Whether it’s in the form of an ankle sprain or stubbed toe, nearly every person suffers from foot pain at some point in their life. However, for a select population, their foot pain comes at night when they’re in bed. Sometimes this pain is so intense that it can wake them up and keep them from getting a restful night of sleep. But what’s causing this type of pain? Today, we look at three conditions that might be causing foot pain while you feet.
Foot Pain While Sleeping
If your feet hurt at night or while you have them elevated, you’ll want to speak to a doctor to rule out one of these three conditions:
Morton’s Neuroma – As we’ve explained in previous blog posts, Morton’s neuroma is a condition categorized by the abnormal thickening of the tissue around the nerves that connect to your toes. The thickened tissue compresses the nearby nerves, causing them to become inflamed or enlarged. Symptoms include a burning or tingling sensation, foot cramping or regionalized numbness, and pain can worsen at night after a long day on your feet. Cortisone injections or shoe modifications help about 50 percent of patients, but others need surgery to have the problem fully addressed.
Peripheral Neuropathy – Peripheral neuropathy is a condition that impacts the nerves in your feet. This ailment is more common in patients who have diabetes, immune system issues or vitamin deficiencies, but it can affect healthy individuals as well. The disorder occurs when nerves become damaged, destroyed or disrupted, and sensory signals are affected. Sometimes these damaged nerves send pain signals when nothing is actually causing pain. Pain can flare up when your feet are in a prolonged resting state, like when you’re sleeping, and many who deal with the condition say their pain is worst at night. Exercise, targeted physical therapy, diet modifications and a consultation with a foot and ankle specialist can help treat and manage symptoms.
Nerve Entrapment in the Heel – If you have heel pain and you didn’t step on a rock or suffer a fall and bruise your heel, you may be dealing with nerve entrapment in the area. That said, the pinched nerve could actually be located in your back and causing radiating pain to shoot down your leg and into your foot. Either way, pinched nerves often cause pain during excessive, repetitive motion or during prolonged periods of rest. Pinched nerves can cause pain, swelling and numbness in your feet. Exercise, physical therapy, custom foot orthotics and massage therapy can all help relieve symptoms caused by a pinched nerve in your feet.