My mom has arthritis in her legs/knees. She is 95. She takes Tylenol, and has steroid shots every couple of months. The shots wear off within a few weeks. I notice her feet roll inward... Lack of arches... And wonder if orthopedic shoes might help; perhaps if her legs were straighter they wouldn't hurt so much. Neither her foot dr, family doctor, or ortho dr has ever recommended. Looking for suggesting a to ease her pain. Whirlpools are not an option. She walks with a cane for balance, but constantly complains how much her legs hurt...
Thanks!
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I like the idea of inserts in her shoes if her toes and other foot joints can handle it. My mother had to go with Velcro closing slippers because she couldn't stand anything touching her joints. Those, of course, didn't give her any support. Her pronation came from the fact that her knees had collapsed. It really had nothing to do with her arches. Knee braces helped a lot (the elastic type, preferably with "stays" along the sides for extra support. They can't be worn for too many hours but they can help a lot.
Talk with the doctor about Tramadol for pain. It's stronger than Tylenol (there are much more effective meds even OtC than Tylenol), easy on the stomach and at 95 they shouldn't have any worries about addiction (this is very low on the scale for that anyway). Yes, it’s an Rx but the generic is inexpensive.
My dad had a pain patch that helped his arthritic spine some, so that is something to consider, too.
We need to do a better job of pain management for our elders. I'm sometimes appalled at the attitude of doctors who are afraid to give an elderly patient medication because they are afraid of addiction. I doubt that they'd feel the same if the situation were reversed.
Bobbi48128 - and all the rest of you - thank you from the bottom of my heart for caring so much. Keep seeking out medical advice as well as practical advice from caregivers. It wouldn't hurt to talk with a good chiropractor, either. Some of them are well versed in pain control that is non-invasive.
Take care, all of you wonderful people.
Carol
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Same with the orthopedist; I would think he/she would have noticed the pronation of your mom's feet. You could try making an appointment specifically to address that issue, even with another orthopedist if you don't have confidence in your current one.
But be prepared - I'm not sure if orthotics are covered by Medicare, and years ago when I got some they were very expensive. And then they didn't fit and just caused leg pain so I couldn't wear them anyway.
Another thing you can try is checking out what's available in the Dr. Scholl shoe insert line; the gel soles are really comfortable. Some of these inserts might help stabilize your mother's foot, but I would really check with an orthopedist first before even trying these.
For the arthritis, I'm a big proponent of turmeric. I've been using it for almost a year and I've quit having my knees drained and I don't need the steroid shots either. There are a ton of clinical studies on the efficacy of turmeric and it helps with many conditions - it cuts inflammation. It's been added to food for thousands of years in India. I take a daily 500 mg supplement with piperine (black pepper) to increase its bioavailability. But if your mom is on blood thinners, check with her doctor first, as it can change their absorption.
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