Have you ever taken off your socks or shoes and saw blood, and had no idea how it happened? Well, 15 percent of patients with diabetes suffer from diabetic foot ulcers. A diabetic foot ulcer is an open injury or sore generally situated on the lower part of the foot. It starts from normal factors such as taking an extra-long walk or having a new pair of shoes. The ulcer starts as a small blister or callus on the foot, then the problem progresses.
The toes are complex in structure, made of bones and joints. The bones are connected to metatarsals by joints. The front of the foot is known as the forefoot and is made of toe bones known as phalanges. The forefoot is responsible for supporting half of the body weight, it controls your stand, walk, and jump. The muscles allow the toes to move and control how the foot hits the ground, makes it flexible and cushion the impact on the foot. The decision to undergo toe surgery is made when the symptoms are bad, painful, and are affecting your life, and do not respond to other non-surgical treatments. Some of the toe surgical options include bunion surgery, toe fusion surgery, hammertoe surgery, and big toe surgery.
It is common for people with diabetes to have foot problems. It is scarier when you think of losing a foot, toe, or leg especially when you know someone who has lost any limps to diabetes complications. However, with diabetic foot care, managing your glucose levels, and regular visits to a podiatrist for diabetics, chances of experiencing diabetic foot problems are reduced. Half of the diabetic patients experience nerve damage, mostly happening in their legs and feet.
I am experiencing pain and swelling in my big toe; could it be gout? Flares of gout hit the base of the big toe that is common with gout. Gout symptoms may start with some swelling and tingling sensation. It quickly turns to extremely painful, red, and swollen; the pain is intolerable. Patients should seek gout treatment immediately, but they ignore the pain until they cannot walk or put on shoes. Some even mistakenly think it is a toe injury that will go away.
Gout attacks are sudden without prior warning signs; it happens in the middle of the night. The first episode can last a few days or even weeks. Some patients have frequent flares, while others take even a year before it happens again. Gout is intense pain and inflammation in the joints and soft tissue because of the excess build-up of uric acid crystals.
It is a fungal infection on feet. A Fungus is a microscopic organism that thrives in warm and damp environments. Fungal infections to the skin are known as tinea infections, and the fungus growing on the feet is known as tinea pedis or athlete’s foot; the name is from the fact that it affects people whose feet are always sweaty and damp. The fungal infection is caused by trichophyton found in clothing and on floors.
That pain at the end edge of your toenail is uncomfortable and disturbing. An ingrown toenail is when the nail grows into the skin causing pain and irritation to the skin. When the skin is broken, it poses risk to allow bacteria that can cause infections making the ingrown toenail more painful; see a doctor for ingrown toenail immediately. If you notice that you have painful, red, swollen, and hot toenails, it might be infected. Though one question sticks with you, why do you have ingrown toenails?
