Why Do My Feet Hurt at Night?
Do you wake up in the middle of the night gripping your painful foot? Or do you dread the first step out of bed each morning knowing that it’s going to be painful? You might be suffering from one of many foot conditions that cause night time foot pain. Here at Precision Foot and Ankle Centers, it’s our job to get to the bottom of what’s causing issues in your feet or ankles. That’s why we put together a list of common foot issues that cause pain at night.
What is causing this night time foot pain?
As with any issue, if you’re dealing with pain or discomfort, or even if something just feels “off,” it’s best to make an appointment with your podiatrist as soon as you can. Here are a few things that might be causing your pain though:
Peripheral neuropathy - this is caused by nerve damage and can create very painful sensations in the feet. It can feel like burning, tingling, or sharp pains and the symptoms tend to increase during cooler nighttime temperatures.
Bunions - these bony growths can become irritated and painful by rubbing in your shoes during the day, leaving them throbbing and sore at night.
Fibromyalgia - this chronic condition causes burning sensations, tenderness, tightness, or musculoskeletal pain in the feet. Lowered levels of cortisol makes this condition worse in the evenings.
Tarsal tunnel syndrome - when the nerve in your ankle - your tibial nerve - becomes constricted, it can cause numbness, tingling, or pain in your feet that often worsens at night.
Other common causes of foot pain
Of course, the above causes are not the only causes of foot pain. Foot pain can be brought about by many issues. Here are some of the causes we see most commonly in our office:
Bunions or hammertoes
Bone spurs
Flat Feet
Arthritis
Injuries like fractures, sprains, or tendon ruptures
How is foot pain diagnosed?
The first step you should take is to make an appointment with your podiatrist. They will help determine the source of your foot pain by visually inspecting your feet, watching your gait, taking x-rays or MRI scans, or doing sensation tests. They will also consider family history, prior medical history, and any recent physical trauma to make a full diagnosis. Once the cause of your pain is determined, you and your podiatrist will work together on a treatment plan, which may include over the counter medication, rest, custom orthotics, or even surgery.
Contact us
If you have foot pain, don’t wait! Get in touch with our board-certified podiatrists, Dr. Eric Feit, Dr. Alona Kashanian, and Dr. Roohbakhsh Maher and make the first step toward pain relief by scheduling an appointment! Contact any of our offices in Los Angeles, Torrance, and San Pedro to get started.