Arthritis not only affects your spine, hips, hands, and knees, but it can also affect your ankles and feet. If you have arthritis, you may experience debilitating pain and stiffness in the joints of your feet and ankles, especially when you wake up in the morning. Because of this, you may need to seek treatment. Here are some interventions your foot doctor in Joliet may recommend for your foot and ankle arthritis.
Ibuprofen And Naproxen Sodium
In addition to pain and stiffness, arthritis causes joint inflammation. When the joints of your feet and ankles become inflamed, you may develop balance problems, severe pain, immobility, and problems with your range of motion. Because of this, your foot doctor in Joliet may recommend over-the-counter ibuprofen or naproxen sodium.
These medications are in a class of drugs called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, also known as NSAIDs. Even though another over-the-counter medication known as acetaminophen may be effective in relieving mild joint pain, it is ineffective in reducing joint inflammation.
Lifestyle Modifications
Your foot doctor may also recommend certain lifestyle modifications to help treat the pain and swelling of your foot and ankle joints. While lifestyle modifications cannot cure arthritic conditions, they can greatly improve your symptoms.
Your podiatrist may recommend that you lose weight if you are obese because excess weight stresses arthritic joints and could cause further damage. Your foot doctor may also recommend mild exercises such as walking to help promote circulation to the joints to help enhance mobility and strength. For more information visit Business Name today.