In addition, the appearance of edema may indicate the presence of fungal or infectious diseases. When blood flow in the lower extremities is disrupted, blood begins to accumulate, which leads to swelling of the toe and its pain. Sometimes such problems can arise due to an ingrown toenail, but then the entire foot begins to swell along with the toes. Only the attending physician can eradicate the source of the disease. By removing part of the ingrown toenail, the symptoms will immediately disappear.
The presence of a splinter or thorn in a finger can also cause your toes to swell and hurt. After all, the infectious process can begin when a foreign body enters the finger. First of all, you need to figure out what caused the swelling of your fingers and begin to immediately take measures to eliminate them.
What diseases cause swelling in the toes?
Various types of diseases can also cause pain and swelling. These include pathologies such as:
1. Arthritis. An increase in size and limited mobility of one or more fingers may indicate the appearance of this disease, which causes degenerative disorders in cartilage tissue. The development of arthritis is provoked by the presence of excess weight in people, flat feet, and heavy physical work. It is not surprising that athletes often have swollen lower limbs, as they regularly receive injuries, bruises and sprains. At the second stage of development of the pathology, damage to the joints of the fingers occurs, so any delay entails great consequences. Without proper treatment, the patient's condition will worsen, ultimately leading to disability. You should immediately consult a doctor and undergo a full physical examination if you experience swelling and pain in your big toe.
2. Arthrosis. One of the most common symptoms of this disease is swelling of the toe near the nail. This joint pathology is characterized by a destructive effect on cartilage. At the beginning of the disease, the pain is periodic, but eventually becomes chronic. Osteoarthritis often begins with pain in the big toe, which disappears with rest. In the morning, patients experience a certain degree of stiffness, difficult functioning of the joints, as well as a crunching sensation. Signs of arthrosis such as limited mobility and chronic pain overlap with the symptoms of subchondral sclerosis and epicondylitis. If an infection appears in the joints, then arthrosis becomes infectious.
3. Osteoporosis. With the development of this disease, bones lose strength and mass, which is due to pathological processes that make bone tissue fragile and cause swelling. Patients with osteoporosis should treat their fingers carefully and with caution, because any careless movement can lead to a fracture. At the beginning of the development of the pathology, the toe swells and begins to hurt, and after a while deformation occurs with the foot.
4. Symptoms when the joint of the big toe is swollen and painful, and also red, may indicate the development of a disease such as bursitis. Severe bruises and advanced stages of arthrosis can cause its appearance. When a joint is affected, the space between the bones and muscles becomes inflamed and filled with fluid. If the pathology is not treated, the disease becomes chronic and the pain becomes permanent. To confirm the diagnosis, the patient undergoes a fluid tap, MRI, and x-ray in addition to a visual examination.
5. The development of gout can be caused by a malfunction of metabolic processes in the body. This pathology is more common among men than women. At the initial stage of the pathology, the toes swell, and later the phalanges of the fingers can completely collapse. Swelling and pain are paroxysmal in nature
6. Ankle injury. When there is a lot of stress on the legs, the most vulnerable place is the little toe. For example, it can be damaged by hitting a furniture leg or door frame, or by wearing tight shoes. After the blow, the little finger begins to swell and hurt. In general, bruises do not pose any danger to humans. However, the negative impact can manifest itself in the form of chronic pain or the development of not the most pleasant diseases. If after the blow the finger is swollen and painful, then it is necessary to undergo a medical examination.
7. Swelling of the fingers can also be caused by an allergic reaction. If the legs are constantly itching, itching and discomfort appears, then the human immune system begins to react to irritating factors and produce chemicals that cause swelling. All symptoms will go away only if the external irritant is neutralized.
8. Diabetes mellitus. Swelling of the legs in this disease is provoked by metabolic disorders. Typically, patients experience pain and blue toes. In addition, the sensitivity of the lower extremities decreases, there is numbness in the fingers and a burning sensation in the feet. If such symptoms are observed, you should immediately contact an endocrinologist so that the doctor can conduct an examination and prescribe the most appropriate treatment.
9. Panaritium. This pathology appears due to infectious infection. The symptoms are clearly visible, which begin with suppuration of the nail, are characterized by pain and swelling of the finger, and cysts with purulent contents form. A blister and swelling may be seen on the phalanx. In addition, sensitivity disturbances and capillary blockage occur. In this case, herbal baths can help, but the disease can be completely cured only after opening the cysts and completely removing the purulent contents.
Treatment
Particular attention should be paid to careful treatment of lesions.
The patient should take daily warm foot baths with potassium permanganate. In this case, it is necessary to remove the crusts, open the blisters, cut off the fringe along the edges of the erosions, as well as the covers of the festering blisters. After the bath, wet-dry bandages or lotions are applied with an aqueous solution of copper (0.1%) and zinc sulfates (0.4%) or with a 1% aqueous solution of resorcinol. After the weeping stops, dermozolon, mycozolon are used, and then alcohol fungicidal solutions, Castellani paint, and finally, if necessary, fungicidal pastes and ointments.
The effectiveness of treatment depends not so much on the choice of pharmacological drug, but on their correct, consistent use in accordance with the nature of the inflammatory reaction.
Fungicidal treatment is carried out until the fungal test results are negative.
Anti-relapse treatment carried out within a month after the elimination of lesions is extremely important - wiping the skin of the feet with 2% salicylic or 1% thymol alcohol and dusting with 10% boron powder. For the same purpose, it is necessary to thoroughly wipe the inner surface of the shoes with a solution of formaldehyde, wrap them in an airtight fabric for 2 days, then ventilate and dry them, and socks and stockings for 10 minutes. boil.
