Page 19 - Florida Sentinel 9-20-19

Health
Bunions
This painful, bony lump grows at the joint where your big toe meets your foot. It develops slowly as the big toe pushes inward. Tight, narrow, shoes like high heels may worsen the condition. Icing, special pads, and shoes that aren’t too tight help. Your doctor might suggest surgery in serious cases.
Gout
It happens when a waste product called uric acid collects as crystals, often in the big toe, where it causes intense pain and swelling. A better diet and exer- cise habits, and possibly medica- tion, may reduce future attacks and other problems linked to gout.
Bone Spurs
You might not even notice these smooth bony growths when they first start to grow at the edge of the bones of your foot, often at your heel, mid-foot, or big toe. But they can cause pain when they get big enough to start pushing on nearby nerves and tissues. Os- teoarthritis or a pulled tendon or ligament can cause the growths, which are more common as you age, especially after age 60.
Osteoarthritis
It’s the most common form of arthritis (joint inflammation) in the foot and other parts of the body. It can happen to anyone, but it’s more common in middle age, and most people who get it are over 65. It happens when car- tilage breaks down and allows bone to rub against bone. Normal wear and tear or even a sudden injury can lead to this condition.
Peripheral Neuropathy
Conditions like type 2 dia- betes, kidney failure, and arthritis, which become more common with age but aren’t a normal part of get- ting older, can damage the nerves that connect your brain and spinal cord to all of your body, including your feet. You might have numb- ness and tingling in your feet that turns to jabbing pain. Talk to your doctor about how to treat your symptoms as well as the underly- ing condition.
Achilles Problems
The Achilles is the thick ten- don that connects your calf mus- cles to your heel. Blood supply can slow with age, which weak- ens the tendon and makes injury more likely. Repeated motion can inflame it. A jump or fall, often during sports, can tear it partially or completely. Your heel could swell and become very painful. Rest and icing is impor- tant. You could need surgery for serious tears.
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