Hi. My name is Sandra Newell. I’m a thirty-five-year-old professional. I’m telling you that I’m a professional because that will explain why I spent a good portion of my waking hours in shoes with high heels. I never wore extremely high heels, but did frequently wear those that were three inches high. That was until I developed horrible heel pain. My doctor heard me out and then sent me to a podiatrist. As it happened, I had a number of things going against me. I was wearing shoes that were too tight, too high, and didn't have any arch support. Moreover, I shouldn't leave out the fact that I wore pointy toed shoes that left me with a few ingrown toenails every year. I’m going to share what my podiatrist has done for me, and how he helped educate me in the art of wearing comfy, yet stylish shoes.
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Swollen ankles are a common complaint among patients of all ages. One reason why they're so hard to treat and manage is that there are numerous possible causes. Narrowing down the cause of your swollen ankles can be a bit of a process, but it's a process worth going through — because once you figure out what's amiss, you can treat the problem more appropriately. So what are some common causes of swollen ankles? Take a look.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Is your swelling accompanied by pain and stiffness? Does it come and go in waves, lasting for a few days or weeks before dissipating again? These are common symptoms of a condition called rheumatoid arthritis, which is actually an auto-immune disease. Your body's immune system starts attacking the tissues in your joints, leading to swelling and discomfort. You may also notice some seemingly unrelated symptoms like dry eyes and fatigue. These are likely to also be caused by your rheumatoid arthritis. Your doctor can run some simple blood tests to see if this is the cause of your ankle swelling and pain. If it is, taking immune-suppressing drugs will work wonders.
Gout
Before your ankles started swelling and hurting, did your big toes become painful? Patients often do not connect the two. They figure they stubbed their toe or wore too-tight shoes and then injured their ankle some other way. However, toe and ankle pain and swelling are early symptoms of gout, a condition in which uric acid crystallizes in the joints. Gout can usually be managed by making dietary changes that include avoiding red meat, beer, and most processed foods. However, if it is not treated early, it can lead to permanent joint damage — so see a podiatrist and get tested for gout soon.
Tendinitis
There are several tendons running through your ankle joint. If you are a very active person, such as an athlete or someone who works on your feet all day, then the swelling could be due to tendinitis. You may have pain that is worse in the morning and then dissipates throughout the day as your tendons loosen up. Tendinitis is treatable. You can rest for a few days or weeks, ice your ankle, and do stretches that your podiatrist teaches you.
Don't go on ignoring ankle swelling. Whether it's due to gout, tendinitis, or another condition entirely, it is important to seek a diagnosis and treatment. Contact a foot and ankle specialist to learn more.
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