Your feet play an important role in maintaining your balance and facilitating movement, but they can also tell us a lot about our overall health. You can tell a number of things about your health simply by looking at your feet. Today, we take a look at five things you may be able to determine about your health by examining your feet.
Your Feet And Your Health
It’s important to note that signs of one or more of these conditions does not mean you definitely have one of these conditions, but it is worth monitoring and bringing up to your doctor. Here’s a look at five things your feet may be able to tell you about your health.
1. Cold Feet – If you’re having cold feet and you didn’t just run away from your fiance at the alter, you may be dealing with poor circulation. Since your feet are the farthest body part from your heart, they are one of the first areas that suggest blood may not be circulating correctly. If you’re dealing with regular instances of cold feet, consult with a doctor, but get up and moving to help circulate blood in the meantime.
2. Persistent Sores – Persistent sores can be emblematic of a number of different issues, ranging from poor shoes that rub on your feet to diabetes. Diabetics generally suffer from poor circulation in the feet, which means sores can’t heal as easily, so if you have regular or slow-healing cuts on your feet, you may want to have your blood sugar levels examined. On the flip side, it may just be a footwear problem, so use your head when examining your feet.
3. Yellow Toenails – Our toenails are supposed to be clear and they generally are similar in color to your skin tone, so if they become discolored, it’s a sign of a problem. Yellow toenails can occur when a toenail fungus sets in, so visit a foot specialist or invest in a fungal cream if your one of your nails is yellowish in appearance.
4. Pain in the Heel/In the Morning – If your first few steps in the morning are painful, it’s a sign of inflammation in the plantar fascia on the underside of your foot. Most people experience the pain in their heel region when going from a relaxed to active state. Plantar fasciitis is treated with conservative care options, so talk to your doctor about the best way to treat the condition. Oftentimes the best treatment involves rest and targeted physical therapy.
5. Inflamed Big Toe – If your big toe looks larger than normal, puffy, or hurts when you walk, it could be a number of different things. If you suffered acute trauma, it could be a toe fracture, but if you haven’t suffered any trauma recently, you may be suffering from gout. Gout usually rears its head if you have a poor diet or excess alcohol intake, so if that sounds like your recent weekend activities, reach for some more vegetables and work in some regular exercise.
If you’re looking for a second opinion on your foot condition, contact Dr. Silverman today.