Osteoarthritis Community

Have you tried any of the over the counter sprays and rubs? Have you talked to your doctor about the fact that your current pain treatment is not working?

I have been using Voltaren to rub on my foot. It seems to help with the pain, particularly in m,y heel.

I have a diagnosis of osteoarthritis and would get severe stabbing pain in my ankles, feet, knees, elbows shoulders and my back. MRI shows degeneration in just about all joints. I had a GP look at my ankles and he treated me for gout. First treatment was a sterioid shot. He also gave medication to deal with the gout consisting of Gabapentin, Colchicine, Allopurinol,and Diclofenac. I took it originally for flair ups but starting taking when I had similar pain in my other joints. It not only took away the symptoms in my ankles but I soon found that it was taking away the pain in my other joints. I looked up gout in a medical dictionary and found that it is a form of arthritus and not exclusive to the feet and ankles.

I have the same problem. What helps me are orthotics...if you go to a good walking shoe store and get fitted, that is one big part of what will help. Then you need to wear them in all your shoes. (I cannot walk barefoot any more at all!)

The other things I do are to take Tylenol extra strength 3 times a day, and rub Absorbine Jr on my foot and ankle a couple of times a day. It smells AWFUL, but for some reason, it helps.

Eventually, I had to get a shot in my foot, but the remedies above really helped til I got to that point.

I have osteoarthritis in both of my feet, especially the tops. Two things you might consider are 1) wearing Crocs and 2) having what is called "live" cortisone injections. These are done while undergoing an x-ray because there are so many small bones in the foot. Hope this helps.

I had foot surgery done many years ago called Plantar Facisitis from a Podiatrist. He told me to get orthotics and forever wear them in all my shoes. Ever since I had pain in the foot. I went to an Orthopedic Specialist who specializes in feet and said I never should have had the plantar facisia cut but just stretched the calf muscle. He also did not recommend wearing orthotics except buying over the counter ones such as Dr. Scholls and tossing them when necessary. He said to put one in each pair of shoes. He put me on exercises using a step to stretch the calf muscle and never had the other foot cut however still off and on had pain. Now I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis in my feet but my PCP had previously told me that I had osteoarthritis. I daily rub in the foot Australian Dream Creme and take Aleve 2 tabs. every 8 hours with my methotrexate . He said I may take up to 6 tabs daily. I don't and can tolerate the discomfort I feel but what to do with the orthotics I paid over $1,000.00? What a waste of money.

Plantar faciitis is not a surgery but a condition that effects a tendon in your foot. It's not arthritis. It usually goes away on its own after a while so surgery is rarely needed.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that effects your whole body. I would question any doctor that told me I had it "in my feet".

Hi all,

Foot pain can be a sign of anklosing spondylitis have you been check for that?

there are several things you can do. Ibuprofen seems to work better than Naproxen for many people, if your Dr approves the dose, 800mg twice a day for two days with Ranididine or something to protect your stomach then decrease the amount to 600 units per day.

As a pain managment therapist I recommend:
1.contrast baths to increase circulation
2.ice t decrease inflammation
3.rest and elevation during flareups
4. Spenco insoles , a metatarsal arch support is very important as it supports the metatarsal heads. most people and insoles only provide the longitudinal arch
5. Flatter shoes to remove pressure on the metatarsal heads
6. ankle supports, spenco also makes a good quality
7. quadriceps isometrics to relieve undo pressure on the feet from misalignment
8. gastroc stretching eg
9. wear a foot brace at night , the ones used for plantar fasciitis
10. Foot reflexology, shiatsu or other foot massage
11. Vibration massage
12. E stim
13. Toe separators
14of course they tell us to lose weight
15. anti inflammatory diet very important

hope this helps Margo Pain Management Therapist

Yes I know RA is an autoimmune disease which affects both sides of the body. As my doctor told me if you have it in one knee you also have it in the other .

Stretching is what helps plantar faciitis. Aging causes the calf muscle to shrink and therefore causes the pain in the heel.

Xrays are the only way to prove arthritis in the feet and mine showed severe deformity beginning to happen. I no longer wear heels but, a wedge is fine.

