Toe Fractures

So you've noticed that your toe is red and bruised. Maybe you dropped something on it the other day, or maybe you bumped into a door. Maybe you did nothing at all in particular, other than your usual jogging routine. If your toe is red with throbbing pain, it may be fractured. While we have blogged before about stress fractures, you are probably more familiar with traumatic (also known as acute) fractures, which are caused by sudden blows.

Of course, there are other possibilities. It could be a sprain, dislocation, or other soft tissue injury. Usually, X-ray is necessary for a definite diagnosis, although some fractures may be too small to detect. Other signs of a fracture include a crooked appearance and "pinpoint pain." Pinpoint pain means pain centered at the site of impact. Also, just because you can walk on it doesn't mean it's not broken!

If you suspect you have a fractured toe, seek advice from Dr. Reddy or a podiatrist in your area. Failure to do so may result in the toe never fully healing. This can lead to deformities, arthritis, and chronic pain. So your best bet is to get help sooner rather than later!

Your podiatrist will recommend one or more of the following:

• Rest, Ice, and Elevate: this might be all you need
  
• Splinting
  
• Buddy Taping: tape the broken toe to a healthy one next to it
  
• Surgery: For serious fractures, surgery may be necessary.
  

Depending on the degree of the injury, it may take several weeks to heal. Afterwards, be sure to let your podiatrist know if you continue to experience pain in the toe, since this might be a sign that the bone did not heal properly.

Blisters: Prevention and Treatment

With the official start of summer on its way, people in Jacksonville and across the country will be starting their favorite outdoor activities. Whether you are a runner or play other sports, you should take steps to make sure your feet don't blister.

A blister is a fluid filled sac in the upper layer of skin. While they can be caused by chemicals or burns, our most common encounters with blisters are probably from those caused by friction. They are more common in warm conditions and when your skin is wet. Thus, blisters on the feet are preventable by doing the following:

• Wear well-fitting shoes
  
• Make sure they've been broken in
  
• Don't walk long distances in dress shoes
  
• Wear absorbent socks to keep your feet dry
  
• Bandage or tape problem areas
  

Of course, when you do get blisters, take these steps:

• Remove whatever is causing the irritation. This can be accomplished with bandages or better fitting shoes.
  
• Blisters will heal on their own if left alone, so you probably will not need medical attention.
  
• Don't pop your blister! This skin covering your blister is a natural barrier to infection.
  

If your blister is painful, you can find instructions on how to drain it here, courtesy of the Mayo Clinic.

Occasionally, a blister will become infected. Other times, infections will cause blisters. In either case, your podiatrist will have you on a course of antibiotics.

3 Causes of Joint Pain

Almost all of us, at some point in our lives, will experience arthritis, or pain in the joints. It's practically unavoidable. And there's a very good chance that it's just the pain that comes with age. But before you start popping aspirins, consider some of the possible causes:

1. Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease: 27 million people are living with this condition. If you are not already one of them, there is a very good chance you can add yourself to their numbers by the time you reach your 60s. Our joints are lubricated and cushioned by a tissue known as cartilage. Over the years, depending on your lifestyle, this cartilage wears away. When that happens, bone is rubbing against bone, causing small trauma. Your body responds by "filling the gaps" with tiny bits of its own bone, called osteophytes. These actually don't help, causing more pain.
   
2. Rheumatoid Arthritis: The symptoms are very similar to osteoarthritis, though people with rheumatoid arthritis are more likely to have warmness in the affected joints. This is because of a reaction against the joint capsule, a sack-like tissue which surrounds your joint and keeps fluid inside. Once again, the inflammation results in a loss of cartilage.
   
3. Gouty Arthritis, or plainly, Gout: The first two items on our list will cause pain in joints throughout the body. Gout, on the other hand, tends to start out at only one joint, and it's usually at the base of your big toe. You can distinguish gout from the others because the joint will be exquisitely tender, hot, and red. It might surprise you to find out that this is actually a disorder of the liver and kidneys. Normally, your kidneys will filter a waste molecule called urea into your bladder so it can be expelled. People with gout are unable to complete the biological process that produces urea, and so a chemical (uric acid) remains in the blood stream, where it is deposited somewhere. And usually that location is the joint of big toe, for some reason.
   

In general, arthritis is treated by warm baths, massage, stretching. Aspirin or Ibuprofen may also be useful. However, the causes of arthritis are far too many to cover in one blog entry. If you have joint pain your feet, consult with Dr. Reddy or a podiatrist in your area. This is particularly true if you have a fever as well.