Choose a symptom and answer simple questions using our physician-reviewed symptom checker to find more information on your health issue.
Is the person a child or a newborn with a foot deformity?
Choose an option below.
Foot deformities are not unusual in newborns. CLUBFOOT is a common disorder in which one or both feet are turned inward or downward.
Is the person a child or a toddler with toes that point in?
The cause may be INCREASED FEMORAL ANTEVERSION, INTERNAL TIBIAL TORSION, or METATARSUS ADDUCTUS (these three are commonly called intoeing).
Did your foot pain begin after intense physical activity, or has the pain slowly worsened over an extended period of time?
You may have a STRESS FRACTURE of the bones in your foot. The pain from stress fractures usually decreases with rest and increases with activity.
Did your foot pain or swelling begin with an injury or accident?
Is there swelling or redness on top of your foot?
Your pain may be from damage to the skin or tendons on top of the foot.
Are you unable to stand or walk on your foot and is your foot swollen or bruised?
Your foot or ankle bone may be FRACTURED.
Is there pain on the bottom of your foot between the ball and the heel?
You may have SPRAINED the ligament in the arch of the foot. Also see PLANTA FASCIITIS below.
Is the pain only in one toe and did it start after you hit, twisted, or jammed the toe?
Your pain may be from TURF TOE (a sprained big toe), a PULLED LIGAMENT, or from a TOE FRACTURE.
Does your foot look flat and are you experiencing foot pain and pain on the inside of your ankle, along with swelling? Did the pain start after a new exercise routine?
You may have FALLEN ARCHES, a condition known as FLAT FEET.
Does your foot hurt somewhere between the heel and the ball of the foot, especially when you take your first steps after getting up the morning?
Your pain may be from irritation of the arch ligament and tissues, called PLANTAR FASCIITIS or PLANTAR FASCIAL FIBROMATOSIS.
Do you have a small, hard, thickened area of skin on the bottom of the foot or on the sides of the toe?
These thickened areas are likely CORNS. If they appear to have small red, purple, and/or brown granules in them, they may be WARTS. A small piece of retained glass or other foreign body/splinter can also cause these problems.
Do you have pain in your big toe or in the big toe joint, and 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 or HALLUX VALGUS.
Do you have a fever and are your joints tender, sore, red, or swollen?
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS may be the cause of the pain. A fever, along with a painful, swollen joint could be caused by an INFECTED JOINT. More than one affected, inflamed, or red joint could mean RHEUMATIC FEVER.
Do you have a red, swollen big toe that hurts when anything touches it?
You may have GOUT (inflammation caused by high uric acid level in the blood).
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. More likely, the pain can be due to PLANTAR FASCIITIS or PLANTAR FASCIAL FIBROMATOSIS.
Do you have a moist, white, or red area of peeling skin and itching between your toes, and/or scaling and itching skin on your foot, often in a “moccasin distribution”?
These may be symptoms of a fungal infection called ATHLETE’S FOOT.
Do you have a burning pain at the base of a toe on the bottom of your foot, along with tingling or numbness in your toes?
You may have MORTON’S NEUROMA, a noncancerous growth of nerve tissue.
Is a part of your foot red, swollen, warm, and tender? Do you have a fever or do you feel sick (malaise)?
You may have an infection called CELLULITIS. If you have diabetes, an infection of your foot may be more common and more dangerous.
Have your toes or feet been exposed to very cold temperatures?
FROSTBITE may damage your skin and tissues.
Have you lost sensation in your toes or are they discolored and foul-smelling?
GANGRENE can occur if a body part loses its blood supply because of diabetes or hardening of the arteries.
See your doctor when you first notice or have a question about any apparent deformities. Treatment is usually more effective when started early.
See your doctor. Your doctor may order imaging or may watch and see if it resolves once the child begins to walk.
Apply ice to the foot and take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicine to relieve pain. See your doctor if you don’t feel better within a few days.
Use ice and an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicine. See your doctor if the pain doesn’t get better within a few days.
See your doctor promptly. Raise the leg above your heart while sitting or lying down and place ice and a compressive wrap on the swollen area. Consider a soft, but compressive brace and crutches. Take an over-the-counter analgesic, such as ibuprofen to help relieve pain.
Use shoes with an arch support and take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicine. See your doctor if the pain is severe or if you can’t walk on the foot.
See your doctor. Applying ice or taping the sore toe to the toe next to the sore toe (with padding in between the toes) can help relieve the pain.
Wear shoes that have solid support and avoid weight-bearing activities until the pain and swelling go away. See your doctor if your symptoms persist.
Try to keep weight off your foot until the inflammation is better. Use an anti-inflammatory medicine to relieve the pain. Rest and apply ice to the sore area. You can also use a golf ball to massage the sore area, as well as a plastic bottle filled with frozen water (ice massage). Stretches may also help. See your doctor if your pain doesn’t get better.
Soak your foot in warm, soapy water. Use an over-the-counter CORN or WART remover. Remove the dead skin with a nail file or pumice stone after each treatment. See your doctor if you have diabetes, if the CORNS or WARTS are painful or inflamed, or if they’re large, very numerous, or resistant to over-the-counter medicines.
Wear comfortable shoes that provide plenty of room for your toes. Avoid high-heeled shoes. Apply ice, or try over-the-counter medicines, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen to relieve the pain. See your doctor if your condition worsens or the toe begins to move under or over your 2nd toe.
See your doctor. Treatment for RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS may include medicines, physical therapy, exercise, and in some cases, surgery.
See your doctor. During a GOUT attack or flare up, you should rest in bed. You can put a hot pad or an ice pack on your ankle to ease the pain. Avoid high fat meals or alcohol, since they are potential triggers of attacks or flare ups.
See your doctor. Your doctor can suggest special stretching exercises to help relieve the pain. A soft insole or a firm insole with a hole under the spur may also help.
For PLANTAR FASCIITIS, you can also use a golf ball to massage the sore area, as well as a plastic bottle filled with frozen water (ice massage).
Use an over-the-counter athlete’s foot spray or cream. Wash your feet thoroughly with soap and water twice a day. Be sure to dry your feet completely and consider frequent sock changes. If your symptoms aren’t better in 1 to 2 weeks, see your doctor. If the affected area is very red and tender, see your doctor sooner.
Wear wide shoes with soft insoles. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicine or ice massages may help relieve the pain. See the self-care section for PLANTAR FASCIITIS for an ice massage.
URGENT
See your doctor promptly. CELLULITIS is usually treated with antibiotics.
URGENT See your doctor. Warm the feet by immersing them in lukewarm (not hot) water or by applying warm cloths to the affected area.
URGENT See your doctor. Good diabetic foot care may prevent some infections that could lead to GANGRENE and loss of toes. For diabetics, make sure that your doctor is inspecting your toes and feet at each visit and that you have a monofilament test at least annually.
For more information, please talk to your doctor. If you think the problem is serious, call your doctor right away.
DISCLAIMER
Symptom Checker content is provided for informational purposes only. This tool may leverage certain generative artificial intelligence tools to generate results, but you should not rely on this tool as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about your health or the information provided when you use this tool, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional. Do not disregard, avoid, or delay obtaining medical or health related advice from your healthcare professional because of something you may have read using this tool or on the FamilyDoctor.org website. Use this content solely at your own risk. If you think you may have a medical emergency, dial 911.
