What are your feet saying about your general health ?

We all know far too well that everyone, sometime in their life, will have a foot problem. The most common are corns, callous, verrucas and athlete's foot, which we at Rosewood Foot Health Care deal with on a daily basis. However, your foot could be saying more about your health than you think.

Swollen toes, painful cramps, and freezing toes, even when you wear warm socks, are all common foot woes, but did you ever stop to think that these may indicate more serious medical conditions.

When changes occur in your feet and become chronic issues (i.e. flaky skin or numbness) your feet could be trying to tell you something about a potentially serious medical issue.  So don’t ignore your feet when these eight foot issues become persistent..

1: Foot Cramps: are a prime indication of dehydration and / or poor blood circulation

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2: Numbness & Tingling: Numbness or tingling (a condition called neuroma) can indicate a few different medical issues depending on if you feel it in one or both feet. For instance, numbness in both feet can indicate peripheral neuropathy, a condition that’s familiar to diabetics. However, if you have numbness or tingles in just one foot, you could be suffering a pinched nerve in your back or in the actual affected foot.

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3. Flaky Feet: Flaky or peeling skin on your feet and toes is common if you run or workout regularly However, if you don’t attend the gym regularly, you could be dealing with a nasty fungal infection or athlete’s foot.

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4. Cold Feet: If you can’t get warm no matter how many pairs of fuzzy socks you pull over your freezing toes, you could have a slow thyroid. Hypothyroidism is a condition that eventually causes lack of energy, hair loss, fatigue, and unexplained weight gain…but it starts with chronic cold feet.

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5. Heel Pain: When a sharp pain shoots up your heel into your calf, plantar fasciitis, a strain or pressure on the ligament in the foot that supports the arch. Plantar fasciitis is caused by uncomfortable shoes with zero foot support, causing the ligament to collapse. You’ll need rest followed by regular stretching to heal and strengthen your foot.

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6. Discoloured Nails: If your nail appears thick, broken, and yellow you may have caught a nasty nail fungus. You can also give yourself a fungus if you wear the same nail polish for months without cleaning it off. Give your nails a break from nail polish.

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7. Swollen Big Toe: If your big toe suddenly swells up for no apparent reason, you may be suffering from gout. This inflammatory condition will show itself in a red, hot, swollen, and painful big toe—before it affects your other joints.

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8. Lack of Foot Fuzz: I’m not talking about hobbit hairy feet, but most of us do have a fine coating of fuzz (hair) on our toes and feet (yes, even the ladies). It’s alright; it’s a healthy indication of good blood circulation. However, if your toes lack any hair, you may have a circulation issue or a more serious heart condition.