When athlete's foot is complicated by pyococcal infection, antibiotics are prescribed - methicillin, cephaloridine, oleandomycin, metacycline, erythromycin. The patient must remain in bed.
Which doctor should I contact?
To determine the reason why your toe hurts and is swollen, as well as to treat this problem, you need to consult a doctor. The first step is to visit a therapist, who can prescribe treatment or refer you to a more highly qualified specialist. Swelling of the extremities can also be caused by heart disease, therefore, to exclude this cause, the patient should be examined by a surgeon or rheumatologist. An orthopedist will help solve the problem of foot deformities, and an endocrinologist will prescribe treatment for hormonal imbalances. If the condition is the result of an injury, then you should visit a traumatologist who will identify the essence of the problem. An accurate diagnosis and treatment are possible only after studying the symptoms of the disease and analyzing the patient’s condition.
Before a consultation with a doctor is scheduled, you can relieve the pain on your own. To prevent your toes from hurting, you can apply heat or cold to them (when they burn and turn red). At home, you can use both medications and traditional medicine.
Diagnostics
Rheumatologists are involved in determining the cause of joint swelling. According to indications, patients are referred to orthopedic traumatologists, infectious disease specialists, endocrinologists, and other specialists. The doctor interviews the patient, carries out an external examination: studies the configuration of the joint, color, temperature of the skin, palpates, and evaluates the range of movements. Depending on the results of the initial objective examination, the following diagnostic procedures may be prescribed:
- Radiography.
It is a basic research method and is performed in two projections. The images visualize changes in the contours of the articular ends of the bones, narrowing of the joint space, marginal defects, areas of destruction and osteolysis. - Sonography.
Used to study the condition of soft tissues. Detects effusion, hemorrhages, foci of calcification in periarticular structures. Allows you to quickly determine the cause of swelling. - CT and MRI
. They are carried out at the final stage of the examination if the results of radiography and ultrasound are ambiguous. They make it possible to detail and differentiate inflammatory, tumor, traumatic lesions, to clearly determine the volume and localization of the pathological process. - Joint puncture.
Indicated for synovitis, hemarthrosis. The resulting liquid is sent for bacteriological, cytological, and immunological examination to clarify the nature of the disease. - Arthroscopy.
Recommended for detailed visual examination of the joint and biopsy sampling. A biopsy is performed if arthritis of autoimmune origin, tuberculosis, or neoplasm is suspected. Sometimes diagnostic arthroscopy is complemented by therapeutic measures. - Lab tests
. A general blood test confirms the presence of inflammatory changes, eosinophilia in allergies. Based on the results of biochemical and serological tests (presence of rheumatoid factor, CRP, CEC), autoimmune diseases are confirmed.
Joint puncture
How to prevent the disease
Basic preventive measures help prevent swelling in the toes. You just need to take care of your body and try to avoid the possibility of injury. The key to good foot health will be personal hygiene, which should be present in every person's life on an ongoing basis.
Particular attention should be paid to the choice of comfortable, high-quality shoes, which should be made from natural materials, and also have a not very high heel and a comfortable sole. In addition, you can use special orthopedic shoes or insoles. If fungal or other diseases are detected, treatment should be started immediately.
You should also monitor your diet so that it is complete and includes all the necessary microelements obtained from foods. It is necessary to reduce the amount of salt consumed, as it prevents excess water from leaving the body, which causes edema. It is also better to abstain from drinking alcohol or reduce it to a minimum.
Swelling of the fingers is easy to treat and is often completely eliminated, but only if treatment was provided in a timely manner. By following basic rules, you can prevent the formation of edema and also maintain your health.
Prevention
It is of course impossible to predict all the diseases that cause pain. But it is quite possible to reduce the risk of their occurrence if you lead a healthy lifestyle and wear comfortable shoes. Most serious foot diseases arise precisely because of its deformation, when wearing tight and uncomfortable shoes all day long, especially with heels, as well as when carrying excess weight.
If the patient is obese, the risk of vascular pathologies, disorders of the internal organs, joints, including the feet, increases significantly. Therefore, an excellent preventive measure is to switch to proper nutrition that promotes weight loss, and you must do gymnastics and lead an active lifestyle.
If the pain is associated with an injury, you need to protect your foot from impacts, try not to walk barefoot, and even wear slippers with thick toes at home, and in the summer, avoid shoes with open toes. In this case, even in the event of an impact, the finger will not be harmed. Also, you should not overload the sore foot until it has fully recovered in order to avoid serious complications, such as degenerative disorders in the joint.
Causes of edema
As a rule, the main reason why the feet swell is fluid retention in the tissues.
Typically, this phenomenon is observed in healthy people who spend a lot of time on their feet, for example, due to the nature of their work.
Swelling may also occur after prolonged sitting.
However, there are several other options for why feet swell.
This may occur due to injury.
For example, a sprain of the ankle joint is inevitably accompanied by swelling, which after some time (if the injury is not too serious) goes away.
Some medications can provoke fluid retention in the body, in particular those that enter the body through droppers. However, after completing the course of therapy, the swelling of the foot goes away.
If your leg is swollen in the foot area, you should reconsider your diet, since swelling can be caused by excess body weight (increased stress on the joints) and an unhealthy lifestyle (eating large amounts of salt and alcohol abuse).
Swelling can be a consequence of intense training and increased physical activity.
In turn, women's legs may swell during pregnancy, in the postpartum period and due to hormonal imbalances.