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My Aching Feet: Symptoms Of Arthritis In Toes
Arthritis commonly attacks joints in the hands, knees, and hips, but it can also occur in the toes. Depending on the cause and symptoms of your toe arthritis, several kinds of treatment can help you.
Different types of arthritis can cause toe pain. Sometimes the cartilage wears away between the bones. Without the protective cartilage, bones rub together.
This inflames the tissue and causes pain and swelling. If you're experiencing toe pain, read on to find out if arthritis may be the cause.
Toe arthritis is caused by inflammation of the toe joint. The disease most often attacks the big toe, but the others may be affected as well.
Past injuries or traumas, such as a broken or sprained toe, can cause arthritis down the road. Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout may also be to blame.
Risk factors include:
Women who wear tight, high-heeled shoes for much of their lives may also be at risk for toe arthritis.
Pain is most likely the first noticeable symptom of arthritis. You may feel a general pain in the toes or only the big toe.
People describe it as ranging from a deep, achy feeling to a sharper, stabbing sensation when they try to move. It may be minor, moderate, or severe depending on the level of deterioration or inflammation in the joint.
Pain is one of the most common and debilitating symptoms of arthritis. It can stop you from enjoying your normal daily activities.
Over time, arthritis wears away at the cartilage between joints, inflames tissues, and damages synovial fluid. All these changes can make joints stiff and difficult to move.
With less cushioning and support, joints become resistant to bending and stretching. This can result in difficulty walking, as the toes play a big part in balance and in pushing the foot off the ground.
It may hurt when you try to walk because the toe joint moves with every step.
All types of arthritis cause inflammation in the joint, which can result in visible swelling. The toes may turn red and feel warm to the touch.
You may notice this symptom after you have been sitting for a while, or after you get out of bed.
Swelling can also make it difficult to put your shoes on in the morning. They may feel tight until you walk around a while and the swelling goes down.
You know how it sounds when you crack your knuckles? You may start to hear similar sounds in your toes if you have arthritis. A grinding noise is a fairly common symptom as well.
These sounds are caused by the deterioration of the cartilage that typically cushions the two bones in a joint. As that cartilage wears away, the bones may rub against one another, causing these sounds.
If bone spurs develop, they can also cause clicks and cracks.
Does your toe look bigger than it used to? Is it starting to rotate away from your foot? These occurrences can be symptoms of toe arthritis.
As the cartilage wears away and the bone grinds against bone, the body attempts to make the situation better. Its solution is to create more bone.
Although this may stabilize the joint, it can also make it appear larger, or like it has a big bump on it, not unlike the appearance of having bunions.
It may send the toe off in a new direction, creating a curved shape or what is sometimes called "claw feet."
When inflammation brings more blood to your toes, you may feel a sense of warmth or heat in the area. It can be mildly irritating, but it usually doesn't interfere with your daily activities.
You may also see redness on the skin around the joints, and they may become tender to the touch.
A locked joint can happen when there is so much swelling and stiffness that the joint is no longer able to bend at all.
Rough edges on the bones and bone spurs can also cause a joint to lock up. It may feel like the toe is stuck, and it can be painful.
This is usually not a permanent condition. You may have to walk around for a while, or try to manipulate the toe to bend again.
All of these symptoms can make walking extremely painful and difficult. You may find yourself adjusting your gait as you try to put less weight on your toes.
You might even choose to stop exercising. Unfortunately, these kinds of changes can affect the rest of your body, causing hip or back pain, weight gain, and other problems.
Those with arthritis in the big toe are particularly susceptible to immobility.
Check with your doctor right away if you are experiencing any of the symptoms of toe arthritis. There are treatments, orthotics, physical therapy, and special shoes that can all help you feel better and stay active.
Osteoarthritis: Symptoms, Causes And Treatment
There's no cure for osteoarthritis, but certain medications and lifestyle modifications can help ease symptoms.
"There are both medication-based as well as non-medication based interventions for osteoarthritis," says Dr. Kreitenberg. Treatments consist of multiple therapies, including:
Physical exercise, which is a type of movement that doctors may recommend as part of an osteoarthritis treatment plan. This treatment involves routinely exercising the body to combat pain and stiffness. Suggested exercises can range from muscle strengthening movements, such as weight lifting to aerobic exercises.
Physical therapies and assistive devices, such as knee braces and crutches, are typically administered by a physical therapist or chiropractor to protect the joints and ease pain. "Beginning with a carefully designed exercise program, one can improve joint range of motion and mobility and reduce pain," says Dr. Kreitenberg. Treatments may entail guided movements and individually tailored exercises. "Other supportive measures include hand splints, knee bracing or orthotics for foot arthritis and flat feet," he adds.
Medications for osteoarthritis aim to reduce pain and inflammation through regular use. One common class of medication includes topical creams like counterirritants, which contain menthol and similar ingredients to distract users from pain. Counterirritants accomplish this by producing superficial irritation on one area of the body (through generating a cool or warm sensation) while relieving pain.
