This is what your feet say about your health

After a day in high heels, it's not surprising if your feet hurt. But some foot complaints indicate an underlying condition. This way you can have diabetes without even knowing it. What can your feet tell you about your health?

Sometimes the way you walk is the first signal that you are wrong. Suddenly taking longer strides or dragging one leg a bit can indicate that you have less feeling in your feet. This could be related to nerve damage from diabetes, an infection or a vitamin deficiency. Uncertain walking or shuffling steps is appropriate for Parkinsonism and Parkinson's disease.
Sometimes the way you walk is the first signal that you are wrong. Suddenly taking longer strides or dragging one leg a bit can indicate that you have less feeling in your feet. This could be related to nerve damage from diabetes, an infection, or a vitamin deficiency. Uncertain walking or shuffling steps is appropriate for Parkinsonism and Parkinson's disease.

Cold feet

Women's feet in particular sometimes want to turn into ice lumps. A different fat distribution and hormone level cause this difference between men and women. Do you always need two pairs of goat wool socks on top of each other? Maybe your blood flow is not optimal. This could be related to smoking, high blood pressure or heart problems In diabetics, the blood vessels and nerves in the feet can be damaged. As a result, the blood flows less well through the feet, making them feel cold. Anemia or an underactive thyroid gland also make your feet cold more quickly. Your doctor can determine if you have any of these underlying problems or if you are simply unlucky with your frozen toes.

Toes that first turn white, then blue, then red, indicate Raynaud's phenomenon. With this vascular disease, the blood vessels in the fingers and / or toes contract in case of cold and emotions. The toes then get too little blood, making them feel â € deadâ € ™ or painful. They often get a white first and then a dark blue or purple color. When they get warm again, they turn red and glow There are two forms: Raynaud's primary phenomenon. This is isolated and has an unknown cause. The second form is called Raynaud's secondary phenomenon. That is Raynaud's who came about as a result of another disease, such as rheumatism.
Toes that first turn white, then blue, then red, indicate Raynaud's phenomenon. In this vascular disease, the blood vessels in the fingers and / or toes contract when cold and emotions. The toes get too little blood, making them feel â € €deadâ € ™ or painful. Often they get a white first and then a dark blue or purple color. When they get warm again, they turn red and glow There are two forms: Raynaud's primary phenomenon. This is isolated and has an unknown cause. The second form is called Raynaud's secondary phenomenon. That is Raynaud who came about as a result of another disease, such as rheumatism.

The most common cause of a painful heel is tendon inflammation (plantar fasciitis). Often it is a result of overload due to too much tension on the tendon plate, for example by running or walking in bad shoes. Often heel spurs form: calcium deposits on the heel. You notice pain under the foot or heel especially in the morning and when standing still or sitting for a long time. Once warmed up, the pain often subsides.
The most common cause of a painful heel is tendon inflammation (plantar fasciitis). Often it is a result of overload due to too much tension on the tendon plate, for example by running or walking in bad shoes. Heel spurs often form during this process: calcium deposits on the heel. You notice pain under the foot or heel especially in the morning and when standing still or sitting for a long time. Once warmed up, the pain often subsides.

Watch glass nails are curved nails. They occur on the toes as well as on the fingers and arise when the last phalanx is thickened. The hand is sometimes referred to as drumstick fingers, because the fingers then look a bit like a drumstick: a stick with a ball at the end. Watch glass nails or drumstick fingers occur, among other things, in lung and heart diseases. They are also seen in people with thyroid problems or intestinal disorders such as Crohn's disease, celiac disease and ulcerative colitis. The list of diseases in which watch glass nails occur is too long to list here completely. They don't always mean you have an underlying condition, they just run in some families, probably due to a genetic abnormality.
Watch glass nails are curved nails. They occur on the toes as well as on the fingers and arise when the last phalange is thickened. The hand is sometimes referred to as drumstick fingers, because the fingers then look a bit like a drumstick: a stick with a ball at the end. Watch glass nails or drumstick fingers occur, among other things, in lung and heart diseases. They are also seen in people with thyroid problems or bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease, celiac disease and ulcerative colitis. The list of diseases in which watch glass nails occur is too long to list here completely. They don't always mean you have an underlying condition, they just run in some families, probably due to a genetic abnormality.

Feet with wounds that won't heal are an important sign that you might have diabetes. Because of diabetes you can have less feeling in your feet, so you are less likely to notice wounds. In addition, wounds heal less well if you have diabetes. If you don't pay attention to this, wounds can become infected and become sores. Good foot care is therefore extra important for diabetics. If you have diabetes, check your feet daily for blisters, chaps, scratches, cuts and discoloration, including the bottom.

After standing for a long time, when it is hot or during a long flight, it is not surprising if your feet temporarily swell. This ailment is certainly not unknown to pregnant women. If your feet remain swollen, there may be more to it. For example, poor blood flow, slow thyroid, kidney problem or blood clot. A visit to the doctor is therefore recommended if the feet are permanently swollen.

Athlete's foot or an allergy can cause irritation and itching. A burning sensation is also associated with diabetic neuropathy, a vitamin B deficiency and, for example, infectious and metabolic diseases. Standing or walking a lot can also burn your feet. Especially if you wear shoes that provide little support, are too small or have high heels. If you have burning feet or legs without such a direct cause, then it is wise to see the doctor. This can rule out whether you have diabetes.

You are sleeping well until a sharp pain passes through your foot: cramps. Although it hurts a lot, it doesn't have to mean much. Healthy people also sometimes have cramps in a toe, foot or leg. It is more common in pregnant women and people over 65. It can be related to a lack of magnesium or moisture, fatigue and the position in which you sleep. After a few minutes, the pain will disappear on its own. The older you get, the more often muscle cramps occur. Most people do not seek help with their nightly muscle cramps, even though there is something to be done about it. Hydrokinine, a muscle relaxant drug that can reduce cramps, is available at pharmacies. If you often suffer from cramps, the pharmacy can advise you.