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Foot and ankle pain can be surprisingly common. It’s usually not a huge cause for concern, especially if you’ve recently been using your feet regularly. For example, you might have been walking around a lot the previous day, or perhaps you were playing sports and exerting much pressure on your feet. It’s fairly normal for your feet to feel painful or sore in situations like this.
But what if the pain doesn’t go away? What if simple actions such as walking to the store cause your feet or ankles to be in a lot of pain? If these pains are disrupting your daily life, then you may want to take it a little more seriously and check up on the condition.
What Causes Pain in the Ankles?
In most cases, pain in the ankle can be caused by arthritis, gout, infections, blocked blood vessels, or even a nerve damage injury. Ankle pain can often be resolved by resting for a couple of days and avoiding any kind of weight on your ankles. Try to move as little as possible and if possible, use crutches or a cane to assist you when walking. An ice bag can also help you reduce swelling and numb the pain. If you have a bag of frozen food then you can wrap it in a towel and place it against the painful area on your foot or ankle. For continual pain, which cannot be treated fully, like arthritis, a lot of people have turned to CBD in recent times.
If the pain is caused by arthritis then there’s not much you can do to completely heal the injury. Dealing with ankle & foot medical conditions such as arthritis involves a combination of therapy and changes to your lifestyle to ease the condition. You can consider using topical pain relievers, but you might also want to practice healthier eating habits and practice stretching your joints to regain a good range of motion. You’ll also want to try and keep your body weight within a healthy range to lessen the stress on your ankles and feet.
Sometimes, problems with the ankles and feet can also affect the knees and other joints. This is more commonly known as osteoarthritis. If you have a lot of pain you may need to look at your options. You could look at seeing a physiotherapist for some exercise and advice. One of the premises of physiotherapists is to ensure that the patient with knee osteoarthritis maintains their independence and with it, the positive attitude that will be key in their treatment and recovery. Reaching a high degree of immobility not only affects the psychological health of those who suffer from this condition but also directly impacts the patient’s family. The objective of physiotherapy specialists is to reduce pain, maintain joint mobility, avoid muscle atrophy, and prevent contractures or deformities, thus preventing the patient from seeing their quality of life reduced.
Treatments
Postural Treatment
Maintaining an aligned position (correcting the theoretical injury pattern and redirecting the lines of force) is essential for each joint to have a precise impact. Many times it is necessary to use an assistive device to improve posture. It is important to remember that good posture is a fundamental factor in maintaining the balance and well-being of our body.
Thermotherapy
As we have commented previously, it is about the application of heat in the affected area for vasodilation that reduces pain by muscle relaxation, oxygenates the cells, and lowers blood pressure. Thermotherapy also gives the patient a feeling of relaxation that is not only beneficial in the physical aspect but also from a psychological point of view, improving the patient’s attitude towards the treatment.
Supplements
CBD oil has proven benefits for knee pain. If you have these issues, you may be thinking about finding good CBD for your knees. That is certainly possible with the right sources and finding the right oil for you.
When Should You Speak To A Doctor?
Foot and ankle issues rarely get bad enough that you need to contact a doctor. Most conditions can heal over time with a bit of rest and care, but it’s a good idea to know when you should be seeking emergency assistance.
If you notice that the swelling is getting increasingly worse, then it’s a good idea to contact your physician for advice. If the discomfort lasts for a long time, such as more than 2 weeks, then it’s also worth speaking to your doctor about it. If your foot and ankle issues are preventing you from getting to work or carrying out other regular daily tasks, then you may want to seek emergency assistance. Any health condition that affects your daily life should immediately be dealt with to minimize disruption to your daily schedule. It may be easier to seek immediate treatment if you have a good health insurance plan.
Overall, ankle and foot pain isn’t usually a cause for concern, but identifying the causes and at-home remedies can help a lot with your recovery.
