The foot plays an important role in the movement of the person, and any deviation in this part of the body can lead to unpleasant and even painful sensations. Most people who have this problem try to recover on their own, but such a decision can be dangerous, and then the pain in the foot will not only intensify, but the disease can also go to another stage.
Pain classification
It is important to pay attention to the type of pain, and when exactly it occurs. There is pain when walking and even sometimes at rest.
- Diffuse pains.
- Pain that is localized in one specific place.
- Pain that spans the entire foot.
The place of localization of pain plays an important role, since this is precisely what can be the root cause. It is not recommended to eliminate the causes on their own, otherwise there is a risk of not avoiding complications.
Calcaneal pain and treatment
Pain in the foot in the heel can occur for many reasons:
- The heel spur is associated with the growth of the bones of the foot in the heel area. At risk are people suffering from flat feet and having high arches of the foot. Pain can occur not only in one leg, but in both at the same time. The problem will begin to manifest itself during walking, and over time will move to a new level at which the patient will be able to feel an unpleasant symptom even at rest. Treatment may consist of wearing special shoes with orthopedic insoles. In rare cases, patients may be offered surgical treatment.
- Severe pain in the foot cannot be ignored, because the cause can be hidden in a disease such as fasciitis. A sick person will feel severe pain in the morning. The essence of the disease is inflammation of a special connective tissue called fascia, which covers the human foot bone from the heel to the toes. A sick leg must be given complete rest. The patient is recommended to take pain medication. In the future, you should wear the right shoes with soft soles, it will perfectly support the arch of the foot.
- It is impossible not to notice the bruise of the tissues of the heels, because a bruise appears. This does not mean at all that a person somewhere hit, perhaps a hematoma formed after walking on an inhomogeneous surface. At risk may be people who prefer to go hiking. Treatment of foot pain can be carried out with the help of special ointments that reduce the hematoma and, of course, the leg must be left at rest.
- The foot can hurt with a calcaneus fracture . It is the bones in the heel zone that are the most fragile in the foot, and if they grow together incorrectly, then a person can remain lame for life. In this case, treatment is carried out only by an experienced doctor, who, first of all, will apply a tight bandage and prescribe an anesthetic. In special cases, surgical intervention is necessary.
In any case, at the first unpleasant signs it is worth paying enough attention and consult a specialist.
Pain in the arch of the foot
Pain in the foot often occurs in the arch. The reasons for this are as follows:
- Fasciitis is a disease associated with an inflammatory process in the muscles. The treatment is to relieve pain as quickly as possible, and then injections with steroids are used.
- Most often there is flat feet, which causes pain in the foot. Due to the fact that the foot changes, the arch of the foot is flattened. It is important to note that up to four years old a childโs flat feet is the norm, since the body has not yet fully formed, but at an older age it is worth raising the alarm, since this is already a pathology. The main treatment consists in adjusting with special shoes, in particularly difficult cases, surgical intervention is used. Apply cold compresses to reduce pain.
Pain in the outer edge of the foot, how to treat it?
When severe foot pain occurs, the causes are metatarsal fractures. The pain is localized along the entire outer edge of the foot, where the metatarsal bone is located. As a rule, pain can be noticed after an injury. This is accompanied by additional symptoms such as swelling and bruising. Confirm the fracture can only be done using x-rays. First of all, the patient must take care of complete rest, for this, gypsum can be applied to the leg. To anesthetize the leg, cold is applied and a local anesthetic is prescribed. If the case is particularly complicated, then it is sometimes necessary just surgery.
Forefoot Pain Management
Pain in the foot when walking often occurs in its front part, this is due to such diseases:
- When walking, the pain syndrome intensifies due to severe inflammation in the forefoot, this disease is called metatarsalgia. Inconvenient shoes and intense physical activity exacerbate symptoms over time, and then immediate treatment is required. Comfortable shoes should be worn and special arch support should be used to evenly distribute the load on the entire foot.
- Pain can occur in the area of โโthe big toe, this is due to a disease such as sesamoiditis. Women need to wear shoes without a heel or low-heeled shoes with a special insole. During severe pain, cold should be applied to the area of โโthe finger and an injection of an anesthetic drug.
- Foot pain occurs due to problems with nerve endings, and the reason lies in the proliferation of tissues that are associated with the nerves of the foot. In addition to pain, a sick person will also be able to feel finger numbness. The disease is called Morton's neuroma and is most often found in women who like to wear high heels. The main treatment is to relieve pain with painkillers, in difficult cases, an injection with steroids is done, special insoles are selected.
Pain in the front of the foot greatly constrains the movement, so treatment is absolutely necessary.
Causes of pain in the toes and their treatment
The area of โโthe thumb is most affected by pain, the only exception is a disease such as arthritis, because all fingers are sore with it.
Here are the main causes of pain near the thumb:
- Gout is accompanied by the deposition of uric acid salts in the joints. In this case, it is recommended that the patient go on a diet and consume as little salt as possible. The doctor will be able to prescribe special drugs that will help prevent relapses.
- Sometimes a person is faced with proliferation of bones on the inside of the foot and a lump begins to form on the thumb. This disease is called bursitis, it also causes severe pain in the feet. The treatment consists in wearing comfortable shoes or in the surgical intervention of a surgeon who will remove the growth.
- Ingrown nails cause a lot of pain in the foot area, the skin begins to grow and completely covers the nail plate, of course, this causes unpleasant symptoms when walking. The main danger is that in addition to the inflammatory process, a sick person may experience infection. Treatment consists in steaming the nail, correct cutting it, and in especially dangerous cases, surgical intervention.
- Fractures resulting from injury cannot be ruled out. The treatment of a fracture may depend only on its complexity; in some cases, surgical intervention is required.
- Calluses can appear on the fingers most often due to the fact that the tissue thickens, it is injured when walking and a wound is formed. The corn should be lubricated with a special ointment and treated with hydrogen peroxide.
Of course, many people believe that pain in the thumb is not a problem that needs attention. But in fact, this can lead to serious complications, so it is best to consult a doctor.
Other causes of foot pain and their treatment
Pain in the foot can occur for other reasons associated with serious diseases.
- Neuropathy. Most often occurs in diabetics, and it can be localized precisely in the area of โโthe toes. Such pain has its differences, it is as if tingling and burning. Treatment is carried out by getting rid of the underlying disease.
- Trending. The disease is associated with the inflammatory process of the tendons that connect the muscle bones.
It cannot be ruled out that any injury can cause pain in the foot.
Diagnostics
Despite the causes of pain in the foot, the doctor will prescribe treatment only after diagnosis. The specialist who deals with leg pain is an orthopedist. An initial examination will help determine the problem, the doctor also prescribes additional types of diagnostics, such as:
- X-ray
- MRI of the foot.
According to the results of the diagnosis, the orthopedist will be able to diagnose, prescribe treatment or send for additional examination to other specialists. Treatment, as a rule, is carried out with the help of medications, physiotherapy exercises or magnetic resonance therapy are also prescribed.
Prevention
The causes and treatment of pain in the feet can be completely different, but it is important to remember that prevention can be better than any treatment, which includes these rules:
- Wear comfortable shoes with moderate heels.
- Choose the right physical activity for the legs.
- Massage the feet twice a week.
- Fight overweight, stick to diets.
- If you experience unpleasant symptoms associated with the legs, consult a doctor.
In no case is it recommended to diagnose yourself on your own. Only a specialist can determine the disease and prescribe treatment.