How do I know if my foot pain is serious?

Seek immediate medical attention if you:

1. Have severe pain or swelling.
2. Have an open wound or a wound that is oozing pus.
3. Have signs of infection, such as redness, warmth and tenderness in the affected area or you have a fever over 100 F (37.8 C)
4. Are unable to walk or put weight on your foot.

What can cause foot pain without injury?

Other potential causes of foot pain include:

• corns.
• calluses.
• bunions.
• warts.
• ingrown toenails.
• medications that cause swelling of the feet.
• Morton’s neuroma, which is a thickening around the nerve tissue between toes near the ball of the foot.
• hammer toes.

Why does my foot hurt just below my toes?

Excess pressure on your forefoot can cause pain and inflammation in your metatarsals — the long bones in the front of your feet, just below your toes. Metatarsalgia (met-uh-tahr-SAL-juh) is a condition in which the ball of your foot becomes painful and inflamed.

What does it mean if you can’t bend your toes?

But it can happen anywhere you have joints — including the toes. So, if you can’t bend your big toe or have swelling around your toes, this toe pain may be caused by arthritis too. Toe arthritis can be caused by wear and tear of the cartilage in your toe joints, as well as inflammation of the toe joints.

Why did my foot suddenly started hurting?

Injury, overuse or conditions causing inflammation involving any of the bones, ligaments or tendons in the foot can cause foot pain. Arthritis is a common cause of foot pain. Injury to the nerves of the feet may result in intense burning pain, numbness or tingling (peripheral neuropathy).

What causes electric shock like pain in foot?

If your sensory nerves are damaged, you may have a feeling of “pins and needles” or “ electric shocks.” You may also feel cold, prickling, pinching, or burning in your hands and feet. Some people become very sensitive to touch, while other people feel numbness.

Can foot pain be a sign of heart problems?

When the heart’s pumping is strained by something like peripheral arterial disease, it reduces the flow of blood to your feet, making them hurt or making them swollen.

What does it mean when the side of your foot hurts?

Peroneal tendonitis This condition causes the peroneal tendons to swell or become inflamed, resulting in pain on the lateral side of the foot and the heel. A person who runs excessively or places their foot abnormally may develop peroneal tendonitis. It may also occur after an ankle sprain.

Is pain in your feet a sign of diabetes?

High blood sugar can cause diabetic neuropathy, which damages the nerves that send signals from your hands and feet. Diabetic neuropathy can cause numbness or tingling in your fingers, toes, hands, and feet. Another symptom is a burning, sharp, or aching pain ( diabetic nerve pain ).

What is a Morton’s toe?

Morton’s toe, or Morton’s foot, describes the condition where your second toe looks longer than your big toe. It’s very common: Some people just have it and others don’t. In some people, Morton’s toe may increase the chances of calluses forming on the sole of your foot and some other foot pains.

Do I need to see a doctor for metatarsalgia?

How is metatarsalgia diagnosed? If your pain in the metatarsal area persists for a few days after resting your feet or changing your footwear, it’s best to see a doctor. Your doctor will examine your foot and ask you to walk so they can observe your gait.

How do you fix metatarsalgia?

To help ease your metatarsalgia pain, try these tips:

1. Rest. Protect your foot from further injury by not stressing it.
2. Ice the affected area.
3. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever.
4. Wear proper shoes.
5. Use metatarsal pads.
6. Consider arch supports.

What are the first signs of foot drop?

A few symptoms and signs of foot drop include:

• Inability to hold footwear. A feeling of loosening of the footwear may cause discomfort and dragging of the affected foot while walking.
• Tripping.
• Falls.
• High steppage gait.
• Circumduction gait.
• Limp foot.
• Numbness.
• Often unilateral.

Can’t move toes up or down?

Foot drop is a muscular weakness or paralysis that makes it difficult to lift the front part of your foot and toes. It’s also sometimes called drop foot. It can cause you to drag your foot on the ground when you walk. Foot drop is a sign of an underlying problem rather than a condition itself.

Can you straighten your toes?

For fixed toe problems, doctors often do surgery on the bones. Doctors can often treat flexible toe problems by moving tendons to release tension on the joint and let the toe straighten. In some cases, the surgery for a flexible toe problem will still include work on the bones.