phone (727)  527-1249

phone (727)  527-1249

Items filtered by date: October 2020

Monday, 26 October 2020 00:00

Several Reasons Why Gout Develops

A painful foot condition known as gout develops as a result of excess uric acid in the blood. It typically affects the joints of the big toe, and can occur for a variety of reasons. These reasons include genetic factors, eating foods with large amounts of purines, and drinking sugary beverages. In addition, pre-existing medical conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or kidney disease, may contribute significantly to the onset of gout. Gout is considered to be a form of arthritis and generally affects more men than women. Common symptoms of this ailment include severe pain and discomfort, swelling, and warmth in the affected area. Mild relief may be found when anti-inflammatory medication is taken. Incorporating healthy habits into your daily routine has also been found to be beneficial. If you are experiencing gout symptoms, it is strongly recommended that you seek the care of a podiatrist who can effectively treat this condition.

Gout is a painful condition that can be treated. If you are seeking treatment, contact Dr. Ian Klein, D.P.M from Florida. Dr. Klein will treat your foot and ankle needs.

What Is Gout?

Gout is a form of arthritis that is characterized by sudden, severe attacks of pain, redness, and tenderness in the joints. The condition usually affects the joint at the base of the big toe. A gout attack can occur at any random time, such as the middle of the night while you are asleep.

Symptoms

  • Intense Joint Pain - Usually around the large joint of your big toe, and it most severe within the first four to twelve hours
  • Lingering Discomfort - Joint discomfort may last from a few days to a few weeks
  • Inflammation and Redness -Affected joints may become swollen, tender, warm and red
  • Limited Range of Motion - May experience a decrease in joint mobility

Risk Factors

  • Genetics - If family members have gout, you’re more likely to have it
  • Medications - Diuretic medications can raise uric acid levels
  • Gender/Age - Gout is more common in men until the age of 60. It is believed that estrogen protects women until that point
  • Diet - Eating red meat and shellfish increases your risk
  • Alcohol - Having more than two alcoholic drinks per day increases your risk
  • Obesity - Obese people are at a higher risk for gout

Prior to visiting your podiatrist to receive treatment for gout, there are a few things you should do beforehand. If you have gout you should write down your symptoms--including when they started and how often you experience them, important medical information you may have, and any questions you may have. Writing down these three things will help your podiatrist in assessing your specific situation so that he or she may provide the best route of treatment for you.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in Saint Petersburg, FL. . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.

Read more about Everything You Need to Know About Gout
Published in Blog

Foot and ankle pain is fairly common and can have a large variety of causes. Different parts of your feet, toes, or ankles may be affected. Skin problems of the feet include plantar warts, corns, calluses, blisters, athlete’s foot, ingrown toenails, and skin infections. Examples of conditions that can affect the joints of the feet and ankles include gout, bunions, hammertoes, and arthritis. Foot and ankle pain may be caused by plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, stress fractures or other injuries, heel spurs, and flat feet. If you experience numbness or tingling in your lower extremities, this may be due to Morton’s neuroma, sciatica, tarsal tunnel syndrome, diabetes, or peripheral artery disease. To figure out what is causing your foot and ankle pain, it is important to consult with a podiatrist. Providing the podiatrist with a thorough description of the location and type of pain that you are feeling is the first step to recovery.

Foot Pain

Foot pain can be extremely painful and debilitating. If you have a foot pain, consult with Dr. Ian Klein, D.P.M from Florida. Dr. Klein will assess your condition and provide you with quality foot and ankle treatment.

Causes

Foot pain is a very broad condition that could be caused by one or more ailments. The most common include:

  • Bunions
  • Hammertoes
  • Plantar Fasciitis
  • Bone Spurs
  • Corns
  • Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Ingrown Toenails
  • Arthritis (such as Gout, Rheumatoid, and Osteoarthritis)
  • Flat Feet
  • Injury (from stress fractures, broken toe, foot, ankle, Achilles tendon ruptures, and sprains)
  • And more

Diagnosis

To figure out the cause of foot pain, podiatrists utilize several different methods. This can range from simple visual inspections and sensation tests to X-rays and MRI scans. Prior medical history, family medical history, and any recent physical traumatic events will all be taken into consideration for a proper diagnosis.

