Although our eyes are considered the windows of our soul, can our feet be the windows of our overall health? Unless you have regular foot massages and pedicures. You may not pay too much attention to your feet or even take a second look. Top 8 Things Your Feet Can Tell You About Your Health
However, if you look closely, your feet and toes may show signs of underlying disease. Dr. Joseph Obtrusion, The feet are a complicated part of the body. But we often take it for granted a podiatrist at Banner Health Center.
Although we usually don’t care about our feet until. We are injured, twisted, or broken something, our feet can tell us a lot about our overall health. Debruising shared what your feet can tell you about Eight things about your health. When you see these symptoms, don’t panic first, and then run to the doctor to check your feet.
You are probably fine. Dr. Obtrusion has such a wise suggestion: “Look, common things are very common, strange things are rare,” he said. “You are likely to be completely fine. Your symptoms are likely to be benign, but it is important to pay attention to any potential health problems.”
Top 8 Things Your Feet Can Tell You About Your Health
1. Cold feet and toes
Possible medical problems: vascular disease caused by family tendencies, diabetes, smoking and other factors, peripheral arterial disease (PAD) or circulatory problems caused by diabetes. Indicates vascular disease or circulatory system problems.
Restricted blood flow from PAD can make your feet or toes feel colder than other parts of your body. Conditions associated with PAD may be occlusive (when the artery is blocked) or spastic (when the artery contracts due to spasm).
An example of occlusion is peripheral arterial occlusion, and an example of spasm is Raynaud’s disease. Your cold feet may also be due to poor blood circulation due to diabetes, smoking and other family factors.
Frequent high blood sugar levels can narrow your arteries and reduce the blood supply to the tissues, which can make your feet feel cold. To learn more about your vascular health, see our free symptom analyzer health risk assessment.
2. Burning pain
Possible medical problems: peripheral neuropathy caused by neuropathy, PAD, diabetes, or other factors. Although most burning feet are caused by nerve damage in the legs, called neuropathy, foot swelling, such as athlete’s foot, and people with PAD can also cause foot burning.
3. Sudden swollen and painful big toe or foot
Possible medical problems: gout, cellulitis infection, neuroarthropathy (Charcot joint), possible deep vein thrombosis, or systemic arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis.
Although you may experience swelling of your feet and ankles, there are countless benign causes, such as inappropriate footwear or pregnancy.
In other words, swollen feet and ankles may also be more serious signs, such as neuropathic joint disease, arthritis, venous insufficiency, kidney disease, congestive heart failure or gout, which is one of the “biggest imitators.
On the surface, gout is an inflammatory arthritis caused by high uric acid levels, and it seems simple; at other times, it may not. It can simulate many things, such as infections, fractures, inflammatory arthritis, Charcot’s joint disease or neuropathic joint disease, as well as venous insufficiency or deep vein thrombosis.
4. Discolored or deformed toenails
Possible problems: nail fungus, overuse injury (minimal trauma) (common in bowling, tennis, hiking, running), psoriasis, anemia, chemotherapy immunosuppression, melanoma.
When toes are “bad”, there may be many culprits. Some common things are nail fungus and overuse injuries due to repetitive trauma, starting and stopping, kicking and other sports activities.
If you notice discoloration, small holes (pits), white lines, depressions, or spoon-shaped toenails, this may indicate other underlying diseases listed above.
5. A sore or ulcer that won’t heal
Possible problems: diabetic foot ulcers or ankle ulcers caused by venous insufficiency, peripheral neuropathy, basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma, malignant melanoma, PAD. Generally, the ulcer should heal within a reasonable time.
If you find that the ulcer or sore is not healed, it may be due to poor blood circulation caused by diabetes or peripheral neuropathy. Although most people associate skin cancer with other parts of the body, your sores or ulcers may also indicate that skin cancer is evolving.
6. Dark line or bruise under your toenail
Possible problems: Melanoma, subungual hematoma Although very, very rare, discolored spots under the toenails may be a sign of melanoma, which is a life-threatening skin cancer.
It usually appears as brown or black stripes or looks like a bruise. It may also be a subungual hematoma (bleeding under the nail) due to nail injury or trauma.
7. Weight-bearing pain in the foot with no trauma
Possible problems: stress fractures, plantar fasciitis, tendinitis, arthritis, diabetic joint disease Foot and ankle pain bring millions of Americans to the podiatrist’s office every year. Some common injuries are due to stress fractures, tendinitis, and plantar fasciitis. Pain and injury may also be related to arthritis and diabetic joint disease.
8. Numbness or tingling in feet and toes
Possible issue: peripheral neuropathy, b12 deficiency, spinal stenosis, and other neurological conditions, diabetes, chemotherapy
Everyone’s limbs fall asleep now and then, but if you notice that your feet and toes are regularly tingling for longer than a few minutes, check in with your primary care physician as it could be a sign of something more serious.
The Big Takeaway
Although your symptoms are likely to show something benign, it is best to pay attention to the feet. Be kind to those hard-working body parts. They may have important things to tell you.
