(860) 632-5499
Podiatrist - Cromwell
162 West St Ste K
Cromwell, CT 06416
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A disorder at Feet First Foot Care Specialists we see more frequently in our Middlesex County patients at this time of the year is gout. Colder temperatures and festive feasting are partly to blame. That’s because this arthritic condition can be triggered by some foods that are popular during the holidays. Gout occurs when uric acid builds up to excessive levels. If the kidneys do not eliminate it, it can crystalize in one or more joints. It is more likely to crystalize under cold conditions, and that is why gout typically occurs in the big toe. That being the part of the body farthest away from the heart and therefore the coldest.
If you have experienced gout symptoms—excruciating pain in your toe, swelling, redness, and heat surrounding the joint, contact our Cromwell office by calling 860-632-5499. Our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, can determine if you have gout and how to manage it best.
Here is a scenario that is not uncommon for us here at Feet First Foot Care Specialists in Middlesex County to see at this time of the year. After a delicious and rich holiday meal of shrimp cocktail followed by roast beef, potatoes in cream sauce and red wine, topped off with a nice glass of brandy, a patient wakes up in the middle of the night with agonizing pain in the big toe joint. This is the calling card of an arthritic condition known as gout.
Gout attacks happen when uric acid builds up in the body and crystallizes in a joint. Uric acid is a byproduct of the breakdown of chemicals called purines which occur naturally in our bodies and in certain foods. In some cases, the body may produce too much uric acid or it may have difficulty eliminating normal amounts from the system. The big toe is the most frequent target of gout because the uric acid crystalizes at cooler temperatures and the toe is the body part that is the coldest, being the farthest from the heart. For some patients the tendency for gout is genetic. There are other risk factors too, however. These include:
If it’s your first time having gout, you should contact our Cromwell office for an appointment by calling (860) 632-5499. Our podiatrist Dr. Adam Mucinskas will examine your foot and toe and also get a complete medical history. X-rays or lab tests may be conducted to rule out other conditions with similar symptoms. The foot doctor may recommend that you avoid foods high in purines (shellfish, red meat, red wine, organ meats, and brandy). Drinking plenty of water can help flush excess uric acid from your body. Medications are also available to help prevent future attacks.
Podiatrists are like the Sherlock Holmes of feet. They check the appearance and condition of your feet to find important clues about your overall health. They can pinpoint serious issues like impaired circulation, lung disease, and dehydration with their podiatry detective tools.
There are some overall health issues that could change the appearance or feel of your feet during a foot exam. This is because circulatory system issues often appear in the extremity that is furthest from your heart: your feet! Here are some issues that could point to serious health problems:
Are you experiencing any of the above issues? Here at Feet First Foot Care Specialists, LLC, Dr. Adam Mucinskas can open up his detective’s bag of tools and get to the bottom of what you’re experiencing with your feet. Please give us a call today to schedule an appointment at our conveniently-located office in the Cromwell, Connecticut area: (860) 632-5499.
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, 48% of Americans over age 18 suffer from some pain in the musculoskeletal system. That’s nearly half of the adults in this country walking around with pain in bones or muscles!
Pain management is something we talk to patients about here often at Feet First Foot Care Specialists, LLC. It’s no surprise when you look at the foot too! In each of your feet, there are 28 bones, 30 joints, and over 100 muscles. It’s might seem like a tall order to keep all those moving parts healthy, but it just takes a few steps.
We’ve put together the following simple tips to keep your bones and joints healthy and pain-free:
Not taking care of your body can have painful recourses. Here are some of the medical conditions that can arise in your foot’s musculoskeletal system.
If you are suffering from pain in your joints, muscles, or any other part of your feet or ankles, it’s time to make an appointment with us. Dr. Adam Mucinskas offers state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment at his office here in Cromwell, CT. Request an appointment online or call us at (860) 632-5499.
Gout is a form of arthritis that can cause severe pain in the foot over time. Our podiatrist, Adam Mucinskas, D.P.M., can help to diagnose this condition and determine the extent to which it has developed in your feet, at Feet First Foot Care Specialists, LLC, located in Cromwell, CT. Call our offices at (860) 632-5499 and take the time to review our Patient Education library to discover more about what you can do to keep your feet in top shape and prevent other complications from occurring.
Gout can cause severe pain, inflammation and rigidity, generally in the joint of the big toe. This condition slowly causes damage to tissues in the area of swelling. As noted above, this condition is a form of arthritis, and it’s caused by a surplus of uric acid present in the blood.
Usually uric acid dissolves in the blood and is thereafter removed via urine. When too much uric acid is produced, it can pool and form crystals, which causes swelling and pain in the joints because the body views them as foreign cells. The pain caused by this condition is therefore the result of the creation of uric acid crystals in the joints. Generally, the pain happens in the middle of the night, occurs suddenly and can be very painful. When this condition is not treated timely, it can result in kidney stones (the crystals build up in the urinary tract).
Treatment for this condition involves the use of medications to prevent reoccurrence of the pain and to decrease the risk of complications like kidney stones. Medications are in the form of anti-inflammatories or corticosteroids to reduce swelling and discomfort in the areas affected by gout. They can also be used to reduce the creation of uric acid or to help with the kidney's capability to eliminate uric acid from the body.
Due to the extreme pain that this condition can cause over time, it is imperative that you contact us as soon as possible to help get your gout under control with the correct medications for your particular condition.
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162 West St Ste K
Cromwell, CT 06416