Cold Feet, Many Culprits
If your toes are always cold, one reason could be poor blood flow — a circulatory problem sometimes linked to smoking, high blood pressure, or heart disease. The nerve damage of uncontrolled diabetes can also make your feet feel cold to you. Other possible causes include hypothyroidism and anemia. A doctor can look for any underlying problems — or let you know that you simply have cold feet.
Foot Pain
When your feet ache after a long day, you might just curse your shoes. After all, eight out of 10 women say their shoes hurt. But pain that’s not due to sky-high heels may come from a stress fracture, a small crack in a bone. One possible cause is exercise that was too intense, particularly high-impact sports like basketball and distance running. The weakened bones of osteoporosis increase your risk.
Heel Pain
The most common cause of heel pain is plantar fasciitis, inflammation where this long ligament attaches to the heel bone. The pain may be sharpest when you first wake up and put pressure on the foot. Arthritis, excessive exercise, and poorly fitting shoes also can cause heel pain, as can tendonitis. Less common causes include a bone spur on the bottom of the heel, a bone infection, a tumor, or a fracture. There are many available treatments including shockwave, exercise and manual therapy. If you have it in both feet make sure your therapist checks your back and pelvis.
Foot Spasms
A sudden, sharp pain in the foot is the hallmark of a muscle spasm or cramp, which can last from a few seconds to many minutes. Overwork and muscle fatigue are common causes. Other causes include poor circulation, dehydration, or imbalances in potassium, magnesium, calcium, or vitamin D levels in the body. Low back or pelvic issues can affect nerve (electrical) and blood / lympth (the plumbing) can affect the supply to the feet adn cause spasms. Changing hormone levels of pregnancy or thyroid disorders may also play a role. If spasms are frequent or severe, see a doctor or therapist. Strengthening exercises can help with muscle fatigue.
Clubbed Toes
In clubbing, the shape of the toes (and often the fingers) changes. The nails are more rounded on top and curve downward. Lung disease is the most common underlying cause, but it also can be caused by heart disease, liver and digestive disorders, or certain infections. Sometimes, clubbing runs in families without any underlying disease. As our exercise and movement specialists how we can help.
Yellow Toenails
Your toenails tell a lot about your overall health. A fungal infection often causes thickened yellow toenails. Thick, yellow nails also can be a sign of an underlying disease, including lymphedema (swelling related to the lymphatic system), lung problems, or rheumatoid arthritis. Consult our chiropodist if you have any concerns.
White Nails
Injury to the nail or illness anywhere in the body can cause white areas in the nails. If part or all of a nail separates from the nail bed (shown here), it can appear white — and may be due to an injury, nail infection, or psoriasis. If the nail is intact and most of it is white, it can sometimes be a sign of a more serious condition including liver disease, congestive heart failure, or diabetes. Talk with your health care team about any concerns.
Pitting of the Nails
Pitting, or punctured-looking depressions in the surface of the nail, is caused by a disruption in the growth of the nail at the nail plate. It affects as many as half of people with psoriasis.
Burning Feet
A burning sensation in the feet is common among diabetics with peripheral nerve damage (neuropathy). It can also be caused by a vitamin B imbalance, athlete’s foot, chronic kidney disease, poor circulation in the legs and feet (peripheral arterial disease), or hypothyroidism.
Pain in the Big Toe
Gout is a notorious cause of sudden pain in the big toe joint, along with redness and swelling (seen here). Osteoarthritis is another culprit that causes pain and swelling. If the joint is rigid, it may be hallux rigidus, a complication of arthritis where a bone spur develops. Finally, turf toe is an ailment of athletes, particularly those who play on hard surfaces. It’s caused by an injury to the ligaments surrounding the joint. Our TCM and osteopath can help with treatment of the liver, lymphatics and ANS regulation to allow you stay pain free.
Itchy Feet
Itchy, scaly skin may be athlete’s foot, a fungal infection that’s common in men between the ages of 20 and 40. A reaction to chemicals or skin care products — called contact dermatitis — can cause itching, too, along with redness and dry patches. If the skin on your itchy feet is thick and pimple-like, it may be psoriasis, an over-reaction of the immune system. Medicated creams can relieve the symptoms.
