Osteoarthritis: Symptoms, Risk factors & Treatments

Osteoarthritis is one of the common types of arthritis that may occur when bone tissue starts wearing down. It affects many people in Perth. Common risk factors of osteoarthritis are agr & obesity. This kind of arthritis is treated by the low level laser therapy. In this blog, we are going to explain symptoms, risk factors & treatment procedures of Low level laser therapy.

Symptoms Of Osteoarthritis

The symptoms of osteoarthritis generally develop slowly. According to the professional podiatrists, major signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis are:

Pain: Pain is the most common symptom of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritic joints may hurt after or during movement.

Stiffness: Joint stiffness is another common symptom of osteoarthritis. It might be very noticeable after being inactive or upon awakening.

Tenderness: Tenderness is one of the major symptoms of osteoarthritis. Your joint may feel tender after applying a little pressure.

Lack of flexibility: Lack of flexibility is one of the major signs of this painful condition. You can not move your joint through the proper range of motion. 

Grating sensation: While using the joint, you may feel a grating sensation. You may hear a crackling or popping sound. 

Bone spurs: Bone spur is one of the major symptoms of osteoarthritis. This is an extra part of bone that affects joints. 

Swelling: Last but not the least, swelling is one of the common symptoms of osteoarthritis. This is generally caused by the soft tissue inflammation.

Risk factors

There are several factors found by the experts that can increase the risk of this condition. Some of them are:

Age: Age is one of the major risk factors of osteomyelitis. The risk of this condition maximizes with age.

Obesity: Obesity is another cause of Osteoarthritis. Carrying excessive body weight may contribute to this osteoarthritis in many ways. 

How To Treat Osteoarthritis?

There are several ways to treat Osteoarthritis. According to the medical studies and researches, this condition can be treated by low level laser therapy in Perth. This is also known as cold laser therapy. Other heel & foot pain conditions treated by this therapy include:

• Joint conditions like synovitis
• Tendinopathy or tendinitis
• Soft tissue injuries such as ankle sprains & muscle strains.

Low level laser therapy is a painless, non-invasive & safe process. Many reputable podiatry clinics in Perth provide this treatment at a reasonable price. This therapy mainly works minimising oxidative stress & encouraging the ATP production. It also promotes cell metabolism by preventing the inflammation. 

Osteoarthritis is a common type of arthritis that can be treated by the low level laser therapy. This painless therapy gives certain relief from this condition.

Chronic Heel Pain: Major Causes & Treatment Procedure

Heel pain is a common type of foot problem that is faced by many people in Perth. The pain can either be severe or mild. It occurs just behind or under the heel. Heel pain can be caused by many reasons. The pain mainly starts gradually. Chronic heel pain or foot pain is mainly triggered by wearing a tight or flat shoe. To reduce this pain, consulting with a good podiatrist is necessary. In this blog, we will discuss the main causes and treatment procedure of foot pain.

Main Causes Of Heel Pain 

According to research & medical studies, there are several causes of heel pain. Here are the main causes of heel pain given below. They include:

1. Achilles tendon rupture
2. A plantar fascia tear
3. Baxter’s nerve entrapment
4. Calcaneal stress fracture
5. Calcaneal cysts
6. Soft tissue mass
7. Short flexor tendon tear
8. Systemic arthritis including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus & psoriatic arthritis
9. Bone bruise
10. Circulation problems
11. Poor walking & running posture
12. A bone cyst (Solitary fluid-filled cyst)

Another cause of chronic heel pain is gout. It occurs when the uric acid level in blood is increased. Gout may cause severe pain as well as inflammation. Neuroma or Morton’s neuroma is another cause of severe heel pain. It mainly occurs between the second & third toes. Last but not the least, osteomyelitis is a common type of heel pain faced by many people. This is a bone marrow infection that leads to bone inflammation.

Side Foot Pain

Lateral heel pain mainly affects the outside area of your foot or heel. Whereas medical foot pain may affect the inside edge. They are mainly caused by:

1. A stress fracture
2. A sprain
3. Cuboid syndrome (Dislocated arthritis)
4. Peroneal tendonitis (When repeated tension starts irritating the tendon)
5. Tarsal coalition (A congenital foot problem)
6. Bunions & corns
7. Posterior tibial tendonitis (Due to stress & overuse)

How To Treat?

There are several ways to treat chronic heel pain or foot pain. However, professional podiatrists suggest taking low level laser therapy for treating severe heel pain. Low level laser therapy does not only prevent inflammation but it also promotes cell metabolism. Here are common types of heel & foot conditions treated by the low level laser therapy:

1. Osteoarthritis joints
2. Join conditions like synovitis
3. Tendinopathy or tendinitis
4. Soft tissue injuries such as ankle sprain & muscle strain

According to the foot specialists & podiatrist, major causes of heel or foot pain are generally mechanical. These are generally related to injury, strain or bone structure issues. To remove chronic foot pain, low level laser therapy is highly recommended.

