Today we offer an article on the topic: “Swelling, edema and pain in the big toe: causes, what to do and how to treat.” We tried to describe everything clearly and in detail. If you have any questions, ask at the end of the article.
With this condition, a person cannot wear tight shoes, feels discomfort when walking and finally seeks medical help. My big toe hurts - the patient complains to the doctor - why is this happening? To understand the roots of this condition, the doctor carefully examines the nature of the pain.
This symptom in the form of pain can be a companion to various diseases. The causes of pain in this area are both mechanical and infectious in nature.
The most common causes of pain in the big toe: ingrown toenail (onychocryptosis), arthritis, arthrosis, gout, excessive physical activity. Let's analyze each reason in more detail.
Pain that occurs in the toes, as in any other location, brings great discomfort to a person. It can be dull, aching, throbbing or sharp, depending on the cause of its occurrence. Usually, toes hurt due to diseases such as:
Also, severe pain in the toes can be caused by ingrown nails, improper trimming and filing of which leads to a piece of the nail plate cutting into the skin, causing suppuration and other inflammatory processes. As a result, the toes become very swollen and painful, making it difficult for the patient to walk and lead a normal life. Those who in such cases do not seek medical help in time risk being left without a finger altogether, since an ingrown nail can lead to gangrene.
Depending on the type of arthritis, different toes hurt. With the reactive and psoriatic form of this disease, pain and inflammation occur in the big toes, as well as with gout. Rheumatoid causes pain and inflammation in various combinations and variations in the other four. Despite the fact that arthritis spreads to different fingers, any type of this disease is characterized by an inflammatory rhythm of pain that occurs at 3-4 am.
People call arthrosis of the big toe gout, but in reality it has nothing to do with it. Of course, gout also affects and hurts the toes, but it occurs much less frequently, and mainly in men. Arthrosis mostly affects women who wear high-heeled shoes with narrow toes. These shoes press and tilt the big toes inward towards the second toe. As a result of the deviation, small cartilaginous growths begin to protrude and gradually become deformed. They are what keep the big toes in a straight position and, when wearing the right shoes, prevent them from bending.
Over time, not only the cartilage deforms, but also the entire joint - it becomes wider than required, and movement in it is sharply limited. With advanced arthrosis, the toes become swollen and painful due to incorrect positioning; returning them to their natural position is almost impossible. On top of this, crooked big toes put pressure on the next ones, which leads to a combined deformation of the entire foot.
Another reason why toes hurt is Morton's neuroma or, as it is also called, plantar fasciitis. The disease causes increased pressure and pinching of the nerve endings at the base of the toes (second, third and fourth). Pain sensations appear in this area, which gradually intensify and become unbearable when walking and carrying heavy objects; the pain can radiate to the remaining fingers and towards the calves.
Diabetes causes problems with blood vessels and hyperactivity of nerve endings, which causes numbness in the foot as a whole. When walking, the joints of the toes hurt, and there is often a burning sensation in the feet, even at rest.
Diseases of the arteries of the legs (atherosclerosis or obliterating endarteritis) can also be the reasons why the toes hurt. These diseases are accompanied by noticeable pallor and dryness of all or some fingers, as well as brittle nails and hair loss on the legs.
If you experience pain in your toes, you should immediately contact an experienced specialist. Depending on the cause of the pain, the following doctors can help in such cases:
If a patient has pain in the joints of his toes, doctors, first of all, recommend reducing the load on them. Then, depending on the cause, medication or surgery may be prescribed.
When pain is caused by vascular diseases or metabolic disorders, it is necessary to eradicate the root cause of the disease. Limiting the consumption of carbohydrates and animal fats is necessary for those who have pain in their toes due to atherosclerosis. It is also important to control body weight for those whose primary cause of symptoms is diabetes.
If pain is provoked by gout, the patient is strongly advised to limit the consumption of alcoholic beverages, meat and fatty foods, coffee, cocoa, strong black and green tea, and also to exclude bath procedures during treatment.
For those who have pain in their toes due to ingrown toenails, the direct route is to the podiatry or surgery department. It is very difficult to cure a nail in advanced cases on your own; you need to know many nuances and have special tools with you. It is important to observe the rules of personal hygiene: thoroughly wash your feet with soap several times a day, wear clean socks made of natural fabric, and also exclude shoes that restrict the movement of your feet from your wardrobe.
Fractures or severe injuries to the toes, which also cause pain, especially in the first few hours after the incident, require immediate medical attention.