Treatment

Treatment depends upon the cause of the foot pain. Whether it is resting, staying off the foot, or having surgery; podiatrists have a number of treatment options available for foot pain.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in Saint Petersburg, FL. . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.

Read more about Foot Pain
Published in Blog

The medical condition that is known as Sever’s disease typically affects children and young teenagers who participate in running and jumping activities. This condition can occur as a result of an inflamed growth plate in the heel, usually caused by consistent tension on the Achilles tendon. Common symptoms that many patients notice is limping and lingering heel pain during and after an activity. A proper diagnosis can include a thorough examination of the foot and heel, as well as an X-ray to rule out other foot problems. Mild relief may be found when specific stretches of the calves and heels are frequently performed. If your child has symptoms of Sever’s disease, it is recommended that you consult with a podiatrist who can properly treat this condition.

Sever's disease often occurs in children and teens. If your child is experiencing foot or ankle pain, see Dr. Ian Klein, D.P.M from Florida. Dr. Klein can treat your child’s foot and ankle needs.

Sever’s Disease

Sever’s disease is also known as calcaneal apophysitis, which is a medical condition that causes heel pain I none or both feet. The disease is known to affect children between the ages of 8 and 14.

Sever’s disease occurs when part of the child’s heel known as the growth plate (calcaneal epiphysis) is attached to the Achilles tendon. This area can suffer injury when the muscles and tendons of the growing foot do not keep pace with bone growth. Therefore, the constant pain which one experiences at the back of the heel will make the child unable to put any weight on the heel. The child is then forced to walk on their toes.

Symptoms

Acute pain – Pain associated with Sever’s disease is usually felt in the heel when the child engages in physical activity such as walking, jumping and or running.

Highly active – Children who are very active are among the most susceptible in experiencing Sever’s disease, because of the stress and tension placed on their feet.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in Saint Petersburg, FL. . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle injuries.

Read more about Sever's Disease
Published in Blog
Monday, 05 October 2020 00:00

Symptoms of Peripheral Artery Disease

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a condition that causes poor circulation in the lower limbs due to blockages in the blood vessels that supply blood to this area. The most common symptoms of PAD are pain, numbness, heaviness, or achiness in the leg muscles, especially when walking or climbing stairs. You may also notice a weak or absent pulse in the legs and feet, slow-healing wounds on the feet, a pale or bluish color to the skin, a lower temperature in one leg than the other, poor nail growth on the affected foot, and poor hair growth on the affected leg. However, it is worth noting that many people who have PAD have no noticeable symptoms. For this reason, it is important to receive regular screenings for PAD from a podiatrist, especially if you have certain risk factors, such as being a smoker, or having diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease. 

Peripheral artery disease can pose a serious risk to your health. It can increase the risk of stroke and heart attack. If you have symptoms of peripheral artery disease, consult with Dr. Ian Klein, D.P.M from Florida. Dr. Klein will assess your condition and provide you with quality foot and ankle treatment.

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is when arteries are constricted due to plaque (fatty deposits) build-up. This results in less blood flow to the legs and other extremities. The main cause of PAD is atherosclerosis, in which plaque builds up in the arteries.

Symptoms

Symptoms of PAD include:

  • Claudication (leg pain from walking)
  • Numbness in legs
  • Decrease in growth of leg hair and toenails
  • Paleness of the skin
  • Erectile dysfunction
  • Sores and wounds on legs and feet that won’t heal
  • Coldness in one leg

It is important to note that a majority of individuals never show any symptoms of PAD.

Diagnosis

While PAD occurs in the legs and arteries, Podiatrists can diagnose PAD. Podiatrists utilize a test called an ankle-brachial index (ABI). An ABI test compares blood pressure in your arm to you ankle to see if any abnormality occurs. Ultrasound and imaging devices may also be used.

Treatment

Fortunately, lifestyle changes such as maintaining a healthy diet, exercising, managing cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and quitting smoking, can all treat PAD. Medications that prevent clots from occurring can be prescribed. Finally, in some cases, surgery may be recommended.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in Saint Petersburg, FL. . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.

Read more about Peripheral Artery Disease
Published in Blog