The mystery of red and swollen feet after a summer beach party: Why do we do a blood test first instead of taking an X-ray?

Summer is a seaside carnival season that many people yearn for. Enjoying seafood and drinking iced beer seems to be a great pleasure in life. However, after enjoying themselves, some people have suffered from red and swollen feet and cannot touch the ground. When they go to the hospital for treatment, they find that the doctor does not take X-rays for them first, but wants to do a blood test first. Why is this?

1. Reasons for red and swollen feet caused by summer beach party

In the summer, partying at the beach, eating lots of seafood and drinking beer can lead to the following:

1. Allergic reaction: Certain ingredients in seafood may cause allergic reactions in the human body, manifested as redness, swelling, and itching of the feet.

2. Excessive drinking: Excessive alcohol intake may lead to water loss in the body, which in turn causes swelling of the feet.

3. Improper diet: The combination of seafood and beer may lead to increased uric acid in the body, causing gout, and then causing redness and swelling of the feet.

2. Why do we do a blood test instead of taking an X-ray?

1. Determine the cause: Blood tests can detect the degree of inflammation, uric acid levels, allergens and other indicators in the patient's body, which can help doctors determine the cause of the disease. X-rays are mainly used to check structural lesions such as fractures and joint injuries, and are not very useful for diagnosing causes such as inflammation and allergies.

2. Avoid misdiagnosis: If you take an X-ray first, you may ignore inflammation, allergies and other causes, leading to misdiagnosis. Blood tests can help doctors fully understand the condition and provide accurate basis for subsequent treatment.

3. Economic benefits: Blood tests are less expensive than X-rays. After a preliminary diagnosis of the cause, if necessary, X-rays can be taken to avoid unnecessary medical expenses.

3. Treatment recommendations

1. Treatment targeting the cause: Based on the blood test results, if there is an allergic reaction, anti-allergic drugs can be used; if there is elevated uric acid, uric acid-lowering drugs can be used, etc.

2. Adjust your diet: Reduce your seafood intake, avoid drinking alcohol, and keep a light diet to help relieve redness and swelling in your feet.

3. Appropriate exercise: Appropriate aerobic exercise, such as walking, jogging, etc., can help improve blood circulation in the feet and reduce redness and swelling.

In the summer, if your feet become red and swollen and you can't put them on the ground after a party at the beach, when you go to the hospital for treatment, the doctor will usually do a blood test first. This is because blood tests can determine the cause of the disease, avoid misdiagnosis, and have high economic benefits. During the treatment process, treating the cause, adjusting diet and exercising appropriately can help relieve symptoms and restore health. Therefore, when encountering such a situation, patients should actively cooperate with doctors for examination and treatment.