Whatever the reason why your toes hurt, only a doctor after a thorough examination can tell you what to do and what methods can be used to get rid of it. Self-medication in such cases is not worth it - without knowing the exact diagnosis and using the wrong treatment, you can only aggravate an already painful condition.
Video from YouTube on the topic of the article:
The inflammatory process in the joints of the toes is the human body’s response to fractures, cuts, arthritis, and osteoarthritis. The joints of the toes serve as shock absorbers. They are able to soften the shocks received by the body during walking, running, and jumping. Inflammation of the joints of the big toes limits movement and brings a lot of discomfort. This condition occurs quite often in people of all ages.
A person cannot walk without a joint on the big toe, which is called the first metatarsophalangeal. It acts as a stabilizer when lifting the foot. This is of great importance in the formation of gait and the functioning of the limb. Pain in the joint of the big toe is felt when it is inflamed.
And if the range of motion of the metatarsophalangeal joint decreases or the metatarsal bone has an abnormal length, restriction of movement occurs. This leads to a change in gait, poor health and great discomfort in general. This can happen if inflammation of the toe joints is not treated promptly.
Arthritis is characterized by acute or chronic inflammation of the joints and periarticular tissues and is a manifestation of some other diseases. They can be psoriasis, rheumatism, improper metabolism, autoimmune diseases. Arthritic pain in the big toe joint is usually severe. It is felt during active movement and rest. Symmetrical inflammation is very characteristic: the same joints on the right and left legs are affected. Inflammation of the joints of the toes is characterized by the following symptoms:
When a person suffers from arthritis, inflammation of the joints of the toes bothers them. Treatment is initially carried out using conservative methods, using medications. Pain relievers and inflammation relievers:
During an injury, a person experiences pain, his muscles involuntarily tense. To relax the muscles, the following drugs are used: Mydocalm, Baclofen, Sirdalud.
To prevent the formation of uric acid salts in the blood, the doctor prescribes the medications Allopurinol, Allomaron, Milurit.
Currently, there are many recipes for tinctures, lotions, and compresses that help relieve inflammation of the joints on the legs.
Osteoarthritis is accompanied by the destruction of cartilage tissue on the surface of the joints. Symptoms of the disease:
At the onset of the disease, pain appears periodically after exerting physical stress on the joint. At rest it quickly disappears. But over time, it does not go away even after rest, and may appear at night. Women are more likely to suffer from arthrosis of the toes. The disease is provoked by wearing fashionable shoes with pointed toes, as a result of which the big toe is deformed and curved. This causes inflammation of the joints of the big toes, pain and restriction of movement.
If the disease progresses, the original shape of the thumb changes so that it can no longer be returned to its original state. If arthrosis is not treated, it causes complications - the remaining toes become deformed.
If a person often experiences pain in the joints of the toes, which limits movement, you should consult a doctor. After a complete examination, the doctor prescribes treatment for the patient. For osteoarthritis, the following drugs are used:
To treat arthrosis, traditional methods are used: lotions and compresses made from herbs and natural products.
Inflammation of the joints of the big toes occurs due to the accumulation of fluid in the joint capsule. This is called bursitis. Characteristic symptoms of the disease are:
If the big toe was injured, and this caused the development of an inflammatory process, purulent bursitis may occur. In this case, the symptoms worsen:
Every person is obliged to control their health. If one day redness appears on the big toe and pain is felt, then the joint is inflamed. You need to see a doctor. When, after examination, a diagnosis of bursitis is made, drug treatment is prescribed:
Bursitis is treated comprehensively. Treatment of the joint of the big toe is carried out very widely using folk methods. To speed up your recovery, you can successfully use the following remedies at home:
Very often the phalangeal bones of the toes undergo fractures. This is due to their poor protection from any influences. The bones themselves are small in diameter, so they do not have sufficient strength. Inflammation of the joints on the big toes as a result of their fractures is more common. Signs of such damage:
Inflammation of the joints of the big toes during a fracture will continue to remind itself for a long time. For a long time, a person will not stop limping and feeling pain, and when walking, the support will be transferred to the heel.
It would be correct if you begin treatment for a fractured knuckle joint immediately after the injury. This means that you need to provide first aid to the victim. It is as follows:
If all fingers are broken except the thumb, there is no need to apply a cast. It is enough to apply a splint to the fracture for a period of four weeks to six months.
