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Numbness in sides of both big toes

Discussion in 'Foot Health Forum' started by RSSFeedBot, Apr 24, 2013.

  1. RSSFeedBot

    RSSFeedBot I, Robot


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    hello i am a 18 year old male and for two to three weeks i have had this numbing sensation in my big toes on the sides. I work and stand alot but...

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  2. gdenbyUK

    gdenbyUK Active Member

    Hi there. This is difficult to diagnose via postings. Given that it has persisted for a few weeks, a quick visit to your local podiatrist is recommended.

    That said, given that your mother is a dietitian, we might presume a balanced diet. Viitamin supplements for an otherwise healthy 18 years old would be most unusual. You have not mentioned any presciption medications, so I presume none.

    You have not stated whether there is any redness or swelling in the area, which might be indicative of either infection or a rubbing against the inside of footwear. Perhaps there is thick callus or bruising in the area, indicative of rubbing or a penetrating callus? When talking about the sides of your first toes, I also presume you are referring to the medial, 'inside edges' - those that touch if you bring your feet together, side-by-side.

    Parasthesia (numbness) might be triggered by multiple small trauma from footwear. Does your work footwear AND your sports footwear fit properly? An obvious question, but your feet may have recently undergone a growth spurt (different areas of the body can suddently develop quickly at different stages, sometimes height, sometimes strength, sometimes hands and feet!). When laced-up, do your toes have 'wiggle room'? Your can spread the toes apart, when still within the footwear? If your shoes are not the lace-up style, but are slip-on then these again can be either too tight for suddenly growing feet, of indeed may be too loose allowing slipping of the foot within the shoe; both traumatising the side of the toes, also causing bruised nails and encouraging clawing of the toes.

    I support your mother's view that your numbness is unlikely to be diabetes. The nerves in the toes are the longest in the body and are suseptible to damage from poor sugar control in the long term (years / decades): Local perfusion of oxygen and nutrients being hindered by repeated hyper glycaemia. For this to occur in an 18 year old, I would expect a type 1 (insulin injecting) diabetic with very poor alocohol / sugar control.

    In conclusion, I suggest you first check the obvious (footwear style and fit). Then refer yourself to a podiatrist who can perform some simple, pain-free tests to ascertain a most likely cause.
     
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