Toes getting needle-like shooting pains???

[Orchidflower]

Gout runs in my family (ok, one cousin has it badly, but he loves his rich foods so......), but I have been getting sharp needle-like pains in the two toes on ONE foot only and these are the two toes next to the big toe. It's the big toe that gets joint pain with gout from what I can tell from reading.

Then I was reading that if you have pains like this in the SAME toes or joints on BOTH feet it can be the first indication of rheumatoid arthritis, and I have another cousin who has that (my cousins are going to h*ll in a handbag if you can't tell). But, no, it's just on one foot's toes/joints.

Anyway, I can't seem to figure out what this is. Just started paining, and my CBC or complete blood count in November indicated nothing wrong that would be the cause of this.

Anyone here had this happen? And know what the heck it might be? It's not curtailing my lifestyle, but I guess I'm just not into pain. Just started up...and, if it's something I can stop with dropping certain foods or with little effort, I'd like to do it.

Any ideas? It's definitely not ill-fitting shoes or anything like that.

 

[Moemg]

Any ideas? It's definitely not ill-fitting shoes or anything like that.

I've got a great idea . Visit your Physician and tell him your symptoms . It could be a lot of different things some of which require treatment . The Internet is great but it does not replace a physical exam especially as we age .

 

[MasterBlaster]

here is an online medical diagnosis tool. It's probably as good or better than any advice you'll get on this forum.

Symptom Checker from WebMD. Check Your Medical Symptoms.

 

[Orchidflower]

Well, thanks for that link as it's pretty cool. Whatever it is, I think I'm going to live. After reading all the possibilities and the symptoms, seems pretty mild. I'm just not into any pain...I'z be a sissy.

 

[TromboneAl]

Check out this thread.

DW says this has almost completely gone away. She thinks it was caused by having her shoe not laced tightly enough, and therefore having her toes bang up against the front of the shoe during running.

 

[Ronstar]

I had exactly the same symptoms. Shooting pain in the two toes next to the big toe. Mostly after over 5 miles of running, 8 miles hiking, or sometimes after 30 miles biking. Sometimes when working in the yard for more than a few hours. I thought it was related to lack of hydration while exercising, but wasn't sure. I went to a foot doctor and explained the symptoms. He said that I have become flat footed due to age and the toe joints are now more susceptible to wear and tear because of the flatfootedness. He suggested new running shoes and orthotics. I got new shoes and orthotics and havent had the pain since, but I havent really exercised to an extreme lately.

 

[Orchidflower]

Thank you for those thoughtful posts, TromboneAl and Ronstar. I think whatever it is is not earth-shattering, but still would like to figure it out.
My Uggs have lost their cushion after 5 years of wear. I think it might be time to bury them...it's Springtime now, anyway.
Putting on my new $100 sneakers today, so that should do it. If it doesn't, off to the Podiatrist I go.....we'll see.

 

[rescueme]

Do you test your fasting glucose (e.g. sugar)?

Not to scare you at all, but before my T2 diagnosis, I had shooting pains on the bottom of my feet/toes.

Just something to consider, if your other investigations don't turn up anything...

 

[Orchidflower]

Do you test your fasting glucose (e.g. sugar)?

Not to scare you at all, but before my T2 diagnosis, I had shooting pains on the bottom of my feet/toes.

Just something to consider, if your other investigations don't turn up anything...

Is that what they use to test diabetes?
I had a Complete Blood Count in November and no high sugar as in diabetes. BOTH sides of my family have diabetes. I've seen it's destruction first hand and know it is definitely nothing I would play around with, so that's why I insisted on the CBC when I went.

 

[audreyh1]

gout?

 

[WhoDaresWins]

I think I would see a podiatrist. Maybe custom inserts for your shoes would do the trick. Or he/she could recommend special shoes. Gout runs on the paternal side of my family, too (hitting mostly the males beginning in their thirties). So far neither my sister nor I have had any symptoms. As I recall my Dad's occasional suffering, it is very, very painful. He couldn't walk(he hopped) and spent most of the day in bed and could not bear for even a sheet to touch his swollen, purplish toe. Eventually his gout was fairly well controlled with diet and medication.

 

[Bestwifeever]

I agree with Moe's advice above to see a doctor. You might have a broken bone (there are tons of little bones in your feet, aren't there?) which might not heal until you wear one of those charming flat foot shoes. Or a pinched nerve, which might get worse. Or a hip or knee problem that is throwing off your alignment when you walk. Or some needles in your socks . Go see a doctor so that your walking doesn't get impaired--you don't want to go down that slippery slope.

 

[rescueme]

Is that what they use to test diabetes?

Yes, that is what they start with (followed by an A1C test if there is an identified problem).

I was diagnosed with type II diabetes just under ten years ago, and that was one of the symptoms I had.

Like I said, not to scare you but if you're already been tested and your fasting glucose is under 100 you should be OK...

