutal, primitive or unlikely to work, each of the discussed methods appears to have their place in medicine. Only you and your doctor can determine what is the best treatment plan to get rid of your warts. As long as the warts are on your feet, don’t hesitate to see your podiatrist to have them taken care of today!

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2. Ingrown Toenails, How Does a Podiatrist Treat it?

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.

An ingrown toenail occurs when the sharp edge of the nail grows down into the skin of the toe. This usually causes pain, and may involve redness and swelling around the nail. When this happens, it’s usually a good idea to take care of the problem promptly. This will avoid prolonged irritation by the nail, which in turn can increase the chances of harboring infection, not to mention the longer you wait, the longer you’ll likely be in pain.

When you first see the podiatrist, they will assess how bad your toenail situation may be. If a simple trimming of the nail corner will relieve your pain, that may be the best approach. However, if your nail is severely ingrown and infected, this simple treatment won’t work and more invasive measures must be implemented. If this problem is new to you or is determined by your doctor to be a possible one-time occurrence your doctor may be able to simply remove a portion of the nail or your entire nail. This will allow the nail to grow back, hopefully coming back in a regular fashion without being ingrown. To do this, your podiatrist will probably numb your toe, and then remove your nail with some intimidating tools. There may be some bleeding, in which case your doctor or their nurse will dress your toe will gauze and possibly some antibiotic ointment. The numbing medicine will continue working for several hours, so your toe will remain numb. You may experience some pain the following day, but usually patients are able to return to their normal activities promptly.

If you experience recurring ingrown nails or your nail is ingrown as a result of a deformed toenail following trauma to the toe, then your best option is likely a permanent removal of the nail. In this case, your doctor will numb your toe and either remove the ingrown border of the nail or the entire nail (depending on how severe your problem is) using the same tools as a non-permanent removal described above. Then to make the removal permanent, they will use a chemical to kill the root of your nail so it will not grow back. There may be a little more pain involved with the recovery process of this procedure, but again, this won’t bother you until the numbing effect wears off in several hours. This pain is associated with the fact that the chemical used to kill the root of the nail actually creates a chemical burn that needs to heal. Despite the pain, which is rarely as painful as the ingrown nail itself, you’re usually able to resume normal activities right away. If your podiatrist decides a partial nail removal is appropriate, your remaining nail will appear normal, just slightly narrower than before. This is often the most aesthetically pleasing option because you’ll still have a nail left on your toe.

If you have diabetes, poor blood circulation, any kind of nerve damage, or an infection around your toenail, absolutely do NOT try to treat an ingrown toenail on your own. Go to your podiatrist right away. For the rest of you, while there are some home remedies for ingrown toenails that may work, it is usually best to see your local podiatrist, who as a foot specialist, is the most qualified doctor to deal with such a problem.

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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.

Most of the time this condition will result from the growth plate in the metatarsal bone closing too early. Once this happens, the bone can no longer grow. There are multiple ways growth plates can close early, with the most common two being hereditary factors or trauma to the foot resulting in fracture of the growth plate.

Having a shortened toe can lead to numerous problems. When you walk, you normally transfer weight from your fifth toe on over to your first toe in a sequential manner (5^th, 4^th, 3^rd, 2^nd, 1^st). This motion works well for walking because your toes gradually become longer from the fifth to the first and as your weight is transferred from your heel to the ball of your feet, you start with the shortest toe and gradually transition to the longest toe for “push off” of your next step. The problem with having a shortened fourth toe, as is the case with Brachymetatarsia, is this process becomes disrupted. If your fourth toe is shorter than the fifth, as you transfer body weight during walking, the fourth toe is unable to accept the weight from the fifth toe, and you transfer incorrectly to the third toe. Jumping from the fifth to the third causes excess stress to be placed on these toes. As a result, pain can develop around the fifth and third toes. Another problem with an abnormally short toe is that it tends to drift upward on your foot, which can lead to problems with footwear and psychological distress from the appearance of your foot.

