| You may sometimes get ticked off at yourself. You | | | | difficult by the pain in the joints themselves. |
| may even, under extreme circumstances, berate | | | | Your rheumatoid arthritis could also lead to secondary |
| yourself soundly for mistakes. Like that time when you | | | | conditions, such as bunions (often due to the loosening |
| poured an entire pitcher of hot chocolate over the | | | | of joint capsules) and hammertoes. It may even mimic |
| French ambassador. Or worse, when your | | | | plantar fasciitis and cause pain in your heel. You could |
| mother-in-law overheard you telling a friend that she | | | | also develop flat feet as a result of RA, or experience |
| reminded you of Genghis Khan. Times like that. But | | | | Achilles tendon pain, or even have dislocated toe joints. |
| your body might decide to take things a bit further. | | | | Because rheumatoid arthritis can mimic other diseases |
| You see, normally, your immune system is your body's | | | | or conditions, it can be difficult to diagnose, particularly |
| defense against nefarious invaders intent on doing you | | | | in the beginning stages. In order to find out exactly |
| harm. Your immune system kills these invaders in | | | | what's causing your joint pain (or other symptoms), |
| pretty much any way possible until you're brought | | | | your podiatrist should take a thorough medical history, |
| back to full health. Sometimes though, the immune | | | | especially to get information about your current |
| system can get overenthusiastic in its defense: it can | | | | symptoms (such as when they started, how severe |
| start to attack YOU. More specifically in the case of | | | | they've been, etc.). There isn't really a single test for |
| rheumatoid arthritis (RA), it can attack the lining of your | | | | RA, although your podiatrist will likely use blood tests, |
| joints. | | | | X-rays (or other imaging technologies) and a physical |
| When this lining (typically in the joints of the hands and | | | | exam to pinpoint the cause of your troubles. |
| feet) becomes enflamed, it can lead to increased joint | | | | Obviously, the first goal of treatment is to reduce your |
| fluid, damage in your cartilage or bones, and may | | | | pain. To do this, your podiatrist will likely begin with |
| weaken the surrounding soft tissue of your joints. At | | | | more conservative treatments, including using orthotics |
| times, this damage may become so severe that your | | | | (prescription shoe inserts) to provide support and help |
| joints are permanently deformed or destroyed, leaving | | | | correct some of the misalignments in the foot. Special |
| you unable to use them. And rheumatoid arthritis | | | | shoes may also help accommodate the foot and aid in |
| doesn't limit itself to joints, either. It can cause problems | | | | walking. Your podiatrist may decide to draw fluid from |
| in your blood vessels, mouth, lungs and even your | | | | your joints when they swell in order to relieve |
| eyes. | | | | pressure, or inject steroidal medications into your joint |
| No one is really sure what causes RA, although there | | | | to reduce inflammation and pain. |
| seems to be a genetic link making some people more | | | | In some cases, your doctor might suggest surgery as |
| susceptible to developing the disease. If a person is | | | | your best treatment option. There are several types of |
| susceptible, there may be an environmental trigger or | | | | surgeries that can help ease the symptoms of RA. |
| infection that leads the immune system to attack the | | | | For instance, your surgeon may decide that the best |
| body. Women do tend to be affected more than men, | | | | course of action is to fuse your joints, or possibly cut |
| and the disease usually appears during middle age | | | | some bones to relieve pressure and accommodate |
| (around 25 to 55), although there is a version of the | | | | changes in your foot, or remove some small bones |
| disease called juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, or Still's | | | | entirely. If your RA is attacking your ankle, your foot |
| disease, which usually begins when a child is between | | | | surgeon may opt to fuse the joint, or replace it entirely |
| the ages of 2 and 5. Unfortunately, there's no cure for | | | | with an artificial joint. Whatever your surgery, be sure |
| RA, but it may go into remission for months, years, or | | | | to follow your post-operative instructions carefully. |
| permanently. | | | | Rheumatoid arthritis can feel like the worst kind of |
| RA usually starts out as stiffness in the joints, often in | | | | betrayal. And the disease is often painful and |
| the morning. You may also notice a low-grade fever, | | | | sometimes crippling. The good news is that, unlike your |
| fatigue, or weight loss. Joint stiffness usually develops | | | | immune system, your podiatrist is always on your side, |
| into joint pain and swelling as the disease progresses, | | | | and can provide treatments for you that will help |
| and you may find rheumatoid nodules (lumps of soft | | | | reduce your pain, and allow you to keep on getting |
| tissue) near your joints. These nodules can rub against | | | | miffed at yourself for other reasons for a long, long |
| shoes, or make walking painful if they develop on the | | | | time. |
| bottom of your foot. Walking may also be made | | | | |