Causes of Foot Pain
Individuals put a lot of pressure on their feet regularly. Some jobs involve standing all day long, and sports and exercise can cause joint and foot pain. Many foot-related ailments are fairly minor such as blisters from new shoes, but all-in-all, feet take quite the beating, and some conditions can cause chronic pain.
All of this wear and tear has led to a huge foot care industry. In the US alone, females spend up to $50 a year each on foot care products, and $4.3 billion was spent globally on podiatry services in 2021.
What are the causes of foot pain?
The podiatrist Dr. Yerusalem Lanier listed a number of causes for foot pain in patients when approached, and these range from tendinitis to broken bones and fractures.
Many causes of discomfort and pain in feet have some strange names, but there is often very little amusement to be found in these ailments. For example, bursitis involves inflammation and pain and can be caused simply by wearing the wrong shoes.
Other foot pain comes from activities such as long walks, and standing for periods at work, but other problems are far more serious. Some illnesses for instance cause problems with feet, and diabetes requires foot care to be put to the forefront.
This short article aims to inform you about some of the strangely named foot conditions you could suffer from, their causes, and how you can treat them.
Hammertoes
Ligaments and tendons need to be in alignment and balanced with muscles for joints to work properly. Hammertoes occur when there is an imbalance between these body parts in a toe. The name comes from the appearance of the toe which is bent at the middle joint.
To fix this deformity, a surgeon will cut the ligaments and tendons causing the problem, and usually, remove a piece of bone too.
Bunions
This condition often appears in people after the ages of 20 and 30, and is often caused by ill-fitting shoes, but not always. A bunion forms when the big toe is put under excess pressure and is forced toward the second toe. This can result in a bony bump at the base of the big toe, and extra bone can also form. The only effective option for bunions is through surgery.
Verrucas
This condition causes small lumps, not dissimilar to warts, to appear on feet. They will very often develop on the soles of feet and are caused by a virus. This means that they can spread through human contact, and swimming pools are a common way to become infected.
There are plenty of unusual foot pain remedies, but, fortunately, verrucas can be treated fairly easily. A podiatrist will be well-versed in dealing with verrucas and many other common foot complaints.
Corns
A corn is similar to a callous, but they are generally more painful, and harder. The center of a corn can put pressure on nerves and cause foot pain. They are caused by friction and the result is a build-up of hardened, thick skin.
Corns can be shaved with a pumice stone to rub away dead skin, or treated with products such as wart removers that contain salicylic acid. Due to the risk of infection, it is better if your podiatrist treats your corns instead of trying to rub away at them yourself.
Plantar fasciitis
The band of tissue that connects your toes to your heels is called Plantar fascia. When you walk, this band absorbs pressure, but when this becomes too much, the wear and tear can result in a condition called plantar fasciitis.
In severe cases, plantar fasciitis may require surgery but fortunately in lesser cases there are other options. One of the benefits of custom orthotics is that they can treat plantar fasciitis too.
What happens if you ignore your foot pain?
Ignoring pain is never a good idea if it continues for some time. Ongoing persistent pain may be evidence of something seriously wrong or a sign of worsening symptoms.
For example, if you ignore hammertoes they will just get worse as time progresses. And even non-painful symptoms might be a warning sign. If you have yellow soles on your feet, it might simply mean that you eat a lot of carrots. But, it can also be a sign of thyroid or liver problems or diabetes.
Any chronic foot problem should be inspected and treated by your doctor or podiatrist. Especially if the pain is chronic and has been ongoing for weeks on end.
Summary
Some problems such as tiny verrucas can be dealt with by your immune system, but larger ones and other foot ailments need treatment from podiatrists. Some conditions such as bunions will require surgery to correct them, but in many cases, foot care will involve over-the-counter medications.
Despite the strange names according to some of these ailments, sufferers of corns and hammertoes will find little amusement, and ignoring these problems will only lead to further pain and discomfort.
