Foot Pain Causes

Foot Pain Information

Foot pain can be a very troublesome condition which limits our daily activities. It can also be very slow to heal because we normally are on our feet every day. The pain itself can be located anywhere in the foot, including the toes, heel, instep, arch, sole, or ankles. The diagnosis of the foot pain will lead a medical professional into giving advice on treatment for the condition so that it has the best chance of healing properly.

One common cause of this type of pain is poorly fitting shoes. Foot pain causes may include: calluses and corns, bunions, hammer toes, fallen arches, and plantar warts. Bunions are bumps at the big toe’s base, which can be inflamed. They grow over time, usually from wearing shoes that are too tight. Calluses and corns are thick skin created as a result of constant rubbing or pressure. Corns will be seen at the tops of the toes, while calluses are usually seen on the balls of the feet. Hammer toes are toes that curl downward, resembling a claw. Fallen arches are also known as “flat feet”. Plantar warts are sores which develop on the soles because of constant pressure.

Symptoms of Foot Pain

Foot pain symptoms vary, depending upon foot pain causes. The pain may be sudden and severe or more of a dull, throbbing pain. The type and severity of the pain can provide clues as to what the underlying condition may be. With bunions, there is an enlargement of the tissue or bone around the head of the big toe. The big toe may even turn inward towards the second toe. Skin is typically inflamed and irritated around the bunion.

There is usually pain when walking, along with redness around the area. Foot pain causes include gout. Symptoms of gout are a red, hot, tender joint. The joint will be swollen. Gout is caused by repeated attacks of acute inflammatory arthritis. The joint at the base of the big toe is the one usually affected. Gout is caused by high levels of uric acid in the blood which crystallizes and accumulates in the joints and tissues of the body. Foot pain causes also include a condition called plantar fasciitis. This painful condition causes pain in the plantar fascia- a strip of tissue running from the heel to the front part of the foot. One commonly reported symptom of plantar fasciitis is that the pain is worse upon waking, gradually fading as the day wears on.

Treatment For Foot Pain

Treatment of foot pain is as varied as foot pain causes. For milder conditions, rest is often recommended. Wear and tear on the feet, for many people, never allows the feet to heal properly. Crutches or special shoes may be required. These can allow for walking, while taking some of the stress off of the feet. Pain relievers, over-the-counter or prescribed, are often employed to reduce the pain and allow some normal functioning.

If the pain is caused by gout, treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is often used. Colchicine often improves symptoms. When the acute attack has let up in intensity, uric acids are lowered with dietary changes. Bunions are often treated with special shoes, shielding and padding of shoes, ice, rest, and various medications. These types of treatments are meant to affect symptoms more than correcting the actual deformity which is the source of the problem. If pain is severe enough, surgery is sometimes necessary. Although foot pain and foot pain causes may prove difficult, medical treatment can usually alleviate, if not completely cure the condition.