Painful feet and toes
I read earlier that a member or two is experiencing pain in their feet. I have pain that i can only describe as walking on golf balls. When I look back to before I was diagnosed with RA this was a daily occurrence. Does anyone else have pain and swelling right behind the toes?
Hi, angied, I'm not sure if it's the same thing, but if you look at your hand and pretend it's a foot...... I have a pronunced bump on the palm area. It feels like it's almost the size of a golf ball. I don't know if it's RA or not. But I cannot walk on a hard floor. I need to wear shoes with thick soles.
Hi Angied and Drea! I am sorry you both deal with hand and/or foot pain. I know it's no fun. I hope, Angied, you get even more feedback from other community members that experience foot pain related to their RA --I know you're definitely not the only one dealing with this! Best, Erin, RheumatoidArthritis.net Team Member.
Foot pain is so annoying! I have dealt with it for decades. What helps me is daily alternating silicone toe separators and ball of foot cushions, combined with strap on arch supports, and wearing trail running shoes, which are very cushioned. Alternating the separators and cushions seems to keep the joints from getting used to one position. The traction of the trail shoes helps a lot if you have to limp, because it grabs the ground better if you have weakness. It has taken me around 40 years to get the right combo of things that helps. I'm allergic to aspirin and NSAIDS, so I can't take anything for pain and inflammation except CBD. I hope you can find some relief!
I love my toe separators and I have a pair of socks that sort of do the same thing. Running shoes that have a lower heel have helped me more than ones that are elevated as that puts strain on knees and the whole body (something I learned in physical therapy). I see a podiatrist for minor issues though I feel foot pain is the worst even if it's minimal. Do you take turmeric or curcumin for pain? It's said to do the same thing as aspirin and NSAIDS. Though I know many don't tolerate those supplements due to theirmeds or whatever else. Thanks for sharing what has worked for you! -Effie, team member
Hi Effie, i do use curcumin in the phytosome formulation for better absorption. I've used it for years, and it works almost as well as prednisone if I take two caps 3x a day. I have not had any gastro side effects, which may be due to the phytosome preparation. I recently started Boswellia, and it works very well. I read a study on NIH about Berberine, and have added it because it may help RA. I always stop all these 2 weeks before I get blood tests, so that the true inflammation values are reflected. The doctor isn't into natural supplements, so I don't mention it. Some of these supplements are said to not only improve symptoms, but may slow the disease process, too. I'm hoping that's the case, since the pharmaceuticals haven't worked, and i can definitely tell a difference when I stop taking the natural supplements.
I take the same ones you do, and they do wonders. I also found berberine, depending on the one I would take can spike my liver enzymes a bit. But I switched to one from pure encapsulations that has a few other things in it and works well. My rheum isn't opposed to supplements but also doesn't care about them as much, though wants to know what I'm taking since I'm on meds. I feel supplements are only a small piece of the puzzle in what can help slow disease progression. Like finding what supplements work for us, meds are the same. -Effie, team member
