weird nerve pain on top of left foot

[Red Squirrel]

I noticed I sometimes have weird nerve pain on top of my foot, especially if I touch it. It's mild enough that I've been dismissing it but I got a sun burn and notice it more as I'm having to touch it more while applying aloe etc. The pain will sometimes happen if I move my foot up and down too. Almost like a funny bone type pain.

I googled and got lot of random stuff on foot pain but not a lot for top of foot. Is this something I should worry about and see a doctor or is this maybe the thing of needing to do some foot exercises or stretches etc?

I also noticed sometimes if I'm doing lot of work on my feet especially in awkward angles (ex: ladder use, or working on a roof) I'll get really nasty cramps when I get in the shower, or sometimes after the shower when I put my socks back on. It's like if someone is grabbing my foot very hard and my toes being forced upwards, essentially. I can even see it happen. Not sure if this is related or not though, this one I think is just the thing of stretching more. If I do an exercise where I make circles with my toes it seems to make this cramp not happen, but not sure if it's just a coincidence. It does not happen all that often. I went camping and never had it happen in the lake, and usually it does happen at least once.

Just wondering if this is some kind of common thing with a simple home remedy or if I should see my doctor.

 

[FeuerFrei]

Here's some minerals to play with, to optimize nerves and muscles. These forms of minerals should be readily absorbed. Worth a try.
I take them.

oooh look, monomethionine, and it's balanced with copper

better than magnesium oxide

 

[Red Squirrel]

If it's only one foot can it still be related to a deficiency? Suppose it's worth a try.

 

[mindless1]

How long has this been happening? Seems like you might have injured it and just need to stay off it or at least take it easy for a while till it heals.

I doubt it's a deficiency unless you're eating a funky diet, and still the deficiency would tend to reveal itself in more ways than just the top of one foot, but if you give it some rest and time and it still doesn't get better, then time to see a doc.

As far as the ladder goes, you might just need shoes with a stronger, less flexible shank or sole. That and a very cushioned insole and tongue (or very thick socks) might help it heal, but also make sure you aren't tightening the laces any more than necessary. Tight laces plus thin socks can cause top of foot trauma.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I'd say years on and off, but currently it's only been a few days for the pain I'm experiencing now. It's a pain that comes and goes. I wonder if my sandals might have done it? Wonder if this is just the thing of waiting and it will go away on it's own, if it's indeed some kind of trauma.

Oddly enough I don't get it in shoes but if I'm barefeet around the house I get it more if I walk. If I walk on my toes I get it less than if I try to flat foot. If I touch it depending where I can really feel it. It's almost like the funny bone but in your foot. It's not as bad though but enough to be noticeable.

 

[FeuerFrei]

If it's only one foot can it still be related to a deficiency? Suppose it's worth a try.

Well, it could be the first indication that something is awry. Gotta start somewhere on the body. I'm also thinking of the cramps.

 

[Red Squirrel]

The nerve pain seems to have gone away... wonder if it's my sandals that do that. I don't tend to wear sandals that often but I had gotten back from camping and was wearing them all the time at the beach and around the camp. I guess the sunburn maybe had an effect? I've had this type of pain before though but maybe it is just some kind of trauma that I just don't notice when it actually happened.

Have not had the cramps in a while either but I only get them really after a hard day of work and then when I take a shower or otherwise get them cold. Sometimes when I swim in the lake I get them too. Need to let it pass then I'm ok after. So yeah maybe that part is some kind of deficiency.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Mind you I am not a doctor but let me say that you have a lot of nerve sking medical questions on a Tech forum......doesn`t that make you nervous?? It sure as hell is unnerving to me....

 

[Scarpozzi]

I'll be 40 next year. Here's what I know about my feet...I started running in 2015 and did some damage due to the constant pounding when running upwards of 30 miles a week. I was on a 15 mile run when my left foot started getting this pain around the Navicular bone... I self-diagnosed because I didn't want to spend money. I started researching feet cause I knew nothing about the bones, ligaments, and still sorta don't... What I learned though is that a foot is a bunch of little bones and ligaments all held together by a skin sack. With all those pieces and parts in there, it's not uncommon for pain to come and go... It's even worse that nerves travel up the legs, through your lower back and up your spine. SO it's a long run of electrical signals to your brain where you feel hot/cold/tingling/pain sensations. For me, I took time off running and the problem went away, but returned the following year when I bumped my weekly mileage back up to 45 miles a week. My point...stuff's complicated down there and it's normal to feel all kinds of pain, especially as you age.

