What causes foot pain?

Foot pain is often due to conditions that cause inflammation of the tendons, ligaments, or bones. This issue occurs because of overuse or acute injury.

Arthritis is another cause of foot pain, as is an injury to the nerves in the feet. The latter issue often causes numbness, peripheral neuropathy, or intense burning pain.

Some people with nerve injuries, whether caused by type 2 diabetes or an acute injury, equate the experience to the “pins and needles” that happen after your foot “falls asleep.”

The list of potential causes of foot pain are numerous, but the good news is that the discomfort is treatable.

How Is Foot Pain Managed?

For many people, the best way to manage aching feet is to use the RICE method: rest, ice, compress, and elevate.

If you have chronic foot pain, there could be several issues to address before the discomfort can be alleviated. An attending medical provider will develop a treatment plan with you after considering all the potential problems that could be present.

Some of the common causes of acute and chronic foot pain include the following issues.

• Plantar fasciitis
• Gout
• Bunions
• Bone Spurs
• Fractures or Broken Bones
• Bone Spurs
• Rheumatoid Arthritis

Chronic foot pain can be challenging to diagnose when its origin is unknown. In some instances, the root problem is never discovered. That doesn’t mean patients cannot be treated!

What Are the Long-Term Consequences of Foot Pain?

When people experience uncontrolled chronic pain, their quality of life often declines. If it hurts to get on your feet, you’re less inclined to take a walk, run errands, or even get out of bed. That’s why working with an experienced medical provider is an essential part of the treatment process whenever foot discomfort occurs.

Without treatment, most patients restrict their movement to avoid foot pain. That means obesity, muscle atrophy, and even vitamin D deficiencies can develop as time passes.

When decreased strength occurs in the foot, each step becomes more uncomfortable. When this issue develops, it’s not unusual for patients to shift their weight to make walking and movement more comfortable. That decision can eventually lead to joint problems, stress fractures, and tears in tendons and ligaments.

Foot pain that restricts movement often leads to feelings of anxiety and the development of depression-like symptoms. People can experience a wide range of psychological conditions, including nightmares and added stress, when the discomfort is not appropriately treated.

When to See Someone About Your Foot Pain

Even if the foot pain isn’t severe, the experience can be relatively debilitating. It’s usually safe to try some at-home remedies, including rest and ice, but there are times when you’ll want to see a medical professional right away.

If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms, please seek immediate medical attention.

• You cannot walk or put any weight on the foot at all.
• Signs of an infection are present in the foot, including warmth, redness, and tenderness in the affected area – or you have a fever above 100°F (37.8°C).
• An open wound is present, or this injury is oozing white fluid.

Anyone with a diabetes diagnosis with a foot wound that doesn’t seem to be healing or develops the signs and symptoms of an infection should seek help immediately.

Some foot pain problems don’t require immediate care, but it would be helpful to get a checkup on the issue soon. If you have any of these symptoms, consider scheduling an office visit or an appointment with your regular provider.

• Persistent swelling occurs that isn’t resolving after two to five days of treating the condition at home.
• Pain continues at the same level, even after trying to resolve the issue for several weeks.
• Your discomfort is described as numbness, tingling, or burning, especially along most or all of the bottom part of the foot.

If your foot pain is due to overuse or an injury, many patients respond well to some extra rest and cold therapies. Try to avoid participating in activities that could worsen the discomfort.

When you contact our team about your foot pain, you’re working with an experienced team that takes a medication-free approach. Instead of forcing you to rely on external pharmaceuticals to deliver long-term relief, we focus on each patient while implementing innovative and published treatment philosophies.

Have you had others tell you that foot pain is just part of getting older? Have you limited your movement because of the discomfort? Now is the time to take back control of your life! We’d love to hear from you and listen to your concerns so that we can get you on the path to healing.

Dr. Thai