I use one of the Capsaicin ointments you can get OTC. Be sure
not to get any in your eyes. Use at least two times a day.
Another old home remedy is Ivory soap. When you go to bed put a bar on the spot at night, wrap with a piece of fleece, a lot of the pain is gone for me each day. Be sure to stretch each morning or when the pain hits. I have five types of Arthritis and these methods help me.

Hello, I have both Osteoarthritis (x2years) and Fibromyalgia including Interstitial cystitis (x10 years), and Endometriosis (x23 years). The pain I have 24/7 in my body is unbearable and life altering and I feel for you!! My osteo started out in my left foot also, and has rapidly progressed up my left side and now is starting on the right and in my neck.
I daily take several medications (I have been on as many as 57 pills per day for the fibro and my bladder and reflux from all the meds), and now take only 18 daily, but even with all the pills, once the osteoarthritis started, I could not get the pain under control as it was just too much pain in too many areas of my body.
That is the bad news, but the good news is that medicine has come a long way even since I was first diagnosed with a "pain disease"! PLUS, there is more compassion and recognition for people living in a body filled with pain. Years ago, unless you were "sick...had a runny nose or something visible" there was a lot of judgment and a lot less support! THANKS for progress in our human heart attitudes AND for modern medicine!! THIS is what we CAN do below: (this is what I do and it is up to each of us - not just the doctor - to find ways to get relief)
-I take Calcium Magnesium everyday which helps...I am not sure how or why but it does. I also take vitamin B6 and B12 to regulate and elevate my mood which can be down due to pain and lack of sleep.
-When the pain is high and flaring I have a hot bath soak with Epsom salts or salts including subtle relaxant herbals in small amounts like chamomile or lavender. Menthol seems to rejuvenate the muscles which then relax and that in turn seems to help the bones move better.
- AFTER the hot bath I apply "over the counter OTC pain patches". I have tried several kinds but for the osteo, it is a hot/cold routine that works for me. First the hot bath, then cold pain patches...(They can be expensive due to needing them every day, so cut the patches in half or in quarter and apply in several areas and to keep them in place, wrap a lightweight cloth bandage gently around them or put your socks or undergarments over them to hold them in place.)
Boxes of 4 runs around $10, so cut them and get 8 or more out of it, and watch for sales! Then BUY them in bulk when on sale once you discover what works for you!
- MOVEMENT is crucial! With having fibromyalgia, pain flares when I go for a walk, but with osteoarthritis the pain flares if I don't!! SO, I take an extra oral pain medication 20 minutes before my walk, and then I go for a short walk - twice a day if I can. I notice a HUGE difference on the days that I do not do this and especially high pain in the joint on the days where the fibromyalgia has me so exhausted that I don't do any movement at all.
- CRY or talk it out, whether with a partner, friend, or even alone with yourself or God. When I used to hold it all in, I would only get worse and/or it made it difficult to get through the flare ups and worse days. ONE THING about pain is we learn to CONTROL what we feel. We have to seperate physical feelings from emotional feelings or we shut it ALL down when trying to control (ignore or block out the pain). Allow yourself to feel your emotions and to release them.
Cry, and cry out loud, as loud and as hard as the actual pain feels inside your body (providing there are no kids around to scare). When you are crying, visualize the pain in your foot being released with every tear that falls.
It is a wonderful way to reduce the tension (which adds to the pain to make it worse).

I hope this helps... I still have days where I have to soul search to stay on top of the frustration and sadness that comes with feeling out of control due to pain that I cannot make go away. That is when I remind myself that I may have pain, but I CAN control how it is going to affect my life.

Good Luck and God Bless You

Lorelyn111,

Thank you for that great information! I'm sure it will be helpful to many users. :)

Did the shots hurt and if so how bad? I'm considering the shots but fear the pain.

Shots in the feet hurt a lot. There are a lot of nerves in there. They are the most painful of any shots I've had. However, the pain only lasts a couple seconds and it's over. At the end of the day the anticpation of pain will be worse.