B
ig toe pain is a debilitating pain which can make daily activities difficult. Luckily, the most common causes of this pain can be treated.
Toe pain isn't permanent and discovering what causes your pain can help get you on track to getting healed.
Ingrown toenail
An
ingrown toenail is a painful cause of
big toe pain and sometimes people can confuse it for something else. An ingrown nail happens when a nail can grow into the skin on the sides of your nail. This can cause inflammation and pain in the toe. Things like stubbing your toe, wearing tight shoes, and frequently cutting your nails too short can cause them to be ingrown.
Bunion
A
bunion is a bump that forms on the base of the big toe, usually from tight
shoes or frequent foot stress. You can usually see the bump on your toe yourself. Treatment includes lifestyle changes and foot padding. Rarely, surgery is performed for painful
bunions.
Gout
Gout happens when uric acid builds up in the bloodstream and crystallizes. When this happens, these crystals get deposited into different joints and most commonly the
big toe joint. Many people confuse this pain for arthritis. Treatment involves avoiding foods that make
gout worse like alcohol or meat. Treatment may also include anti inflammatory medications and uric acid reducers.
Big toe pain can be painful, but there are always treatment options. The three most common are not chronic and can be treated with the proper medical intervention. It's important to note that you should see a doctor if the pain won't go away.