Treatment for brachymetatarsia is unfortunately limited. As is the case with many conditions, conservative treatment is often the first option. This involves wearing shoes with extra depth to allow more room for the shortened, raised up toe, as well as using padding to protect the toe from abnormal pressures from the top of the shoe, which can lead to the development of ulcerations. To relieve pressure under the other toes, you can use padded inserts.

When conservative treatments fail, surgery may be performed to lengthen the short toe. This procedure involves cutting the short bone and inserting a piece of bone graft between the two ends. Once the graft heals, the metatarsal and toe will be the correct length. Most of the time, associated tendons and surrounding skin must also be lengthened to accommodate the repaired toe.

In the event of an exceptionally short metatarsal, bone grafting may be impossible, in which case, the two adjacent metatarsals may be shortened slightly to recreate an arc of the toes, thus restoring your foot’s normal weight transferring ability. Following surgery, you will need to use crutches to avoid bearing weight on the repaired foot for close to 3 months. Then you’ll need to wear a snug-fitting lace-up shoe for an additional 6 weeks.

There are other treatment options, however these are best discussed in person with your doctor. If you have a “floating toe” or a noticeably shortened toe, you should seek medical attention from your local podiatrist soon. There are things that can be done to restore normal function and appearance to your foot.

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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.

There are certain conditions that people can have that are only aggravated by the cold. If not for those low temperatures, some of these individuals wouldn’t even know they had such a condition. One of those is called “Chilblains”. It is often confused with frostbite or trench foot because of its tendency to turn the toe colors. What happens is the cold damages the smallest blood vessels in the skin of the toes and fingers, which turns them red at first. Along with the redness, they also can form blisters, experience intense itching and severe inflammation. Often times, the cause of Chilblains cannot be explained, although it can be associated with other serious medical conditions that need to be investigated.

Chilblains can be treated by warming up the affected digits, or when severe enough, with medication to cause the blood vessels to open up, allowing better blood supply to the area. This can help reduce the pain and facilitate healing and prevent it from happening again. The best way to avoid Chilblains is by preventing it from starting in the first place. This can be prevented by keeping the feet and hands warm in cold weather. Wear high quality gloves and socks, avoid rapid changes in temperature and avoid tight fitting socks and shoes. You can even try placing cotton wool between the toes to help improve circulation. A healthy diet and exercise can also improve circulation to your extremities. Lastly, you should avoid alcohol consumption before going out in the cold.

While it is unlikely you have Chilblains, simply because it is fairly rare, there is still a chance. If you experience any of the above symptoms or signs in your toes, regardless of whether or not it is linked to cold temperatures, you should see a podiatrist right away. Until then, go out and enjoy the cold, “weather” you need to get up early to find it or simply can’t avoid it!

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Osteoarthritis (OA for short) is also known as “Degenerative Arthritis” or “Degenerative Joint Disease,” and it encompasses a variety of abnormalities that all involve the degradation of your joints. There are different parts to a joint, but all are susceptible, such as the cartilage and bone. If you experience symptoms like joint pain, tenderness and stiffness, there is a chance you may have OA. There are a multitude of causes, whether it be hereditary, developmental, due to some underlying condition, or simply the mechanical stresses of being active, that may start the snowball effect of processes that can ultimately lead to a loss of cartilage. Without this important cartilage, the bone surfaces are less protected and bone may be exposed and damaged. Naturally, when this occurs, you will experience pain and as a result of this pain, you’re likely to decrease your activity level. This can lead to your muscles becoming “atrophied” or decreased in size and strength. Your ligaments may become more lax as well. In addition to the pain and muscle wasting, you may experience foot imbalances and problems in your ankles which can make walking all the more difficult.

Treatment of OA generally involves combining a variety of exercises, lifestyle modifications and pain medications. Often times this is just enough to get you back on your pain-free way. If your pain becomes debilitating, there are more invasive options like surgery to either replace the joint with an artificial piece or fuse the joint to eliminate the painful motion of bone rubbing on bone. These surgical options can improve the quality of your life, but they often depend on which joint is involved as well as other factors.

While it’s nearly inevitable to have pain as you age, there are definitely things your podiatrist can do to help you experience less of the painful aspects of aging, and allow you to focus on the joys of your experienced life instead.

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