What Are The Risk Factors Of Plantar Fasciitis?

The plantar fascia is a thick ligament connecting the heel to the front portion of the foot. It basically acts as the shock absorber & it also supports the foot arch. Plantar fasciitis mainly causes pain at the bottom heel. This is a very common problem faced by many people. The pain can be recovered by proper foot pain treatment in Perth. In this blog, we will discuss the major risk factors of Plantar fasciitis.

Risk Factors Of Plantar Fasciitis

Though this condition can occur without any specific cause, some major factors may increase the risk of creating the Plantar fasciitis. They generally include

Age: Age is one of the major factors of Plantar fasciitis. According to medical studies, this condition is common between 50 to 60 years.

Certain exercises: Some specific types of exercises can cause Plantar fasciitis. They mainly include ballet dancing, aerobic dancing, long-distance running, frequent jogging, etc.

Foot mechanics: Flat feet, abnormal walking pattern or high arc can cause Plantar fasciitis. Many foot specialists and podiatrists in Perth claim that improper foot mechanics is one of the major causes of Plantar fasciitis.

So, these are the major risk factors of Plantar fasciitis that you should know. Apart from that, excessive stress & obesity also increase the risk of Plantar fasciitis. Generally, people who involve in regular walking & running activities, they suffer from this condition.

How To Diagnose Plantar Fasciitis?

Your specialist or podiatrist firstly performs a physical test to determine for tenderness in your feet & the actual location of the pain. Then the specialist evaluates your muscle strength & your nerve’s strength by checking your coordination, reflexes, touch sense, balance, & muscle tone. Sometimes MRI & X-ray scanning are also important for determining the cause of Plantar fasciitis.

Symptoms Of Plantar Fasciitis

People with Plantar fasciitis generally feel a chronic pain at the bottom heel or at the midfoot area. Plantar fasciitis mainly affects one foot but both feet can be affected.
Over time, pain from this condition mainly develops gradually. According to experts, pain can either be sharp or dull. Some people also feel an ache or burning.
Usually, the pain of plantar fasciitis is worse in the morning. Because of heel stiffness, climbing stairs, running or jogging can be difficult. People with plantar fasciitis never feel pain or other symptoms during any physical activity. After excessive physical activity, the pain of plantar fasciitis starts flaring up because of increased inflammation or irritation. So, these are the common symptoms of Plantar fasciitis.

To reduce plantar fasciitis, proper heel pain treatment is necessary. For that, you should consult with your nearest podiatry clinic in Perth. The specialist will surely help you.

3 Major Types Of Pain You Should Know

The pain sensation mainly involves communication between our spinal cord, brain & nerve. Pain can either be severe or mild. It generally depends on the underlying causes. However, proper treatment & medication can help to reduce pain. In this blog, we are talking about 3 major types of pain that you may face.

Chronic Pain

Chronic pain can last for more than 6 to 7 months. This pain may last after healing the original injury. Chronic pain can either be severe or mild. Chronic pain is common. If you take proper action, chronic pain may start to impact your life. As a result, people with this chronic pain may face depression & anxiety. Common symptoms of chronic pain may include:

• Lack of energy
• Tense muscles
• Limited mobility

According to medical experts in Perth, major examples of chronic pain are frequent headache, lower back pain, foot pain, arthritis pain, nerve damage pain, fibromyalgia pain, etc. To get relief from pain, proper treatment is required. If the pain is associated with your foot, you should opt for proper foot pain treatment after consulting with your podiatrist.

Acute Pain 

Acute pain is a short term pain faced by many people in Perth. This type of pain generally comes due to some specific reasons and it may last less than 6 to 7 months, according to the specialists. General causes of this acute pain may include:

• Broken or cracked bones
• Dental work
• Surgery
• Burns
• Cuts
• Childbirth
• Bone injury

To get relief from this pain, proper treatment is necessary. The pain specialist will suggest some proper medications or surgery.

Neuropathic Pain

Neuropathic pain mainly occurs due to the nervous system dysfunctionality & sudden nerve damage. Neuropathic pain can be very critical. It can either be severe or mild. Common symptoms of neuropathic pain are burning, numbness, freezing, stabbing, shooting, tingling, etc. Diabetes is another major cause of neuropathic pain. According to medical professionals, other sources of central nervous system dysfunctionality are

• Accidents
• Severe infections
• Alcohol consumption
• Facial nerve disorder like Bell’s palsy
• Shingles
• Spinal nerve compression or inflammation
• Parkinson’s diseases
• Chemotherapy drugs
• HIV

Generally, the central nervous system dysfunctionality is the main source of chronic neuropathic pain. As we mentioned above, neuropathic pain is dangerous. So, if you are suffering from this pain, consult with your nearest pain specialist in Perth as early as possible.

Pain is a personal experience varying from one person to another. Professional pain expert or doctor will give you permanent relief from pain. So, it’s better to consult with him & her as soon as possible.