Hi, I'm new here. I woke up with excruciating right foot pain about six weeks ago, and two weeks ago, my left foot joined in with the same intensity. It's much worse when I wake up, but doesn't really get more bearable until late afternoon, if at all. I can only wear a couple of pairs of (very sensible) shoes. Even walking from my office to the loo is incredibly painful!
My GP referred me for bloods and an xray this week, and the xray isn't yet back. However, the only relevant blood result is CRP which is absolutely fine. There's no mention of RF on the printout. I really don't want to have RA, but I do want to know how to stop my feet hurting so much. I'm 49 and not overweight, generally fairly fit except for low B12 and vit D, both of which are treated. Anyone got any ideas? I'm due to go back to the GP in a couple of weeks when the xray is in.
Written by
spacey1
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
And presumably you've not done anything unusual for you like running & jumpimg? So perhaps Gout? Did it start around big toes? Just very odd for it to be both feet.
I had this and I found out I had Hallux Arthritis. It normally stays in your big toe but is excruciating when in a duvet or not really. The X-Ray will say if it is. Mine has now gone to my right big toe and worried it’s not spreading. Catch it early and guided injections can really help x
hi spacey youve not mentioned any painkillers that you hopefully take that must b hard for you at work will look on net for you and hopefully someone here may know something but take some painkillers if not already doing that to ease pain
well the two iam on would be worse nefopam tramadol but listen i only take them when needed paracetamol more for temperature/fever i took co codamol you don't need to take them as other tabs only when needed hope that helps wife's borrowed me so not looked on net yet as doc anyone said what they think it is
hi spacey just looked up pain in feet nothing special i could find but take ibuprofen on a regular basis that's good for inflammation dont take if probs with tum a no no
Hi spacey1
This is exactly how I started with RA 5 years ago, when I got out of bed first thing in the morning it was so painful to walk, even when I was at work, thought it was new shoes I had bought while I was hobbling round work, I ignored it a first till all of a sudden a few weeks later my knuckle started getting painful and swollen and thumb joints, so went to gp had blood tests and I was referred straight away to rheumatology I was diagnosed with seropositive RA, good luck at your appointment, I do hope you don’t have RA, but this is how I started with the painful feet. Good luck, if you do get diagnosed with RA the sooner you get on the right medication the better to avoid joint damage, not everyone has the markersshow up for RA in the blood, but maybe it will show up on your x rays, good luck with it all
I've had xray of feet and a scan and no real.inflammation or damage but still.in excrutiating pain so having another scan next week. My left ankle is swollen and tender and I can't put heeL down. Other foot not too bad. I'm miserable as I'm in pain constantly and have been for over 2 years. Every bloody day!
My feet often hurt. I know exactly what you mean about standing on them when I get out of bed. I’m having foot problems right now too, it started with a sore big toe and I thought ‘gout’ but I think mine is tendonitis. I had that in the other foot back in August.
I have tried hot compresses - I use one of those microwave heat packs and I’ve also tried chill packs. I think the heat was best. Hate to say it but staying off my feet helps most.
I also use Ibuleve spray - I got a small handbag sized one in Boots. I also use magnesium gel and cream. The gel has 100% magnesium and the cream about 70%. The gel is a bit sticky for me though, I prefer the cream and I think they help. I also think a hot shower in the morning helps loosen me up a bit. Also got sock things that apply pressure, they provide a lot of support and I think they help. Got mine from Amazon.
My rheumatologist said I should use anti inflammatories ‘as and when’, I should probably use them more often.
Like you my CRP is fine too, I think that could be because I went totally gluten free when I was diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis four years ago and like you I’ve got myself a couple of pairs of very comfortable tra8ners - I’m going to be one of these old ladies I’ve seen around who always wear trainers.
Hopefully you can find something to help you. It’s very miserable when you have to shuffle across the bedroom floor before your day even starts. As the saying goes ‘I feel your pain’ and I really do.
