Many people overlook their toes until they experience discomfort, but your toes and toenails can offer significant insights into your overall health. They may reveal signs of infections, side effects from medications, physical trauma, and autoimmune disorders. Toe pain can also point to chemical exposure, diabetes, kidney or liver diseases, and even skin cancer. Health issues often become apparent first in the extremities. Changes such as tingling, burning, and numbness should not be ignored. Discoloration or alterations in nail shape also can be early indicators of conditions like anemia or melanoma. For example, spoon-shaped nails can point to anemia, while dark vertical bands on the toenail might indicate melanoma. Cold or blue toes can be a sign of heart disease, and painful, inflamed toe joints could suggest arthritis. Regular visits to a podiatrist can help to detect these signs early, allowing for prompt treatment and preventing more severe health issues. If you are experiencing toe pain, it is suggested that you schedule an appointment with a podiatrist for an exam, diagnosis, and treatment.

Toe pain can disrupt your daily activities. If you have any concerns, contact Dr. Anna Petrov of Family Foot & Ankle Care. Our doctor can provide the care you need to keep you pain-free and on your feet.

What Causes Toe Pain?

Most severe toe pain is caused due to a sports injury, trauma from dropping something heavy on the toe, or bumping into something rigid. Other problems can develop over time for various reasons.

Toe pain can be caused by one or more ailments. The most common include:

• Trauma
• Sports injury
• Wearing shoes that are too tight
• Arthritis
• Gout
• Corns and calluses
• Hammertoe
• Bunions
• Blisters
• Ingrown toenails
• Sprains
• Fractures (broken bones)
• Dislocations

When to See a Podiatrist

• Severe pain
• Persistent pain that lasts more than a week
• Signs of infection
• Continued swelling
• Pain that prevents walking

Diagnosis

In many cases the cause of toe pain is obvious, but in others, a podiatrist may want to use more advanced methods to determine the problem. These can range from simple visual inspections and sensation tests to X-rays and MRI scans. Prior medical history, family medical history, and any recent physical traumatic events will all be taken into consideration for a proper diagnosis.

Treatment

Treatments for toe pain and injuries vary and may include shoe inserts, padding, taping, medicines, injections, and in some cases, surgery. If you believe that you have broken a toe, please see a podiatrist as soon as possible.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact one of our offices located in Wheeling and Chicago, IL . We offer the newest diagnostic tools and technology to treat your foot and ankle needs.