Weight loss is recommended for people with excess weight. In this case, the goal of weight loss is to reduce extra force and stress on the weight-bearing joints, such as the knees. Successful weight loss can help reduce pain and slow joint damage.
Surgeries usually include one of two options: joint fusion surgery to correct pain and improve function or joint replacement surgery to remove and replace damaged joints. Typically, joint fusion surgery consists of surgically tethering the bones in a joint to prevent joint movement and decrease pain.
Orthopedic surgeons perform both types of surgery. Most people who are navigating life with osteoarthritis don't need surgery, unless the condition becomes unmanageable with less invasive treatment options. Only then is it an essential next step.
Self-management strategies are designed to help individuals minimize pain and joint impairment, which improves their ability to independently perform activities of daily living (ADLs), such as bathing, getting dressed and using the toilet. There are five self-management strategies recommended in the CDC's Arthritis Program, including:
Two Patients Share How They Deal With Inflammatory Osteoarthritis
Elaine Husni, MD, vice chair and director of the Department of Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases at Cleveland Clinic, wants everyone to know that arthritis isn't a one-size-fits-all diagnosis. Instead, the joint disease is categorized in two ways: inflammatory (this includes psoriatic and rheumatoid arthritis and gout) and noninflammatory (this includes osteoarthritis).
You'll know you have arthritis if you experience pain, swelling, stiffness and warmth around one or many joints that lasts for a few weeks or more. (Pain that lasts for only a few days is likely due to an injury or strain.) If your pain is ongoing, you need to see your healthcare provider, who will likely give you a physical exam and order blood work and imaging. You may be referred to a rheumatologist, who'll explain what type of arthritis you have, says Husni. "That specialist will work closely with you and tailor treatments to your needs."
The good news: When it comes to relieving symptoms, "there are options," Husni says. "We've tripled the number of medications out there for treatment, especially for inflammatory arthritis."
Parade spoke with two arthritis sufferers about the realities of living with the ailment and the lifestyle changes they've made to help control it.
Related: Learn the Differences Between Rheumatoid and Psoriatic Arthritis
Kari MartinMartin, 33, a writer in Brownsboro, Texas, has had psoriatic arthritis for seven years. She works hard to decrease symptom flare-ups by eliminating inflammatory foods from her diet.
How she discovered it: "When I was 26, I just wasn't feeling well. The fatigue was so intense that it was hard to get out of bed. Then I started noticing red patches on my elbows and on the sides of my feet. I tried athlete's foot cream, but nothing helped. I went to my primary care doctor first, and he did an X-ray and said I had arthritis in my back. When I was finally sent to a rheumatologist, I got some answers. She ran blood tests to check inflammation levels and immediately got me started on a psoriatic arthritis treatment plan."
Story continues
What she does to control it: "I initially did immuno-suppressive therapy, which helped off and on. In 2018, I spoke with my rheumatologist about also trying to control it through diet. Now, I stay away from white bread, pasta, rice and white sugar. I've learned the hard way that when I eat processed foods, I'll end up having a flare. While it's very difficult to eat completely clean, I've worked hard to change my diet as much as possible so I will feel well!"
What she wants you to know: "Find a doctor who is willing to listen. Be gentle with yourself and don't compare your journey or symptoms to other people who have the same condition. Also, support groups are really helpful. One thing I found was that people in those groups talked a lot about how they couldn't get out of bed. I try to encourage them by sharing that I'm determined to never be bedridden—no matter what happens!"
Related: What Does Arthritis Feel Like? Plus, the 7 Most-Googled Questions You Want Answered
Matt WohlfarthWohlfarth, 58, a professional comedian in Pittsburgh, was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis more than 20 years ago. "I wake up every morning feeling like the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz!" he says. Stress reduction, dietary adjustments and medicine have helped him cope.
How he discovered it: "When I was 34, I was headlining in comedy clubs, and that's when I started noticing how my elbows would freeze up between shows. At first, I thought it was happening because I was holding the microphone in one position. Next, I started feeling razor-blade pain in my feet, my handshake got weak and I was super tired. After my internist did blood work I got my diagnosis."
What he does to control it: "I'm still trying to control it and I will say that stress definitely kicks things off. I started off on a Humira injectable once a week and now take Rinvoq in pill form, but I still feel the swelling in my hands and knees. For example, right now my left knee feels like I was tackled by an NFL player, so I'm wearing a knee brace. It definitely gets worse if I veer away from my gluten-free diet, which I just started a few months ago. When I eat bread or potatoes I feel it. I get a hangover after I eat pizza or drink wheat beer!"
What he wants you to know: "I was a really bad patient for the first few years, but my biggest advice is to listen to your doctor, take this seriously and, if you're diagnosed with a condition like this, do what you can to eliminate as much stress as you can. You won't die of this disease, but you'll die with it, so you need to manage it. Try to meditate, consider making changes to your diet and don't get caught up in all the things you can't do. Focus on all that you can do!"
Related: The 20 Best Foods to Reduce Inflammation and Ease Arthritis Pain
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