Gross Foot Symptoms You Shouldn’t Ignore

In honor of Halloween and all things creepy and ghoulish, we at Texas Foot Specialists thought we’d take a look at some gross foot symptoms and why you shouldn’t turn a blind eye to them—or you might end up with scary consequences!

Pus—The most common site of a pus discharge is in the nail bed surrounding an ingrown toenail. This common condition that occurs when the toenail grows into the skin around the nail is extremely painful. In addition to pus, your toe will probably be swollen and red and very tender to the touch. Pus is a sign of infection and, if you see it around your nail or coming out of an open wound, immediate medical attention is necessary.

Toes Where They Shouldn’t Be—Toe deformities can happen gradually, but one day you look down and see that your big toe is almost overlapping your second toe or one of your middle toes is bent into a claw-like shape. That’s when you know for sure that something is wrong. Bunions, claw toes, and hammertoes are often caused by a biomechanical defect and made worse by improper footwear. There are several treatment options that can slow the progression of these conditions, but they are best applied in the earliest stages of the deformity.

Lumps and Bumps—Growths on the top or bottom of your feet are a signal of something going awry in your feet. These symptoms can indicate something benign such as a neuroma or a ganglion cyst, but they can also signal something more serious. Even non-malignant growths can make wearing shoes uncomfortable and cause you pain. For this reason, all growths should be checked out promptly by our podiatrists, Dr. Bruce Miller and Dr. Gregory Mangum.

Scaly and Blistered Skin—Typically, skin that is flaky and scaly with blisters that weep is a sign of an advanced case of athlete’s foot. You’ll most likely be experiencing intense itching as well. Athlete’s foot often starts between the toes and then travels to the soles of the feet.

Don’t let gross foot symptoms scare you. Instead, make an appointment at our Sugar Land (281-242-4448), Pasadena (281-991-0600), or Houston (713-664-6677) offices as soon as possible to get your condition diagnosed and treated.