When you think of arthritis, you commonly think about your creaky knees, swollen and painful fingers, stiff hips, and other joints in the hands, hips, and knees. However, it also affects any joints including toes especially, the big toes. If you are suffering from pain in your big toes and you can’t bend them, then it is caused due to arthritis.
Our bones have cartilage at the ends that enable the bones to rub together. It is a flexible thing that safeguards the joints when we move them. Arthritis affects these cartilages when they become weak or deteriorate. When you are suffering from arthritis, your immune system itself attacks these linings and it becomes swollen and inflamed.
Big Toe Arthritis
Big toe arthritis is also known as hallux rigidus. This happens when arthritis develops and affects the base of your big toe. It is a common type of arthritis that affects one in 40 people. Mostly, people who are above 50 and women are at risk of developing this condition.
You are at risk, if you have a history of arthritis or you are obese, but there are other factors too. If you have a long first foot bone or suffered any big toe injury,
The symptoms may include tenderness, pain, swelling, stiffness, or a burning sensation at the base of your toe. A bone spur can also occur on top of the big toe and all these make it difficult to move or bend your toe and it will be painful when you push off to walk.
Treatments
Your surgeon will diagnose your foot to know the severity. X-rays may be taken to know the extent of tissue degeneration. Once the diagnosis is done, treatment will be suggested. Usually, non-surgical treatment is given at first. If it is not effective and the pain persists, surgical intervention will be needed depending on the severity of the condition.
Fortunately, stem cell therapy has become a boon for people who are suffering from hallux rigidus. You can choose to undergo stem cell therapy for foot injuries or arthritis, or any other chronic conditions including neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, and heart disease.
What Is Stem Cells Therapy?
Stem cell therapies are becoming most popular for many health issues because of their ability to help the body regenerate and replace dead or injured parts. It does it naturally by using the body’s cells. These are undifferentiated cells that can multiply rapidly into any type of human cell. That is the reason this therapy is considered a wonder.
The stem cells are manipulated in the laboratory to specialize in particular kinds of cells like blood, muscles, or nerve cells. These cells are then injected into the specified area of the patient. For example, if you are undergoing stem cell therapy for foot and ankle, these powerful stem cells are injected into the injured area of the foot and ankle. They multiply and flourish to heal the damage.
Is It Safe?
Since stem cells are taken from the patient itself, it is considered safe in most situations. But as with any other medical procedure, stem cell therapy also carries a small risk of infection and there is an increased risk of different types of stem cells being used or they are cultured for a longer time.
However, this procedure yields fast, safe, effective, and long-lasting results in most cases. This procedure is non-surgical and can be done as an outpatient procedure itself.
If you are suffering from any health issues including stem cell therapy for ankle, knee, arthritis, and back and neck pain, get the best podiatry services from Dr. Sima Sultani in Irvine, California. With more than 2 decades of experience, they offer you the best service following new technologies and providing excellent patient care.
Follow these tips to manage hallux rigidus.
- Use anti-inflammatory drugs to get rid of inflammation, pain, and stiffness caused by this condition.
- Do toe stretches to keep the condition in control and strengthen the muscle.
- Choose shoes that provide cushioning, and they should have rigid soles to protect your sole joint. Avoid choosing narrow-toe box shoes and heels that keep your toes at an unnatural angle.
- Use orthotic inserts to relieve pain. You can also have a custom-molded one if you don’t find the best fit for you.
