What Do Enlarged Veins, Painful And Purple Swollen Ankles Indicate?

Posted on Fri, 15 Sep 2017

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 15 Sep 2017 Answered on

Tue, 3 Oct 2017 Last reviewed on

Question : I have some pain on the top of my foot and ankle. They veins are enlarged and turn purple and my ankle swells. It started with my leg hurting. I also have some tingling in my toes. It come on gradually. I had a MRI on my back & checked for a blood clots. Both were negative. The doctor is sending me to a
Neurologist with the diagnosis of arthralgia of lower left leg. I am so tired of the pain. Some nights it is so bad I can't sleep. Sometimes, I have to use a cane. Could this be gout? I am grasping at answers.

Answered by Dr. Ishu Bishnoi (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Ankle and foot pain management

Detailed Answer:
Hi Dhaynes9148, thanks for asking from HealthcareMagic,

I can understand your concern. You are having pain over ankle and top of the foot which is suggesting ankle joint pathology. The enlarged, purple veins are due to chronic venous insufficiency which can occur after 60 years and prolonged standing position.

It is good that your MRI and blood clot tests are negative.

Ankle joint pathology can be

- Arthritis
- Ankle joint ligament injury
- musculo-tendinous injury around joint

For confirmation, your doctor should examine your ankle clinically. In arthritis (rare in case of ankle joint), there will be pain and swelling over joint, painful joint movement.

For ligament or muscular injury, the pain will occur on stretching the joint in particular position only.

Initial pain-relieving treatment is similar:

- Avoid bearing weight and prolonged standing
- While walking, take rest after some time.
- You can apply immobilizing brace to prevent movement at joint.
- Apply warm bandage to get relief in pain
- You can take painkillers like Diclofenac/Ibuprofen (may need prescription).
- If ligament was torn, a proper casting may be applied for healing.
- After relief in pain, physiotherapy of joint is advisable.
- If tingling in toes persists after it, please take neutron specific vitamin like B12, folic acid, pyridoxine, pantothenic acid.

You are suspecting gout which is unlikely. Gout usually affects big toe and cause swelling at it. If such presentation happened any time, we can suspect gout.

Hope it will help. If you are having doubts, do let me know.
Thanks. Take care.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee