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What Causes Persistent Pain In The Toes And Ball Of The Foot?
Question: I am experiencing persistent foot pain in my toes and balls of my feet. Feeling of extreme cold, burning and hard cramping of toes. Have purchased orthopedic shoes and orthotics but sometimes make situation worse. Feet feel cramped even though they have been adjusted. Cold gives some relief. Short amount of time in warm water also. Crossing ankles or legs seems to make situation worse.
Brief Answer:
morton's metatarsalgia
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for posting the question.
I have gone through you medical history in detail.
Being overweight and the extensive surgery that you had 3 years ago seems to be doing the damage.
It leads to a condition called Morton's metatarsalgia in which the balls of the toes are painful.It is due to inflammation of the tiny nerves that travel between the toes.This causes severe neuritic pain and intolerance to cold/hot water.
Wearing soft insoles with orthoses is the mainstay of the treatment but weight reduction is even more important.
If orthosis isn't helping,you can get a MRI of foot done to rule out other causes of pain.
A local steroid injection shot can help reduce the pain and inflammation in extreme cases.
Taking analgesic,anti inflammatory tablets with methycobalamin and pregabalin tablets will be helpful.
Rarely,raised uric acid levels in blood can mimick this clinical presentation and it should be ruled out by getting blood uric acid levels checked.
I hope the answer was useful.
Feel free to ask me any doubts that you may have.
Thank you.
Take care.
morton's metatarsalgia
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for posting the question.
I have gone through you medical history in detail.
Being overweight and the extensive surgery that you had 3 years ago seems to be doing the damage.
It leads to a condition called Morton's metatarsalgia in which the balls of the toes are painful.It is due to inflammation of the tiny nerves that travel between the toes.This causes severe neuritic pain and intolerance to cold/hot water.
Wearing soft insoles with orthoses is the mainstay of the treatment but weight reduction is even more important.
If orthosis isn't helping,you can get a MRI of foot done to rule out other causes of pain.
A local steroid injection shot can help reduce the pain and inflammation in extreme cases.
Taking analgesic,anti inflammatory tablets with methycobalamin and pregabalin tablets will be helpful.
Rarely,raised uric acid levels in blood can mimick this clinical presentation and it should be ruled out by getting blood uric acid levels checked.
I hope the answer was useful.
Feel free to ask me any doubts that you may have.
Thank you.
Take care.
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Nagamani Ng
Answered by
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