The trouble is I have this foot pain all the time. I do most of the things u do to treat the pain including trying to stretch the achillies when I can. If it's tendinitis or plantar faciatis I will prefer that to having RA however so far rheumatology and podiatrist have not made a proper diagnosis. They prescribed MTX which I am not happy to take as not yet properly diagnosed. Anyway another scan next week and seeing a foot surgeon. The search and fight continues. Oh yes rest and being off my feet is the only proper relief but it's not sustainable to sit in bed all day as I do have things I need and want to do.
Hiya spacey1. I'm another who had painful feet, so much so I could only hobble on the outer edge. Fed up with my h saying it was gout I went to my GP who fortunately had a special interest in Rheumatology. She listened to me & straight away asked me to get on the couch. A couple of ouches later she told me her suspicions & ordered bloods, RF, anti-CCP, ESR/CRP & the following day referred me to the Diagnostic Clinic. Just over a fortnight later I was diagnosed, RD & OA & left with a prescription for meds. I was 48.
Depending on your x-ray result & as your GP has only ordered CRP (acute phase inflammation) I would ask if it would be a good idea to test for RF & ESR (chronic phase inflammation), the results may be helpful. Not everyone shows inflammation in a blood test, I'm one & have to have been off my meds a good while before they start to rise. What were the other things he was testing for, what is listed on the form? It might throw more light on what he's searching for or suspecting.
If he is suspecting RD or another Inflammatory condition then the quicker it's diagnosed the better, that means referral to Rheumatology sooner rather than later. Meantime maybe ask if he can prescribe you an anti inflammatory (NSAID) & if appropriate stronger pain relief.
I may not be RD, I hope it isn't, but it does sound familiar I'm afraid. The only thing that differs, more ign joint stiffness usually lasts an hour to an hour & a half. But then if you're walking unnaturally because of the pain that could account for the length of time you're experiencing it, I did too & my GP said it was because I was walking oddly, using different muscles & because I had metatarsalgia.
One more thing, have you researched plantar fasciitis at all? That generally causes foot pain at night.
I'd write a list of things you'd like to ask when you're even again, it's easy to forget things when discussing such things.
Thank you. I'm lucky in that I work with a physio. He reckons not plantar fasciitis but did laugh and suggest gout (I'm not in any of the risk factor groups for gout). That was before it was both feet!
Hello and welcome. Until your GP has run all the tests, have you tried soaking your feet in bowl of warm/hot water with Epsom salts dissolved in it, rubbing Voltarol into the sore bits, massaging them with a carrier oil with a couple of drops of lavender essential oil, a heated wheat bag or a cold compress? All of these could help ease things. I sincerely hope you don't have RA - and there are plenty of conditions that could explain your pain - but should the investigations show that it is, there are more treatments available than ever before. Please keep us up to date with how you get on. Wishing you well
Soaking feet in Epsom salts definitely helps ease my foot pain.
Low b12 can cause neuropathy. This causes intense feet pain (burning, stabbing, tingling etc)and can spread into the hands. Neuropathy doesnt always show up in tests. If that is whats wrong and its caused by low b12 and/or other b vitamins then its not too late too treat it. You arent numb so the nerves are still alive. Has your doctor not suggested neuropathy, especially the fact your b12 is low?
I get tingling and twitching in my eyelids when my b12 is low, and I do self inject to make sure my levels don't drop. I've not been diagnosed with pernicious anaemia, just low b12, but I do wonder if there's something auto immune going on somewhere
I used to get the twitchy eye when i was low in magnesium. Ive had b12 deficiency too amongst others. If you have one deficiency then i wouldnt rule out others. The gut has to be in a good state to absorb our nutrients.
My dr told me a lot of chronic diseases are driven by infection. Chronic infections would deplete our nutrients, cause mitochondria dysfunction, and slow our detox systems. Thus, allowing our toxic loads to increase too.
Ps allergies seem to also affect the myelin sheaths. A study on m.s patients showed how anti histamines started to heal them. I have enviromental and food allergies. Making a lot of changes . It helps my neuropathy.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Painful feet
Feet pain 
Painful lumps in palms of both hands and up thumbs
