"My Foot Hurts Even When My Sheets Touch It!!

“MY FOOT HURTS EVEN WHEN MY SHEETS TOUCH IT!!”

If this is a complaint that you have, you may have a condition called GOUT. Gout has various other names, such as metabolic arthritis or Podagra. Almost 1 million people in the United States have Gout.
Even Benjamin Franklin, who lived from 1706 to 1790, had Gout. Gout plagued Franklin so much, that he even wrote an essay titled, “Dialogue between Franklin and The Gout” on October 22, 1780. Other famous people afflicted with gout include President Thomas Jefferson, King Henry VIII of England, Charles Darwin, Alexander the Great, and Voltaire.

What is Gout?
Gout is a buildup of uric acid crystals in and around joints in the body. Gout only attacks one joint at a time. A gouty attack is when these uric acid crystals in the joint buildup, causing exquisite pain, redness and warmth. The joint can become so sensitive, that even the slightest touch can elicit an excruciating amount of pain.

A common complaint is, “My foot hurts even when the sheets touch it.” These attacks can last from hours to days. An acute gouty attack is self-limiting, however medication is necessary in most cases to reduce the pain and the inflammation.

Gout can occur in any joint; however, there are joints that are more commonly affected. These include the big toe, ankles, knees, wrists, and elbows. Rarely, uric acid has also been found in the ears, vocal cords, and the spinal cord.

How does the uric acid build up in the joints? Gout essentially is a metabolic disorder. It happens when the body has a malfunction in processing and eliminating uric acid sufficiently; it can also happen when the body has a genetic tendency to generate more uric acid than the body needs. The uric acid that gets deposited in the joints turn into crystals called tophi. These tophi can become very painful, especially during an acute attack of Gout.


Some people are more at risk of getting gout than others.
Some of the risk factors of gout include:
1. Obesity
2. Moderate to High Alcohol Consumption
3. Abnormal Kidney function
4. Hypertension
5. Some prescription drugs may also exacerbate gout.

DIAGNOSIS & TREATMENT:
Diagnosis of gout can be made by your podiatrist, by just inspection of your big toe or ankle joint. A more definitive diagnosis can be made by joint aspiration of the fluid in the joint. This fluid is taken from the joint and sent for pathology to identify the uric acid crystals. Blood Tests to check for the uric acid in the blood can also be done.

It is essential to go to your podiatrist or doctor if you have symptoms that are similar to gout. If left untreated, multiple acute gouty attacks can lead to a chronic condition of gout. This can further lead to decrease in kidney function, and the formation of kidney stones.

Your podiatrist may treat a gouty attack with pain relievers and Anti-inflammatory medication as a first line of treatment. Some medications can also lower the blood uric acid by preventing uric acid production in the body.

PREVENTION:
Once gout is diagnosed, there are many ways to prevent any further attacks of gout. These include weight loss, decrease in alcohol consumption, sufficient fluid intake, and a change in diet.
Foods rich in purine (the product which is converted to uric acid in the body) should be avoided. There are many foods rich in purine. These include, shellfish, meat, organ meat (liver, kidney, etc), fried foods, roasted nuts, etc… You can speak with your podiatrist regarding what foods to avoid, and what foods to moderate if you do have gout. Acid forming foods should also be avoided.

If you have any or all of the above symptoms of pain and tenderness, redness or inflammation, consult your Podiatrist immediately.

Diagnosis, Treatment and more importantly Preventing future attacks of gout is essential in keeping your body healthy.

 

Don’t Forget to Thank Your Feet this Thanksgiving! By Dr. Sharon S. Joag

Day after day, Month after month and year after year, your feet really do take on a beating.  They do a lot of work, carrying all of our body weight around all day long.  And during the holiday season, they take on even more.  Everything we do to our bodies affects our feet; from high heeled shoes, to the foot that we end up eating. 

So, this holiday season, start it off right; start by taking care of one of most important, yet one of the most neglected parts of our bodies, our FEET! 