 

[Orchidflower]

I think I would see a podiatrist. Maybe custom inserts for your shoes would do the trick. Or he/she could recommend special shoes. Gout runs on the paternal side of my family, too (hitting mostly the males beginning in their thirties). So far neither my sister nor I have had any symptoms. As I recall my Dad's occasional suffering, it is very, very painful. He couldn't walk(he hopped) and spent most of the day in bed and could not bear for even a sheet to touch his swollen, purplish toe. Eventually his gout was fairly well controlled with diet and medication.

I had a girlfriend just go thru this. She said the pain is worse than childbirth! I think it lasted for about 10 days, and now she has become a fanatic about watching every single bite that goes into her mouth as she said she just cannot take that kind of pain again. The upside is she has gone down a size in clothing...but that's not the way you want to lose weight I should think.
Nothing to fool around with, obviously.

 

[Cattusbabe]

I had the same symptoms. Went to the doctor. Labs came back within normal limits. Was referred to a podiatrist. Physical assessment also normal. He did explain that sometimes blood and fluids do pool in the lower limbs resulting is swelling. This can cause constriction of the small veins in the legs and feet. Putting your feet up releases the pressure but can leave you with a sensation much like a limb that has "fallen asleep" and in now regaining circulation. Pins and needles. He said to try compression stockings. Put them on first thing in them morning and take them off at bed time. I tried it and it did the trick. No more pain in the toes.

 

[Ronstar]

An update - I went to the podiatrist with DW and sat there reading some material he had about neuromas.

PodiatryNetwork.com - Neuroma

 

[Orchidflower]

I quit wearing my old Uggs and switched to my new sneakers with a wide toe box. Took a couple days but seems to have stopped. Who knew?
Now the question is: why just the one foot had shooting pains? Is one foot wider than the other? Bizarre...but at least it has chilled out for now (and hopefully forever).

 

[Tesaje]

I quit wearing my old Uggs and switched to my new sneakers with a wide toe box. Took a couple days but seems to have stopped. Who knew?
Now the question is: why just the one foot had shooting pains? Is one foot wider than the other? Bizarre...but at least it has chilled out for now (and hopefully forever).

Most feet on a person are a bit different size. Some are so different that they have to buy 2 pair and discard the other.

I had neuroma in my 20's & had it removed. High heels usually cause it but mine was probably from cycling.

I'm now trying to figure out what shoes will stop the pain from cycling. One of the gifts of aging is the fat pads on the balls of our feet diminish so this sort of pressure pain is more common as we get older.

 

[mickeyd]

I had a foot-hurting issue last year, but could not adequately describe it. What I did was to create a log in excel for a couple of months and noted that when I cut down my running/walking on the treadmill and began using the elliptical trainer at the gym my foot problem began to subside and eventually went away. When I was able to show my doc this brief "history" she diagnosed it as a possible sprain and definitely not gout.

After clearing that up, I went back to the treadmill. This past February my foot was hurting again in the same manner. I knocked off the treadmill and went to the E-trainer with good results.

Feet can take a terrable beating and many strange things can crop up that are related to these valuable appendigases.

 

[Orchidflower]

I had a foot-hurting issue last year, but could not adequately describe it. What I did was to create a log in excel for a couple of months and noted that when I cut down my running/walking on the treadmill and began using the elliptical trainer at the gym my foot problem began to subside and eventually went away. When I was able to show my doc this brief "history" she diagnosed it as a possible sprain and definitely not gout.

After clearing that up, I went back to the treadmill. This past February my foot was hurting again in the same manner. I knocked off the treadmill and went to the E-trainer with good results.

Feet can take a terrable beating and many strange things can crop up that are related to these valuable appendigases.

That keeping a record of when the pain hits seems like such a good idea to me. Since my big toe sometimes has slight pains--and I have gout in my family and am muy paranoid about it--I am thinking of keeping a record now myself. Thanks for confirming what a smart idea that is...and not just some nutty idea.

 

[walkinwood]

Google ugg boots bad for feet

 

[calmloki]

When a problem crops up its often useful to look at any recent changes. Don't I remember a couple months ago you were trying out a marvelous toe spreading device? Maybe your bones don't care for the new positions?

 

[Orchidflower]

When a problem crops up its often useful to look at any recent changes. Don't I remember a couple months ago you were trying out a marvelous toe spreading device? Maybe your bones don't care for the new positions?

Want a laugh? In packing and putting things away....they got lost in the crowd. I know they will turn up again, so I'm not buying another set.
However, they DID definitely work for me and I miss them. I have no idea if they work for others, but they sure did for me....and now that I have foot problems again, I really want to figure out exactly which box someone threw them in.
Changing to the sneakers seems to have worked well. I'm Googling that link on Uggs above. They were so comfortable when I first got them the first 3 years...but the last year or two, not so much. Pity.