You hear about it all the time. Or, you go through this personally – eating something, anything all day long, drowning in chocolate or any other food that honestly feels like it’s helping you get through your day.
Bunion
A bunion is commonly understood to be a bony bump at the base of the big toe that causes that toe to lean inward and crowd against the others. Bunions can occur for a number of reasons, but a common cause is wearing shoes that fit too tightly. They can also develop as a result of inheritance, stress on your foot or arthritis. Treatments are aimed at temporary pain relief and can include: changes in shoe wear, pads for cushioning, medication, icing, orthopedic devices, and activity modification. If non-surgical treatments fail to relieve bunion pain and when the pain of a bunion interferes with daily activities, surgery may be a necessary measure to take.
Corns and Calluses
Corns and calluses are most always caused by excessive rubbing, usually from a tight or poorly fitted shoe. This Friction causes the thick, hardened, dead skin of corns and calluses, which form to protect sensitive skin. Appearing cone–shaped, corns point into the skin, and usually occur on areas that bear little weight. Calluses may appear anywhere there’s friction, and are more diffuse. Moleskin pads can help relieve a corn; calluses can be trimmed or surgically corrected.
Gout
A form of arthritis, gout is characterized by sudden pain, redness, swelling, and stiffness, usually in the large joint of the big toe. Gout can also occur in the foot, ankle, or knees, and is caused by too much uric acid (UA) in the blood, which can form hard crystals in joints. Attacks can last days or weeks, and may be treated with anti–inflammatories or UA–lowering medication. Talk to your doctor about diet changes that help break down UA.
Athlete’s Foot
A fungal infection that can cause peeling, redness, itching, burning, and sometimes blisters and sores, athlete’s foot is mildly contagious, passed by direct contact or by walking barefoot in areas such as locker rooms, or near pools. The fungi then grow in shoes, especially tight ones without air circulation. Athlete’s foot is usually treated with topical antifungal lotions or oral medications for more severe cases.
Plantar Warts
When It Hurts To Walk (Your Toes Aren’t Loyal) was originally published on blackdoctor.org