1.     
Wear comfortable shoes that compliment your foot type.  For your dress shoes, try brands like Dr. Comfort, Ecco, or Clark’s shoes.  They have a bit more padding and arch support, and more importantly, they have a bit more width to accommodate your toes.  Trying to squeeze our toes into little stilettoes, and those narrow heels may look pretty amazing, but they are a disaster for your feet. 
Wearing narrow high heels can lead to painful hammertoes, bunions, neuromas, and many other foot problems.  If you must wear high heels, make sure you have a comfortable pair of shoes you can change into by the end of the night, when you are getting home from work, or going home from a party or dinner.  If you need advice on what type of shoes to wear, consult your Podiatrist.  Having a high or a low arch will define the type of shoe that best suits your feet.

2.       
Try Reflexology!This alternative massage therapy has been around for thousands of years, and it is still around for a reason.  Your reflexologist may do a lymphatic drainage as part of your foot treatment.  If you have swollen feet at the end of the day, or if you have chronic swelling called “pitting edema”, that just will not go away, lymphatic drainage is for you. 
Lymphatic Drainage is a form of manual therapy that helps to remove the excess fluid in your feet and legs and manually pushes this fluid toward your heart and lungs.  Lymphatic drainage will help to bring back your energy, and improve your circulation.  This can be done as often as is needed; once a week, or once every two weeks. 

      Eat a Healthy, Balanced Diet.  That does not mean that you need to restrict your diet, but it does mean that you need to become a conscious eater.  Putting less meat, and more vegetables on your plate is the general rule to follow.  But it is also important to eat in moderation; never eat too much of anything. 
A diet that is not balanced, and healthy can lead to Systemic Diseases, such as Diabetes Type II.  Diabetes in turn, can affect every system in the body.  An unhealthy diet, rich in purines, such as red meats and alcohol, can lead to Gout.  Knowing and thinking about what you are putting into your body is crucial. 

4.       
Walk, Exercise, Just MOVE. Take a walk during your lunch break.  Especially if your job is at a desk.  Your circulation will improve, as each time you flex your calf muscle, you are actually helping to circulate blood in your legs.
And if time permits, put your feet up at work every now and then.  You will notice that you will get a boost of energy by doing this. 

This Thanksgiving, take care of your feet, and they will take care of you!  

Have you heard of Dr.'s Remedy?

In the United States, it is legal for beauty products to contain chemicals which are linked to Cancer, Learning disabilities, infertility and chronic disease. Most of the nail polish found in pharmacies and convenience stores have toxic materials such as DBP, Toluene, and Formaldehyde in it.
The nail polish called Dr.'s Remedy on the other hand has naturally occurring substances such as tea tree oil, garlic bulb extract as well as Vitamin C and E and Wheat proteins. Children, especially girls, who wear nail polish on occasion and end up biting their nails and chipping their nail polish off, should be using this new natural nail polish.

WHY IS REGULAR NAIL POLISH SO BAD?

The nail polish that we buy in our stores today and in the United States are filled with DBP, or dibutyl phthalate, which has been proven to have links with infertility and birth defects; Toluene or methylbenzene, is also used as an inhalant for intoxicating properties, but is no longer used since it has been shown to cause neurological damage. Finally, formaldehyde is also a substance in nail polish; it is proven to cause cancer and it isused since it aids in the durability and the longevity of the product.

These links to cancer, birth defects and infertility should ward you off regular nail polish for good.

WHY SHOULD YOU USE DR'S REMEDY NAIL POLISH?

Dr.'s Remedy is one of the brands of nail polish, developed by two Podiatrists, which have all naturally occurring substances, and are not harmful to the body. In fact, the substances used have significant antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties.

A few of the main products are listed below with their beneficial properties.

1- Tea tree oil: from the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifornia plant. It is an anti-septic as well as an anti-fungal.

2- Garlic Bulb Extract: contains Allicin. It is an anti-bacterial, an antifungal as well as an antiviral.

3- Vitamin C and E: for the skin and nails.

4-Wheat protein: to increase shine, and has moisture-binding properties.