Use a compression wrap to help control swelling. Place an ice pack wrapped in a thin, damp cloth on the swollen area. You can also consider using a soft compression brace and crutches. See your doctor. He or she can treat the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis with a combination of therapies. You may have GOUT swelling and pain caused by too much uric acid in your body.
A doctor will likely perform a physical examination of your ankle and foot to check your range of motion, as well as to look for swelling and possible signs of infection. In some cases, other diagnostic tests may be necessary to rule out fractures or structural injuries. For example, an ultrasound might show damage to a tendon. Joint or bone damage might be detected via a CT scan. Bone spurs and cartilage loss can also be seen on X-ray.
If you already have a diagnosis like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, especially if you have a history of previous episodes of ankle pain or pain in other joints, it can help your doctor get a handle on the cause. Depending on how severe your ankle pain is, your doctor may suggest nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs or applying a topical cream to your ankle. Wearing a brace or shoe inserts might also help. In much more severe cases, joint fusion surgery or ankle replacement surgery might become options.
Your doctor may recommend a combination of exercise and medication to address this cause. An over-the-counter pain reliever may help dull the pain, but a steroid injection in the joint may help more.
You may also need a medication like a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug DMARD to decrease inflammation and slow the progression of the disease. Sometimes when the back of the foot and the ankle are affected, it can make your arches fall. In this case a doctor might suggest you wear orthopedic shoes to give you some support.
If it sticks around and becomes chronic, though, your doctor may prescribe disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs DMARDs. Severe joint pain may necessitate biologic drugs or even corticosteroid injections into the joint, according to the American College of Rheumatology. Your doctor might suggest rest and NSAIDs, but your treatment might also depend on whether your disease is active.
If you have gout, you may be taking a medication, such as xanthine oxidase inhibitors or probenecid, to prevent painful flare-ups or attacks. But if you have an attack, your doctor may suggest an NSAID, a corticosteroid, or colchicine , which is an anti-gout medicine that should alleviate the pain.
It may also help prevent it. Applying compression or wearing a splint or brace can also help with the pain. If your doctor decides to drain any fluid from your bursae and finds an infection is causing the inflammation, you may be prescribed antibiotics.
Your doctor may aim to try to slow the progression of the disease, which may entail the use of immunosuppressants. They may also recommend NSAIDs and corticosteroids for pain, and possibly other treatments depending on how widespread the disease becomes in your body. The picture below shows a badly sprained ankle with lots of bruising.
The severity of a sprain is graded according to how badly the ligament has been damaged and whether or not the ankle joint has been made unstable. The joint can become unstable when the damaged ligament is no longer able to give it the normal support:.
Usually, the damaged ligament heals by itself over time. Some scar tissue may be produced where there has been a tearing of tissues. This treatment must be balanced fairly early with early controlled weight bearing and ensuring as normal a gait pattern as possible. This assists in retaining the power and balance of the muscles of the legs and in maintaining a healthy posture.
Painkillers may be needed. There is some evidence that these types of sprain may heal more quickly if treated with a short period of immobilisation.
This means wearing a brace or a plaster cast on the lower leg and ankle for about 10 days longer for a syndesmotic sprain. In some cases, if ligaments are very badly torn or the joint is too unstable, surgery may be advised. Your doctor will assess if this is necessary but it is not needed in most cases. If the sprained ankle is still very painful six weeks after the original injury, you may be advised to have additional tests on the joint, such as a further X-ray or scan. Sometimes there are torn ligaments or small breaks fractures which do not show up when the injury first happens.
The ankle may initially have been very swollen and small additional points of damage might have been difficult to detect.
You may not need any medication if the sprain is mild and you can tolerate the pain. If needed, paracetamol is the safest painkiller to use, particularly in the first few days. You can read about other painkiller options in the separate leaflet called Sprains and Strains. You should see a doctor if there is any concern about the injury, or if the injury is severe. In particular, see a doctor if:. An ankle fracture is a break to one of the bones that make up the ankle joint. These are the tibia and fibula in the leg, the calcaneus in the heel and the talus in the front part of the ankle.
There are many types of ankle fracture, depending on which bones or combination of bones and ligaments are damaged. Doctors classify ankle breaks fractures in various ways. Some classifications are based on whether the line of breakage fracture of the bone or bones runs through the ankle joint, just above it or just below it.
Other classifications are based on particular patterns of breakage which are seen after particular types of injury. These include:. An ankle break fracture and a severe sprain may feel and look very similar.
Both cause sudden pain, swelling and loss of weight bearing. Slight swelling is normal and usually harmless. However, sudden swelling of the hands and face could be a sign of a potentially life-threatening condition called preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is a life-threatening condition that can occur during the second or third trimester of pregnancy, or up to 6 weeks after giving birth. Preeclampsia is characterized by dangerously high blood pressure and protein in the urine. It can cause a variety of symptoms, including headaches , changes in vision, weight gain, and edema.
It requires urgent medical treatment. Treatment may include medications to prevent seizures and lower blood pressure. Delivering the baby is the most effective treatment, although some women may experience worsening symptoms before they get better. Lymphedema is a type of swelling that affects the soft tissues in the arms or legs, including the ankles. It is due to a buildup of a fluid called lymph. This is mainly composed of white blood cells, which help fight infection. Lymphedema occurs when there is a blockage or some other damage to the lymphatic system.
The lymphatic system is a network of tissues and organs that help rid the body of infection and keep fluids in balance. Lymphedema can result from infections, cancer , and surgical removal of the lymph nodes. Some hereditary conditions can also cause lymphedema. Damage to the lymphatic system is irreversible, so treatment aims to reduce swelling and prevent other symptoms.
Heart failure occurs when the heart can no longer pump blood as effectively as it should. There are three different types of heart failure: left-sided, right-sided, and congestive heart failure.
In right-sided and congestive heart failure, there is a reduction in blood flow out of the heart, causing blood to back up into the veins.
This may lead to a buildup of fluid in tissues, including the legs and ankles. Heart failure also affects the kidneys , reducing their ability to remove salt and water from the body. This further contributes to edema. A doctor may prescribe diuretic medications and suggest monitoring and reducing fluid intake.
Both of these treatments can help reduce swelling in the ankles and legs.
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