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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Swelling In Feet And Ankles, Cannot Bend Toes Back, Cold Feet, Pain. What Is Wrong With Me?

over the past 3 months I have had EXTREME swelling in my feet and ankles. I cannot bend my toes back or hardly move my ankles at all. My toes are numb all the time and my feet are constantly cold and they hurt about a 20 on a scale of 1-10. I have been put on 3 kinds of diuretics and potassium and it doesn t work. No one will check for anything else. What is wrong with me?
Mon, 13 Aug 2012
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General & Family Physician 's  Response
Hi, welcome to healthcare magic, I am sorry that you feel unwell

Swelling of the ankles can be due to a number of factors: (1) excess fluid intake
(2) kidney disease- if the kidneys, which are responsible for removing toxins and fluid from the body are not working properly then fluid accumulation can result. It can usually be diagnosed by a blood test which may show excess creatinine and urea, and urine may also show abnormalities such a protein or in some cases blood
(3) heart disease- also a possible cause of swelling because if the heart is not working efficiently then it cannot receive and pump blood properly
(4) liver failure- problems with the liver can also cause swelling due to reduced production of proteins
(5) problems related to the venous circulation in the legs- there are veins in the legs, some just under the skin and some that are a little deeper, blood from these veins travels up to the heart, if they are not working properly then the blood accumulates
(6) as a result of medication- there are some medication that are associated with swelling of the ankles and feet , you should speak to your doctor to make sure that it is not as a result of medication
(7) as a result of infection , muscle or joint injury such as arthritis.

In most cases blood test are done to rule out kidney and liver disease and imaging studies are done to assess the function of the heart.
The level of proteins in the blood can also be assessed because as stated earlier ,low levels are associated with swelling.
Imaging studies can also be done to assess the function of the veins in the legs if indicated.

I hope this information is helpful to you and hope that you find the answer to your problem
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Orthopaedic Surgeon, Joint Replacement Dr. Abdullah Shafir. M's  Response
Hello
Did you check your Diabetic level ie, blood sugar and Blood pressure ?
You might be having Neuropathic foot and that might be the reason for your swelling and numbness of foot. Do not take diuretics for a long time. I suggest you do a complete blood test.
Get well soon.
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Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
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Swelling In Feet And Ankles, Cannot Bend Toes Back, Cold Feet, Pain. What Is Wrong With Me?

Hi, welcome to healthcare magic, I am sorry that you feel unwell Swelling of the ankles can be due to a number of factors: (1) excess fluid intake (2) kidney disease- if the kidneys, which are responsible for removing toxins and fluid from the body are not working properly then fluid accumulation can result. It can usually be diagnosed by a blood test which may show excess creatinine and urea, and urine may also show abnormalities such a protein or in some cases blood (3) heart disease- also a possible cause of swelling because if the heart is not working efficiently then it cannot receive and pump blood properly (4) liver failure- problems with the liver can also cause swelling due to reduced production of proteins (5) problems related to the venous circulation in the legs- there are veins in the legs, some just under the skin and some that are a little deeper, blood from these veins travels up to the heart, if they are not working properly then the blood accumulates (6) as a result of medication- there are some medication that are associated with swelling of the ankles and feet , you should speak to your doctor to make sure that it is not as a result of medication (7) as a result of infection , muscle or joint injury such as arthritis. In most cases blood test are done to rule out kidney and liver disease and imaging studies are done to assess the function of the heart. The level of proteins in the blood can also be assessed because as stated earlier ,low levels are associated with swelling. Imaging studies can also be done to assess the function of the veins in the legs if indicated. I hope this information is helpful to you and hope that you find the answer to your problem