RA and Foot Pain | Arthritis Information
I can't figure it out. I'm feeling sort of better over all. RA still active but it's ignorable pain, you know what I mean? If you stop and think about everything that aches in any given moment, it's quite a few things. But I'm not even going to focus on that, I've decided that I am going to get in shape, pain or no pain, because I'd rather be in pain with wrecked joints but have good cardiovascular health.
Anyway. The only thing that I just can't ignore recently is my feet. They started this off I think back when I was 20 but that's when I was running, and the pain was mid-foot, top and bottom. Now for a while recently the pain I have had has been on the bottom in the top, at the base of my toes, but it just feels like I'm walking on rocks. It just hurts to stand, it's like there's not padding on my bones that should be there. My feet look fine though.
But my left foot has gotten awful, and it's plantar faciitis type pain and it's bad enough that I'm thinking about going to a podiatrist. Rather than detail the type of pain and how it's better or worse, I'm just wondering how RA usually presents in the foot. Don't want to go to the podiatrist and pay $ then be told "keep hoping RA meds work because that's it." For now RD thinks its at least RA related and probably plantar faciitis. Jeesh I can't spell or pronounce that word. It was hurting just some when I saw him last but now a lot...
What have your experiences been with foot pain? I have tried stretching and those ice cups but I have Raynauds so bad I just can't do ice, it hurts too much. For a LONG time I have had problems with my achilles, in that they never feel like they get totally stretched. Back into my teens, before I even wore heels (which I don't wear anymore, hurts too bad). And when I do stretch them it just makes it worse, it's like scratching an itch, and I feel like I need to stretch them more and more. It does give some relief now though.
KatieG2008-12-28 18:52:45freeze water in dixie cup and apply several times a day to bottom of foot. Doesn't sound like much, but it helped me. Plantar Faciitis is very painful. Hope it resolves soon.
Lisa
Jeesh, just re-read you post.....you tried the Ice.....hmmm...not sure what you can do from here. It's to bad, the ice helped me. But I had to be diligent. There's exercises that the podiatrist or othopod can give you to relieve some of the pain and help PF is that is the diagnosis. Also, fitted orthotics may help. I have bilateral pain caused by RA and PA and how it develops in the feet is different for everyone. Mine involves my ankles, Achilles Tendons, toes, and I also have neuropathy. You need a specialist to help you out. LindySorry for you feet pain, that's where the majority of my pain is. I have found nothing that really helps the pain just things that make it worse;) My pain is on the top of my feet to where the toes start and sometimes through the toes, every stinkin one of em. I hope you find some relief!
My pain is in the toes, and the top of the foot before the toes up through the mid-foot, then again in the ankles (the "broken ankle feeling"). When my swelling is bad, I also have a spot on the bottom of my foot that becomes very painful, near the heel.
Hope you find some relief Katie.
You need orthotics. RA can cause the fat at the ball of the foot to shift and that is why you feel like you're "walking on rocks".
My RD says all RA people have foot trouble, and in fact sent me for custom orthotics on my first visit, even though I had no complaints regarding my feet. At the Arthritis Centre where I get treated they have a whole occupational therapy department where they make custom fitted orthotics and braces. My OT made a mold of my feet and made orthotics for me taht really keep my feet comfortable.
Once I was feeling really great and I told my RD I just had a tiny spot of pain in one foot and she said the bones in the feet are so tiny there's not much they can do about foot pain, other than meds and insoles.
Hope you get relief soon.I too have been having feet problem...I couldnt get out of bed for3 hours today due to the broken foot feeling, its like evey joint had glass in it...i have the same feeling in my elbows and hands...today i wish i could get a lethal injection.
Oh, I hope you feel better! I'm so sorry.
One RD told me custom orthotics were not worth the money. I bought some of the others. Couldn't really tell a difference. I got some Merrills for at home and some new Softspot shoes for work. My sister used to work for an O&P operation and I might go there once I have more $. I am starting to get ankle pain that sort of feels like broken ankle but I think its entirely from pronating (or the other way?) Anyway I am walking way too much on the outsides of my feet. Try to walk on the insides when I can but its subconscious, trying to avoid the pain. It just seems like RD's are not as focused on foot, kind of like jaw, maybe because it is such a specialized area?
At the beginning I just really wanted the RD to pay attention to and care for each pain but now I'm realizing "big picture", focus on the worst joints and the overall treatment. It's doing better this week but a had a day or two where I wished I had some crutches around, except that I might not be able to use them with my wrist! :) Sometimes I think my wrist is getting better but then it will burn a couple of hours in the middle of the day and I guess that's no good...
Pinnie.. do NOT talk like that... I hope you feel better soon..
KatieG... I'm sorry you're having issues as well... sounds horrible.. and I've had all those issues but not at the same time.. I cannot imagine..
I have, now, the broken glass in the edge of my foot problem right now... and the only shoes that feel comfy are crocs!!! which do NOT work in the office (I have very pretty slippers for when I'm not meeting w/ clients)
I think you are right... the RD has to take the BIGGER issues first and move on from there...
Hey Katie,
I have the broken ankle feeling as well, and I totally walk on the outsides of my feet (only part that the pain is tolerable). I hope you figure something out, and if you do please let me know, I am still hoping/waiting for my pregnancy relief, I read somewhere it doesn't start until the 2nd trimester though! Take Care.
Reggie,
You get RA relief from pregnancy?...get out of town!
Funny, people who have MS get remmission while pregnant also....interesting
I've had foot pain since 2000 but mine is Peripheral Neuropathy, PN, or so I'm told. Since I have herniated disk(s) in my back, pressure on the spinal cord travels to the end (periphery!) of the nerves, in the feet. For me, it feels like standing on sharp gravel inside a bonfire. I've been offered neurontin but I take so many other drugs, I've resisted trying it. Mostly I just bear it.
Now the PN is in my hands also, presumably from an old shoulder nerve injury. I can't hold a phone, pencil, etc. for more than a minute before my hand goes numb (painfully numb, unfortunately) so I have to constantly shift hands.
I've had the feet PN for 8 years, and the hands PN started worsening in January 2008. However, the more I discover about RA (and Lupus), the more I realize how much they impact so many body parts. For example, Lupus caused one of my Achilles tendons to rupture last winter, and the doctor said my hip joint disintegration was probably caused by RA and/or Lupus. So maybe I don't have PN, or maybe it is PN but is caused by damage from RA and Lupus.
Maybe your foot pain has a similar cause?
What a lovely disease. However, at least with a diagnosis of RA and Lupus, I can finally understand all the various, seemingly unrelated ills, that have plagued my body for the past 20 years!
I was so tired of my feet hurting that I took my xmas bonus last year and went to the FOOT SOLUTION store. I bought 2 pair of sandals (one black/one brown) a0.00/pair. I bought a pair of MaryJanes for 9.00 and a pair of SPIROS (tennis shoes that have springs (literally) built into the ball and heel of the shoe but they look like regular tennis shoes. My feet don't hurt. They haven't hurt for a year. The shoes have a wide toebox, built in arch supports that aren't like any I've ever had before. With me, I will be walking along and suddenly totally lose all feeling in a foot which feels like falling off a cliff. If I wiggle the foot around and rub on top of the ankle I get feeling back pretty quickly. I think it's from the spinal stenosis and how those nerves are affected. My rheumy didn't think much of the shoes (FINN'S)...but my feet like them. I'm in San Diego so I live in sandals. I just need shoes that FIT. [QUOTE=inflamedOnline]
Reggie,
You get RA relief from pregnancy?...get out of town!
Funny, people who have MS get remmission while pregnant also....interesting
[/QUOTE]
that's why I think it's got alot to do w/ the endocrine system... hormonal....
I had bad JRA before puberty..... suffered but mildly all my life... then in menopause WHAM!! I'm hit hard again.......
something hormonal going on for certain.... at least in my case...I firmly believe this.
interesting read here:
(sorry going on a tangent)
[QUOTE=babs10][QUOTE=inflamedOnline]
Reggie,
You get RA relief from pregnancy?...get out of town!
Funny, people who have MS get remmission while pregnant also....interesting
[/QUOTE]
that's why I think it's got alot to do w/ the endocrine system... hormonal....
I had bad JRA before puberty..... suffered but mildly all my life... then in menopause WHAM!! I'm hit hard again.......
something hormonal going on for certain.... at least in my case...I firmly believe this.
[/QUOTE]
You know Babs, when I was 28 I had to have a total hysterectomy....when I went off the premarin ( hormone).because the doctors wanted me to:....thyroid went bad, Ms appeared, and now RA...never thought about it... I had to have the hysterectomy because of tumors the size of golf balls is what the surgeon said, I am blessed I had my babies when I did.
[QUOTE=babs10]
that's why I think it's got alot to do w/ the endocrine system... hormonal....
I had bad JRA before puberty..... suffered but mildly all my life... then in menopause WHAM!! I'm hit hard again.......
something hormonal going on for certain.... at least in my case...I firmly believe this.
[/QUOTE]
I agree, Babs! At least for myself and Oscar too. Hormones have definately affected our ra. I had a rough time through my 20's then remission with pregnancy (31 yo). Only mild recurrance after Oscar was born and then got worse with menopause. Oscar got much worse at puberty. I know some women go into remission with pregnancy and are hit hard a few months after giving birth or when the stop nursing. I was lucky and only had 1 short flare between Oscar's birth and menopause.
[QUOTE=babs10]interesting read here:
(sorry going on a tangent)
[/QUOTE]
I found the article very interesting. Thanks for the link.
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