The feet bear the weight of the entire body and are vulnerable to injuries such as athlete’s foot, flat feet, and plantar fasciitis. The multiple joints and tendon muscles on the feet are closely related to the heart, blood vessels and brain, so the feet are a bellwether of physical health, and any abnormal symptoms on the feet should not be ignored.
What are the symptoms on the feet that should be taken seriously?
1. The wound on the foot is difficult to heal
Intractable ulcers are a classic symptom of diabetes, where high blood sugar levels damage nerves, impair sweating and wound healing, resulting in diabetic foot, and in severe cases, induce infection, and eventually face amputation.
2. Numbness
Numbness may be caused by neuropathy, always feeling numbness in the feet, which may be caused by atrophy of the nerves in the feet, ankles and instep feet; Just temporary tingling may be related to wearing shoes and socks that are too tight.
3. Dry feet
Tinea pedis or foot allergies can cause dry skin on the feet; Poor blood circulation can cause the feet to not have enough blood supply, which can also lead to dry feet.
4. Cold
Cold feet should be highly vigilant of hypothyroidism, the basic function of the thyroid gland is to secrete thyroxine, can regulate metabolism, insufficient thyroxine secretion can make metabolism and body temperature regulation abnormal, affect the body’s ability to produce heat, resulting in cold hands and feet.
5. Heel pain
Heel pain may be calcaneal hypertension or plantar fasciitis, and there is an unbearable pain at the bottom of the heel when you get out of bed in the morning, which is relieved after a few minutes of walking, and then the pain becomes more intense.
6. Foot cramps
Dehydration can cause muscle cramps, and a lack of calcium, magnesium, and potassium can also cause foot cramps.
7. The toes are hairless
The sudden discovery of the absence of hair on the toes is most likely caused by peripheral artery disease, which is caused by the limb endings not being nourished by enough blood. Peripheral artery disease is a precursor to stroke or heart disease because blockages in arteries in the legs are closely related to blockages in blood vessels elsewhere in the body.
8. Swelling of the ankles
Swollen ankles should be highly alert to kidney disease, which filters the blood and excretes metabolic wastes, toxins and excess water from the body by urination. After kidney lesions, body fluids cannot be excreted in time, resulting in swelling of the body, especially the swelling of the feet.
9. Yellowing of toenails
Fungal infections can cause toenails to turn yellow and thicken; Yellowing of toenails can also be due to rheumatoid arthritis or lymphedema, or a respiratory disease.
10. Black moles on the feet
Melanoma can occur anywhere in the body, as can the toes. If you have recently noticed that the black mole on your feet has become larger and changed in color, you will need to go to the hospital for further skin examination.
11. The big toe suddenly enlarges
Sudden redness, swelling, heat and pain in the big toe joint, most likely due to infection or trauma, should also be highly suspected for arthritis and gout.
12. Round and flat toes
Diseases such as lung cancer and pulmonary fibrosis cause blood to flow to the small blood vessels of the toenails, causing the tissue to swell, making the toes round and flat. Digestive disorders, infections, liver disease, and heart disease can also deform the toes.
Tips
The health of your feet is the foundation of good health, so you should take good care of them. Soaking your feet with warm water at 40°C for 15~20 minutes every night before going to bed can speed up blood circulation, effectively improve the blood supply problem to the heart, and also eliminate numbness and swelling pain in the legs and feet. Proper massage of the soles of the feet can promote the flow of qi and blood and unblock the meridians.
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