Strange Facts About Feet, Toes and Their Health Problems

There are whole industries devoted to foot care. These include shoe manufacturers and those who supply nail cutters, medications, corn removers, softening creams and orthotic supports. In her book, “Your Feet,” Sandra Salmans discusses various health problems that can affect feet.

Lumps and Bumps and Painful Feet

There are a number of growths and other problems that cause lumps and bumps to appear on feet. Here are some of the more common ones:

• Corns are hard yellowish circles that usually appear between the toes. They are normally shiny and may have a transparent core. They are often caused by friction and pressure from ill-fitting footwear.
• Calluses are hard thickened areas of dead skin, typically found on the ball of the foot, heel and underneath the big toe.
• A bunion is a bump that develops at the base of the big toe. It initially involves enlargement of the tissue around the joint and can also cause the bone to thicken. It is a form of arthritis.
• Arthritis and gout can affect feet and cause stiffness, inflammation and pain.

Infections that Commonly Affect Feet

Infections of the feet such as the following are common and can be painful as well as annoying:

• Verrucae or plantar warts are caused by a viral infection. They are found on the soles of the feet and are painful when pressure is applied.
• Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection that often appears between the toes. It causes the skin to become dry and scaly and it may blister and crack. The medical term for it is tinea pedis.
• Another common foot infection is ringworm, also known as onychomycosis. This is a fungal infection of the nail bed causing discoloration and thickening of the nail, and possibly a foul smell. Verrucae, athlete’s foot and ringworm can all be picked up by using communal showers and walking barefoot around public swimming pools and changing rooms.
• Ingrown toenails often occur when people cut the big toe nail too short or don’t cut it straight across. Bedridden people may develop them if the bed sheets are too tight across their feet, and nails that suffer repeated trauma through sports may become ingrown.

Serious Conditions that Affect Feet

Diabetics are prone to serious feet problems that include the following:

• Peripheral neuropathy occurs when there is a loss of nerve function in the feet. It is often caused by high sugar levels and causes pain, numbness and tingling.
• Neuropathy brings reduced sensation which means that calluses and other minor injuries can become infected and ulcerated and eventually lead to gangrene and amputation.

There are many conditions that affect feet. Small things like bunions and corns can cause a lot of discomfort and fungal infections can cause dry cracked skin. More serious conditions such as neuropathy need specialist care and should never be neglected. If in doubt, it is always best to consult a doctor.

Reference:

Salmans, Sandra, Your Feet, The People’s Medical Society, 1998