An intra-articular fracture is treated by fixing the joint with pins, screws, plates, or applying a special apparatus for external fixation. A couple of months after this treatment, the functionality of the fingers is completely restored. To recover faster, restorative therapy is used. It is very useful to do physiotherapeutic procedures. They restore bone tissue. You should take the drug "Collagen-Ultra". It is rich in amino acids that produce collagen.
And remember: if you pay attention to your health, you can avoid many injuries.
A swollen toe occurs for a number of reasons: an ingrown toenail, after a bruise, an inflammatory process, or diseases of the spine and foot. The problem that arises brings not only pain, but can also lead to the spread of the disease further and upward. In any case, whatever the reasons: an ingrown toenail, after a bruise, inflammation, problems with the spine, treatment should be carried out under strict medical supervision.
A swollen toe occurs for a number of reasons: an ingrown toenail, after a bruise, an inflammatory process, or diseases of the spine and foot. The problem that arises brings not only pain, but can also lead to the spread of the disease further and upward.
Let's consider the various causes of this disease.
The most common cause of toe swelling is an ingrown toenail. It can occur once or repeatedly, causing a lot of inconvenience and pain to the patient. Typically, the big toe is more affected. Among the causes of the disease are the following:
If you do not start treating an ingrown toenail in time, this can lead to consequences in the form of a gangernous condition, including surgical removal of the phalanx of the finger.
Treatment is carried out only by an experienced surgeon. He will cut out the nail, treat the wound, prescribe dressings and antiseptic procedures with antibiotics, which will facilitate speedy treatment.
At home, if the nail has just begun to grow in and does not cause excruciating pain, it is recommended to steam the foot in a soda solution, remove the ingrown nail with pedicure tweezers and properly treat the wound. Alcohol tinctures of chamomile and calendula are suitable for this. Do not flood the wounded area with iodine or brilliant green. It is better to use modern antiseptic drugs, for example, Baneocin. It is available in the form of an ointment or powder, it reliably resists infection, and is a therapeutic and prophylactic agent.
It should be remembered that if even one small piece of an ingrown toenail remains, the problem will arise again and you will still have to seek medical help. In addition, an incorrectly performed procedure can become a source of infection. As a result, the thumb may become deformed, the nail plate will be damaged and the aesthetic appearance will become unsightly. Recurrence of the problem is more than 50% likely again.
Any type of injury can cause your toe to swell. Let's list the possible ones:
The traumatic nature is immediately visible. The finger swells instantly, then turns red, and the whole foot hurts. The pain prevents free movement, intensifies at night, with exertion, the fingers seem to swell and it is impossible to put on usual shoes.
Many people can experience the consequences of a bruise, but they are especially prone to them:
If swelling occurs, the finger or foot must be immobilized. After a bruise, a cold compress must be applied in the first two hours. In case of a fracture, a plaster cast will be applied, in case of a sprained ligament, a tight bandage, and in case of a rupture, surgery will be applied.
Only a surgeon or traumatologist can make an accurate diagnosis of the cause of finger swelling, who will take an X-ray, and, if necessary, a CT or MRI scan and determine the nature of the injury.
If there is no bruise or ingrown nails, then the cause of swelling can be any inflammatory disease of the bone tissue. Such diseases include:
A therapist, orthopedist, or rheumatologist will help determine the true cause of the disease. The following procedures are prescribed:
The disease can occur suddenly, especially in the off-season. The duration of the disease will depend both on the general condition of the body and on the tactics of treatment, prevention, rehabilitation and does not depend on injuries, and does not occur after a bruise.
Based on the data obtained, the doctor will prescribe treatment; it may consist of taking medications that relieve inflammation. A visit to the physiotherapy department will be useful beyond the acute stage and serves as an excellent means of preventing the occurrence of the disease in the future. In this case, mud baths, applications, and electrophoresis bring the greatest effect.
Both scoliosis and flat feet are signs that the legs will definitely be involved in the process. Curvature of the spine is a source of disruption to the geometry of the body. The load will be felt more strongly on the legs, manifested in pain and swelling of the foot, when the big toe and all the others are involved. The same symptoms apply to flat feet. You should wear orthopedic insoles, change your body position as often as possible, do warm-ups, and avoid uncomfortable shoes, especially with high heels.
Treatment is prescribed by a neurosurgeon, osteopath, or orthopedist. It should be comprehensive, including physical therapy and physiotherapy. In extreme cases, surgeries are prescribed to remove hernias and stabilize the spine.
In any case, whatever the reasons: an ingrown toenail, after a bruise, inflammation, problems with the spine, treatment should be carried out under strict medical supervision.