In your situation, Try to diagnose the issue as being muscle, ligament, bone, or circulatory/skin. It sounds like you were feeling it externally...like topical on the skin, so maybe your issue was circulatory issues causing the nerve pain? If you're feeling tingling at the surface, you could have been having a reaction of some sort. If you think it's a skin-based issue, you could try a steroid creme and see if that helps. Occasionally, an oral antihistimine can help if you're having a reaction to something.

I recommend everyone should soak in a hot Epsom salts bath once in a while. (I did at lunch today after my run, though mine was cold) It really makes a difference on circulation on those areas furthest away from your heart.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I've been keeping a closer eye, I think the nerve pain is trauma related, maybe being in sandals too long (the sharp edges of the straps can dig in a little even if they arn't tight). Maybe the sunburn I had also did not help. That pain is gone though. I have dropped things on my feet before, nothing serious, but maybe like dropping a screw driver or something, don't think much of it and continue on... well I suppose it's possible that would cause the nerve pain to surface for a few days and I might not even remember having dropped something.

The cramps I think come from just overworking the foot and subjecting it to cold temperature. When I do work around the house in shoes, or even go for a long walk, that usually ends with me being all sweaty and nasty so I take a cold shower. The cramps often happen after the cold shower. I've also had them when going swimming in a lake. It might be placebo as it's too early to tell but I think doing basic exercises/stretches with them like making circles helps prevent the cramps. So before I hop in a cold shower I'll do some quick stretches. Just being in shoes for a long period is probably not good for feet in general either. At work I have slippers and take them off now and then to let the feet breathe or they get too hot. I'm kind of happy to even have that luxery as some jobs can be more strict about that due to fire code etc.

 

[Scarpozzi]

I've been keeping a closer eye, I think the nerve pain is trauma related, maybe being in sandals too long (the sharp edges of the straps can dig in a little even if they arn't tight). Maybe the sunburn I had also did not help. That pain is gone though. I have dropped things on my feet before, nothing serious, but maybe like dropping a screw driver or something, don't think much of it and continue on... well I suppose it's possible that would cause the nerve pain to surface for a few days and I might not even remember having dropped something.

The cramps I think come from just overworking the foot and subjecting it to cold temperature. When I do work around the house in shoes, or even go for a long walk, that usually ends with me being all sweaty and nasty so I take a cold shower. The cramps often happen after the cold shower. I've also had them when going swimming in a lake. It might be placebo as it's too early to tell but I think doing basic exercises/stretches with them like making circles helps prevent the cramps. So before I hop in a cold shower I'll do some quick stretches. Just being in shoes for a long period is probably not good for feet in general either. At work I have slippers and take them off now and then to let the feet breathe or they get too hot. I'm kind of happy to even have that luxery as some jobs can be more strict about that due to fire code etc.

Not sure how sandals can be worse than other shoes that don't fit, but I started wearing running shoes from Altra... Google Altra foot shape and you'll see what I mean. The forefoot of those shoes are shaped more like our feet. Unfortunately, they're running shoes and don't offer much real support because they're foam/cushion-based and not really built for stability like many other shoes.

All the details I mentioned about the parts of your foot make it pretty messy when you do have an issue with a nerve...Good that the pain went away. Hopefully it'll stay that way.

 

[Ajay]

Uhh, Seek The Advice of a Qualified Professional - aka, your doctor.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Uhh, Seek The Advice of a Qualified Professional - aka, your doctor.

What's a doctor gonna do for foot pain, operate? My wife's a medical professional...doctors are going to guess just like everything else unless you go to a foot specialist....and half of those guys are just plain weird!

 

[Ajay]

What's a doctor gonna do for foot pain, operate? My wife's a medical professional...doctors are going to guess just like everything else unless you go to a foot specialist....and half of those guys are just plain weird!

Err, okay. Just jam a nail into where it hurts till it stops /s

 

[whm1974]

Err, okay. Just jam a nail into where it hurts till it stops

Good Lord what in Hell is that knd of advice is that, seriously?

 

[Ajay]

Good Lord what in Hell is that knd of advice is that, seriously?

Sarcasm.

 

[whm1974]

Sarcasm.

You forgot the /s tag.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Sarcasm.

But we really won't know if it works unless someone tries it. It's a shame his foot pain went away so quickly.

 

[whm1974]

But we really won't know if it works unless someone tries it. It's a shame his foot pain went away so quickly.

I rather first try Capsaicin creams and patches before doing anything that causes damage to my toes. Really you guys should used the /s to denote sarcasm due to anyone here stupid enough to try actually try that.

Not to insulting but new members pop up all the time and we have no clue of their mindfulness and self-awareness until after the fact of hearing about them doing something insane.