By Haleigh M.
Foot pain is often a sign that your shoes don’t fit right, you’ve been on your feet too long or you’re simply not as young as you once were. Most foot pain can be treated with a hot soak or a foot rub, or simply by resting your feet or switching to more supportive footwear. But occasionally, foot pain is a sign of a more serious condition.
Pain in the feet and toes could be a sign of rheumatoid arthritis, gout, a serious infection or even peripheral arterial disease. Sometimes foot pain occurs due to plantar fasciitis, a debilitating condition affecting the tendon that runs along the sole of the foot. If you experience pain or swelling in your feet, seek the care of a podiatrist as soon as you can.
Foot Pain Could Be Gout or Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder in which the body’s own immune system attacks the joints. The results include pain, swelling and, eventually, deformity of the bones and joints.Many people feel their first RA symptoms in their feet. The pain often starts in the toes and then moves to the feet and ankles.
Foot pain could also be a sign of gout, a form of arthritis in which uric acid crystals accumulate in the joints. Though it can affect the joints in the feet, wrists, knees, ankles and hands, gout most commonly attacks the large joint in the big toe, causing it to become inflamed, swollen and severely painful. While gout can be incredibly painful, treatments are available to control the symptoms.
Peripheral Arterial Disease Causes Foot Symptoms
Peripheral arterial disease, or PAD, causes plaque to accumulate in the arteries of the legs, choking off the blood supply to the feet and lower legs. In addition to muscle cramps in the lower legs, PAD can cause pain and other symptoms in the feet. Foot symptoms of PAD include an aching or burning sensation in the feet and toes when at rest. These symptoms may be especially pronounced at night, when you are lying in bed. The skin of your feet may feel unusually cool to the touch, and you may develop open sores on your feet that don’t heal. You may also notice changes in the color of your feet.
Severe Heel Pain Could Be Plantar Fasciitis
Though not life-threatening, plantar fasciitis is excruciatingly painful. It occurs due to repetitive strain on the plantar fascia, the connective tissue that runs across the sole of the foot from the heel to the ball.
Most people feel plantar fasciitis as a stabbing, knifelike pain in the heel or sole of the foot. You can develop plantar fasciitis by exercising too much or too little, running or wearing poorly-fitted shoes. Overweight people and people over 40 are most prone to this condition.
Treatments for plantar fasciitis include physical therapy, orthotics, splints, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), steroid injections, extracorporeal shock wave therapy and surgery. Massage of the affected foot and leg can also relieve tension in the connective tissue, temporarily relieving pain.
Pain in the Feet Could Be a Sign of Infection
Sudden, unexplained pain and swelling in the foot could be a sign of osteomyelitis, a serious bone infection that’s common in the feet. Though it’s most common in diabetics, healthy adults and children can get osteomyelitis in the feet too. While osteomyelitis can occur in any part of the body, the feet are most vulnerable, because the bones of the feet are very close to the skin, and because the feet are more vulnerable to skin injuries that can lead to infection.
If a foot wound gets infected, that infection can easily spread to the bone. Once in the bone of the foot, osteomyelitis can quickly spread to the bones of the leg, causing irreparable damage. In severe cases, amputation is necessary.
If you suffer a wound in your foot, keep it clean to prevent infection. If you see signs of infection in your foot — redness, swelling, warmth of the skin and trouble putting weight on the foot — see a podiatrist immediately for an evaluation. Early intervention could save your foot.
While not all foot pain is serious, all foot pain should be taken seriously. If you have severe or persistent foot pain, or foot pain accompanied by other symptoms like inflammation or swelling, don’t wait to see if it goes away on its own. Seek medical care right away — you’ll be glad you did.
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