What is foot pain?
Your foot has an intricate network of bones, ligaments, tendons, and muscles that are strong enough to bear your body weight. However, injury, overuse, or conditions causing inflammation make your feet prone to injury and pain.
Foot pain can affect every part of your foot and results in discomfort that includes intense burning, pain, numbness, or tingling.
What causes foot pain?
It’s crucial to visit Kaplansky Foot and Ankle Centers so a podiatrist can diagnose your foot pain because many conditions can cause pain. Some of the more common causes of foot pain include:
Bunions and Bunionettes
Constant pressure from shoes that are too narrow cause bumps called bunions on your big toes and bunionettes on your little toes, along with foot pain.
Morton's Neuroma
A pinched nerve in your foot that makes it feel as if there’s a pebble in your shoe or your sock is bunched is referred to as Morton’s Neuroma.
Plantar Fasciitis
Overuse causes the tough, protective, shock-absorbing ligament that runs from your heel to the base of your toes to develop small tears, causing inflammation and foot pain.
Gout
Uric acid, which usually gets secreted in your urine, forms crystals in the joint at the base of your big toe. Your immune system tries to get rid of these crystals and results in foot pain, inflammation, and swelling.
Rheumatoid and Psoriatic Arthritis
With rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis, your immune system attacks the linings of your joints, causing inflammation, deformity, and disability. Foot pain occurs in the balls of your feet and is worse first thing in the morning.
How is foot pain diagnosed?
To determine what’s causing your foot pain, your doctor will ask several questions about your pain, including when it started, where it hurts, and what makes it worse. They'll also examine your foot to identify the cause of your pain.
X-rays and other diagnostic tests can aid in formulating a diagnosis.
How is foot pain treated?
Your treatment depends on the diagnosis. The most common foot pain treatments include:
- Orthotics, including custom orthotics
- Physical therapy
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Corticosteroid
- Colchicine
- Prescription medications for short-term relief
- Ultrasound
To find out what’s causing your foot pain and get treatment to ease your discomfort, call Kaplansky Foot and Ankle Centers, or book online today.
