Why does my big toe hurt?

by Alivia Nyhan
Published: Last Updated on

The toes, especially the big toe, are responsible for these extremities’ correct mobility and balance. Therefore, any injury, blow, inappropriate footwear, and certain conditions can harm their health and compromise their proper functioning.

Pain in the big toe is a fairly common symptom that affects young people and adults and is associated with specific conditions such as arthritis. Depending on its cause, the pain may be constant, intermittent, or occur only when the finger is moved. If you are part of that group of people who wonder “why my big toe hurts,” we invite you to continue reading this article by FastlyHealto to learn about the possible causes of this discomfort that is known by the name podagra.

Pain in the big toe: gouty arthritis

Most people wonder why my big toe hurts and suffer from gouty arthritis. Gout is the most painful form of arthritis and occurs when there is too much uric acid in the body, which can lead to deposits of uric acid crystals on the big toe. The main sign of Gout is a pain in the big toe, which causes a person to wake up at night and interrupt their rest.

When the toe is affected by gouty arthritis, it looks swollen, red, hot, and stiff. The pain from Gout is quite severe and is usually worse at night. The manifestation of this type of arthritis is abrupt, which is why today, the finger may be in perfect condition, and tomorrow it may begin to present all the symptoms mentioned above. Treating Gout early is vital to prevent the disease from causing the total wear of the bone and cartilage.

To know if a person has Gout, it is often enough to know the symptoms and observe the physical condition of the injured joint. However, it will also be necessary to perform a blood test to understand the uric acid values ​​in the blood and diagnose hyperuricemia (excess uric acid in the body).

Gout can be caused by increased production of uric acid because the kidneys are not eliminating this substance correctly or due to excessive consumption of foods rich in purines. Being overweight, hereditary, alcohol consumption, organ transplants, and being a male increase the chances of suffering from gouty arthritis.

You can learn more about this condition by consulting Gout’s article: causes and treatment.

Corns and bunions can cause pain in the big toe.

Calluses on the finger

Excessive friction or pressure on the skin can stimulate calluses on any part of the foot, including the big toe. These injuries usually form due to the conflict of the shoe with the bone of the toe; for this reason, it is essential to use shoes that mold correctly to the foot or have special insoles made to prevent the bone from contacting the shoe.

Massaging the callus with a pumice stone will help decrease the size of the roughness and reduce pain in the big toe. We will show you more home remedies for corns in the following article.

Juanes

Wearing pointed or tight-fitting shoes triggers bunions in the feet, a condition that can be painful and injures the big toe. A bunion occurs when the joint at the base of the big toe is enlarged due to displacement of the bone, forcing the toe to move towards the other toes and creating a bone bulge that can be very painful.

Immense toe pain, swelling, and redness are some of the symptoms of bunions. Wearing protectors around the bone, wearing wide-toed shoes, applying ice to the bunion, and avoiding heels are all actions that can help improve discomfort. The only way to remove a bunion is through surgical treatment.

Big toe fracture

Sometimes, the fingers may be fractured subtly that we do not know. Any bump, fall, twist, dislocation, and impact of a heavy object on the finger can injure it and cause the bone to crack.

If you recently suffered trauma and are experiencing pain in your big toe when bending or moving it, it may be a minor fracture that will heal over time. Of course, suppose the pain is unbearable and compromises the mobility of the finger. In that case, you should go to the emergency room as soon as possible to be examined by a traumatologist.

Ingrown toenail

Tight-fitting shoes, a poorly groomed toenail, participating in athletic races, and excessive pressure when walking can cause the big toe’s toenail to become ingrown. Usually, when this happens, the finger looks swollen, the skin around the nail is very red, there is severe pain when touching the finger, discomfort when walking, and a constant string is felt between the pin and the skin.

This condition is more common than you think, and people with thick, round-edged, or downward-growing nails are at higher risk for ingrown toenails. Giving your nails a square shape, hydrating the skin on your fingers, and avoiding overcutting your nails can help prevent this condition. It is also essential to discard that footwear that, when walking, causes the big toe to collide with the tip of the shoe constantly.

To alleviate an ingrown toenail, it is essential to wait for it to grow to repair its shape and prevent it from re-ingrown. Soaking your foot in hot salt water will help considerably to decrease inflammation and relieve pain. Wearing bare footwear is recommended until the toe has fully recovered.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Why does my big toe hurt , we recommend that you enter our Bones, Joints and Muscles category.

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