When To See A Podiatrist For Your Toe Pain

You may be familiar with pain in your ankles, arch, or balls of your feet, but your toes? Toe pain is very real and can cause debilitating discomfort when you try to walk or put pressure on your feet. Your podiatrist can help you ease your toe pain by diagnosing what is causing your issue and offering relief through medical shoes or with lifestyle changes in your choice of footwear. Here are signs you need to see your podiatrist for your toe pain so you can get treated before your problem gets worse.

Pain persists after resting your feet

If the dull or sharp stabbing pain in your toes does not let up when you raise your feet up to rest at the end of the day, then you may have an ongoing medical condition that needs to be treated. Arthritis in your toes, gout, or other inflammation in your toes can all be causes for your discomfort that won't go away no matter how hard you try. Until you can get to the foot doctor, rest your feet in a heated tub of water with Epsom salts to relieve the pain from your nerves and muscles.

You have diabetes

Complications from diabetes can cause your feet to ache and become numb, sensitive to touch, or even swollen. If you are diabetic and you are experiencing toe pain, see your podiatrist and your general doctor right away. Your insulin levels may be to blame for your condition and should be addressed immediately by your regular doctor while your foot doctor can take X-rays of your feet to see if any bone or tissue damage is present. Without treatment, diabetes can be a direct cause of toe or foot loss and amputation.

Other areas of your feet hurt

While your toe pain may appear bearable, it can also be accompanied by pain in the ball of your foot, known as metatarsalgia. This is a condition where the ball of the foot becomes bruised where the toes connect to the large bone where the pain lies. You may notice the pain in your toes first, followed by a dull ache in the upper part of your foot or predominately in your large toe. Over time, the inflammation can become worse, especially if you are on your feet most of the day. It's important that you see your podiatrist right away so they can recommend arch supports and other treatments to help reduce your pain and encourage healthy healing.


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