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Foot pain and itching: what it says about your health

Foot pain and itching: what it says about your health
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Having spent most of the summer exposed to the fresh air, our feet find themselves once again almost always in shoes and socks. During the long cold months, you have a tendency to look at them less, and thus take less care of them. Mistake! Continue to pamper them! Sometimes, you can notice unpleasant effects in your feet: itching, swelling, burning, cold, etc. Here are five sensations that could be a sign of minor health problems or illnesses.

Itchy feet

If your feet are itchy, you could have a fungal infection in your feet, or “athlete’s foot”, as it is called because athletes often develop it due to perspiration. These fungi, called dermatophytes, are promoted by heat and moisture, and develop in the superficial layer of the skin. Causing strong itching, this fungus can spread from the toes sometimes as far as the sole of the foot.

Apply an antifungal cream over the course of a few weeks to get rid of the fungus. If it doesn’t clear up, consult a doctor or a dermatologist. After exercising, make sure to wash and dry your feet well, especially between the toes, and don’t share your towel because the infection is contagious. Air out your runners and disinfect them with an anti-fungal powder.

Burning sensations

A burning sensation in your feet can go from tingling to pain. If you have spent the day out shopping, this is normal. But if the sensation persists, it could be the sign of a circulation illness called peripheral artery disease (PAD), which often affects older people with coronary illnesses. It is caused by hardening of the arteries or by arterial lesions.

Raise your legs as soon as you can to relieve the symptoms of PAD. If the burning sensation lasts longer than a week or two, or if it becomes intense, consult your doctor.

Cold feet

Many people have cold feet for no particular reason, but it could also be a sign of poor blood circulation. If you smoke and are over 40, you could be suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an inflammatory illness which prevents the bronchi from absorbing enough oxygen and which leads to reduced levels of oxygen in the bloodstream. Given that the extremities are most sensitive to poor circulation, you could experience cold or numb feet. Consult your doctor -an early diagnosis of COPD can slow down the progression of the illness and the changes to respiratory functions.

Swollen feet

Your feet could swell as a result of shoes that are too tight, or staying in a standing position for too long. But if the swelling lasts several days, consult your doctor, because it  could be a sign of kidney problems, or the side effect of a medication for diabetes or high blood pressure, for example

Beware, if the swelling is accompanied by thoracic pain, respiratory difficulties or vertigo, it could indicate that a blood clot is blocking an artery and that blood is accumulating in the legs, or it could also be a symptom of cardiac illness. In such cases, consult your doctor immediately.

Pain in your big toe?

If you notice pain in one of your big toes, you may be suffering from a complex and painful form of arthritis called gout, which occurs because of high levels of uric acid in the blood. The uric acid crystals develop especially in the joints, such as the big toe. The big toe swells up, goes red and becomes very painful. An unhealthy diet, excessive consumption of alcohol and lack of physical exercise are three factors which are often at the root of this increase in uric acid levels.

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