Excruciating foot pain
September 22, 2015 4:56 PM   Subscribe

Hello, I am sitting here in worlds of pain. My left foot is puffy on the top and has needle like stabbing pains radiating from that spot up to my middle toes. I am seeing the doctor tomorrow but does anybody have an idea of what this might be. There is no change in color. I am icing it and taking Tylenol. Is there anything else I should be doing? Thank you
posted by harrietthespy to Health & Fitness (20 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Do you remember doing anything that could have brought this on?
posted by cecic at 5:02 PM on September 22, 2015


Do you have high arches? Other food-specific issues/conditions?
posted by croutonsupafreak at 5:03 PM on September 22, 2015


Response by poster: No. It started happening a few weeks ago but not that bad. I thought it was just the aches and pains of aging. But it became more frequent and more intense and today is the worst flareup yet I would put it on at eight or nine pain scale. I'm thinking nerve Pain.
posted by harrietthespy at 5:04 PM on September 22, 2015


Stress fracture?
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 5:06 PM on September 22, 2015 [2 favorites]


Gout? Bone Spur? Fallen Arches? (Ive had all three, avoiding the shellfish took care of Gout, Bone Spur was surprisingly taken care of muscle relaxants, and never returned, Fallen Arches was taken care of wearing arch supported inserts or footwear.
posted by edman at 5:06 PM on September 22, 2015


Response by poster: I don't have the best I don't have the best leg and foot circulation. But not the worst. I'm about 70 pounds overweight. It is evenly distributed across my body.
posted by harrietthespy at 5:07 PM on September 22, 2015


For temporary pain relief, maybe switch to an anti-inflammatory like naproxen or ibuprofen instead of Tylenol (acetaminophen)?
posted by mykescipark at 5:08 PM on September 22, 2015 [1 favorite]


Could actually be an issue with your back.
posted by AugustWest at 5:09 PM on September 22, 2015


Have you been wearing a new pair of shoes that are tight/cut across the instep?
posted by TWinbrook8 at 5:20 PM on September 22, 2015


I had extremely intense foot pain, specifically at and around my toe joint, and redness a couple years ago. It was mild and off-and-on for a while (figured it was due to a switch to winter boots for the season or something) and then suddenly got VERY BAD all of a sudden, and I went from okay to can't walk, can't even touch it overnight. Like seriously even having the pressure of bedsheets touch it was too much.

Went to the doctor immediately and she said it could be three possible things: rheumatoid arthritis, a fracture, or gout. She said it was really unlikely it was gout because I was a woman in my 20s but then I explained to her how I tend to eat like an Elizabethan aristocrat and that one suddenly zoomed to the top of the list. I spent my day getting blood tests and xrays.

It was none of those things. Still have no idea what it was. She gave me a prescription for a very heavy duty NSAID that helped quite a bit. I haven't had a recurrence of that very bad pain in all this time, but every now and again I get that dull achey feeling like it was doing before it happened. My foot is on notice.

Sorry that's not terribly helpful but having three possible things for a very similar sounding issue might give you something to work from while you're waiting for your appointment. Agreeing with mykescipark above to switch to aleve or advil in the meantime. That'll help more than the tylenol.
posted by phunniemee at 5:21 PM on September 22, 2015


You can actually keep taking the Tylenol and add a NSAID. Your stomach might appreciate it if you alternate doses (i.e., take the NSAID halfway between Tylenol doses) but as long as you're sure the second drug doesn't also contain acetaminophen, you should be fine.
posted by teremala at 5:44 PM on September 22, 2015


I am actually suffering from something similar sounding right now, and for the past month. My primary care physician could not figured it out and sent me to a podiatrist who diagnosed it immediately as "Morton's Neuroma", also known as a pinched nerve. He injected it with some kind of steroid, and so far it isn't much better, but I have another appointment in a couple weeks. Good Luck!
posted by 2ghouls at 6:07 PM on September 22, 2015


It sounds like you have gout -- it is much misdiagnosed. From what you describe, I'd say it's 90% certain. To be sure, go to a physician for at least two blood tests. Now and later.

It's important to say there is no shame in this. Diet is the primary cause -- and drinking. And a possible inability to naturally process uric acids. It is easy to control, once you know it as a culprit.
posted by undule at 6:21 PM on September 22, 2015


I was going to guess stress fracture too. I've had one that I walked around on for days before the symptoms got bad enough to force me to the ER.

But, really it could plausibly be so many things that I'm I'm not sure how valuable it is to guess before going to the doctor.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 6:53 PM on September 22, 2015


Response by poster: Thank you all for the advice and thoughts. I hope those you who mentioned current pain get some relief soon. I'm also leaning toward gout. For those who are curious, I'll come back and post what the dr. says tomorrow.

Take care!
posted by harrietthespy at 6:54 PM on September 22, 2015


One other possibility is peripheral neuropathy incidental to diabetes.
posted by Bruce H. at 7:03 PM on September 22, 2015


Response by poster: My sugar level is at the low end of normal, but that's a good thought.
posted by harrietthespy at 7:05 PM on September 22, 2015


mykescipark: "For temporary pain relief, maybe switch to an anti-inflammatory like naproxen or ibuprofen instead of Tylenol (acetaminophen)?"

You can take both the acetaminophen and the NSAID at the same time and each at full dosage which is what I do for similar pain.
posted by Mitheral at 9:25 PM on September 22, 2015 [1 favorite]


I have an occasional foot pain which yours sounds quite similar to that I figure might be extensor tendonitis. I haven't gotten diagnosed by an actual doctor because it's rare, but tying my shoelaces more loosely seems to help. (Specifically, when I forget and tie them too tightly it comes back.)
posted by lucidium at 5:30 PM on September 23, 2015


Response by poster: I saw the doctor. Gout is possible, but she also suspects a stress fracture. I'll have blood-work to test for uric acid and an xray of the foot tomorrow morning.

Thank you all again!

Be well.
posted by harrietthespy at 7:07 PM on September 23, 2015 [2 favorites]


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