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Compliments of American Academy Of Family Physicians

Foot Problems

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From warts to bunions, feet can be afflicted with some very painful conditions. Use this chart to find appropriate self-care options.

SYMPTOMS	DIAGNOSIS	SELF-CARE

1. Is the person a child or a newborn with a foot deformity?	This may be due to CLUB FOOT or some other disorder.	Consult your doctor.

2. Is the person a child or a toddler with toes that point in?	The cause may be FEMORAL ANTEVERSION, TIBIAL TORSION or METATARSUS ADDUCTUS.	See your doctor.

3. Did your foot pain or swelling begin with an injury or accident?	Go to Question 8.*

4. Is there swelling or redness on top of the foot?	Your pain is probably from DAMAGE TO THE SKIN OR TENDONS on top of the foot. You may also have a STRESS FRACTURE of the foot bones.	Use ice and an anti-inflammatory medicine. See your doctor if the problem doesn't improve within a few days.

5. Are you unable to stand or walk on the foot?	You may have a FRACTURED FOOT or ANKLE BONE.	See your doctor.

6. Is the pain under the foot between the ball and the heel?	You may have SPRAINED the LIGAMENT in the arch of the foot.	Use shoes with an arch support and anti-inflammatory medicine. See your doctor if the foot is too painful to walk on.

7. Is the pain only in one toe after hitting, twisting or jamming the toe?	Your pain may be from TURF TOE (a sprained big toe), from a PULLED LIGAMENT or from a FRACTURE.	See your doctor. Taping the sore toe to the next toe can help relieve the pain.

*8. Does running or walking make the bottom of your foot hurt somewhere between the heel and the ball of the foot?	Your pain may be from irritation of the arch ligament and tissues, called PLANTAR FASCIITIS, or possibly from FALLEN ARCHES.	Wear shoes that have solid arch support. Use an anti-inflammatory medicine to reduce the tenderness. See your doctor if your pain doesn't respond to the above treatments and rest.

9. Do you have a small, hard, thickened area of skin under the foot or on the sides of the toe?	These thickened areas are likely to be CORNS. If they appear to have small granules in them, they may be WARTS. A small piece of retained glass can also cause these problems.	Use an over-the-counter corn or wart remover. Remove the dead skin after each treatment. See your doctor if they're large, very numerous, resistant to over-the-counter medicines, or if you have diabetes.

10. Does your big toe seem to be deformed, pointing toward the small toes?	Your toe deformity may be from a collapsing joint, commonly called a BUNION.	Supportive, leather, lace-up shoes may help prevent bunions from progressing after they've started. See your doctor if they worsen or are very tender.

11. Are the joints tender, sore, red or swollen?	RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS may be the cause of the pain.	Use an anti-inflammatory medicine. If that brings no relief, see your doctor.

12. Do you have a red swollen big toe that hurts when anything touches it?	GOUT is the classic big-red-toe disease.	See your doctor.

13. Do you have intense pain near your heel when you put weight on it?	Your pain may be from a HEEL SPUR, a small bulge from the heel bone.	Use of antiarthritis medicines, a soft insole, or a firm insole with a hole under the spur can be used for comfort. See your doctor.

14. Do you have a moist, white area of peeling skin and itching between the toes, and/or scaling and itching skin on the foot?	These symptoms are usually from a fungal infection called ATHLETE'S FOOT.	Use an over-the-counter athlete's foot spray or cream. If this doesn't work in one to two weeks, see your doctor. If the area is very red and tender, see your doctor sooner.

15. Do you have a pain at the base of a toe on the bottom of the foot?	You may have MORTON'S NEUROMA.	Make sure you have a wide shoe with a soft insole. Use antiarthritis medicine. If that brings no relief, see your doctor.

16. Is the bottom of your foot red, swollen, warm and tender?	You may have an infection of the foot called CELLULITIS. If you have diabetes, an infection of your foot is more common and more dangerous.	URGENT See your doctor promptly. Cuts and infection can be treated with heat and an antibiotic ointment.

17. Have your toes been exposed to the cold?	Cold can destroy the skin of the toes by FROSTBITE.	Warm the feet, but avoid creating a burn. Don't put snow on the area. See your doctor.

18. Are your toes discolored?	GANGRENE can come from lack of blood to the toes because of diabetes or hardening of the arteries.	See your doctor. Good diabetic foot care may prevent some episodes of infection that could lead to gangrene and loss of toes.

For more information, please consult your doctor. If you think the problem is serious, call right away.

This tool has been reviewed by doctors and is for general educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice. The information in this tool should not be relied upon to make decisions about your health. Always consult your family doctor with questions about your individual condition(s) and/or circumstances. Source: American Academy of Family Physicians. Family Health & Medical Guide. Dallas: Word Publishing; 1996.