Signs your feet might be giving you

~The Sun Nigeria. Thursday, October 27, 2016.

When your feet ache after a long day, you might just put the blame on your shoes. After all, many people say their shoes hurt. But sometimes, the pain may not come from our shoes, not even from the sky-high heels some women put on, all in the name of fashion.Pain or any other condition of our feet that's is not due to our type of foot wear may arise from different health issues.

Do not ignore your feet, take time to note every new detail.What you observe can give you a clue to your state of health. Here's signs your feet might be giving you:

Swollen Feet: This is common and usually not cause for a major concern particularly if one has been standing/sitting too long, embarked on a long journey or is pregnant. On the contrary, feet that stay swollen can be a sign of a serious medical condition. The cause may be poor circulation, high blood pressure, toxic overload, hormonal issues, water retention, a problem with the lymphatic system, or a blood clot. Heart, liver, kidney disorder or under active thyroid can also cause swelling.

Cold feet:The most obvious cause of cold feet is the surrounding environment. When the temperature gets colder, people routinely experience problems with cold extremities. However, there are several different medical problems that can cause cold feet as well.Many cardiovascular concerns, diabetes, poor blood flow, circulatory problem, high blood pressure, heart disease, hypothyroidism, anemia maycause cold feet.No matter the underlying cause, cold feet can be uncomfortable, not just to you but also your partner. For instance, it can make your partner shriek when your toes touch his or her so-warm legs.

Burning Feet:Unlike cold feet, this is the sensation that your feet are painfully hot. Often times, I hear people say, they feel pins and needles in their feet. That's the sensation with burning feet. The sensation may be described as similar to an electric shock which could make walking uncomfortable for the sufferers. Burning of the feet may also be accompanied by numbness. And just like the needle and pin sensation, numbness in the feet can cause problem in walking. In this case, there may be a balance problem, as the sufferer may not really feel the feet moving or touching the floor. Often, burning sensations in the feet is due to some kind of damage or dysfunction in the nervous system. The problem is sometimes associated with diabetes, HIV/AIDS, chronic alcohol abuse and exposure to certain toxins.It can also be caused by a vitamin B deficiency, athlete's foot, chronic kidney disease, poor circulation in the legs and feet or hypothyroidism.

Foot sores:That will not heal are a major warning sign for diabetes. Diabetes can impair sensation in the feet, circulation, and normal wound healing, so even aninsect bite could become a troublesome wound. Those sores also are prone to infection. Slow-healing of sores also can be caused by poor circulation from conditions such as peripheral artery disease.

Foot cramps:Are contractions of the muscles of the feet. Cramps are usually brief, but they can be severe and painful.During an episode, one will definitely feel the muscle contracting rapidly and violently. The person may even be able to see it.Overwork and muscle fatigue are common causes. Other causes include poor circulation, dehydration, imbalances of minerals – potassium, magnesium, calcium, or vitamin D levels in the body. The changing hormone levels of pregnancy, thyroid disorders and the use of certain medications may all play a role.

Yellow toenails:Your toenails tell a lot about your overall health. If you see yellow nails it may simply indicate an infection. A fungal infection is usually the culprit.Sometimes, accompanying the yellowing is a thickening of the nail which usually has a raised appearance.Thick, yellow nails can be a sign of an underlying disease including-diabetes, circulation problems, weakened immune systems,a lung infection (tuberculosis), thyroid problem, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, a liver disease, which turns your skin yellow (jaundice) or certain medications.

Added to this long list of possible causes, is the embarrassment that comes along thick yellow nails. Imagine you walking on a red carpet and revealing suchunsightly nails. It would be an embarrassment, wouldn't it? In addition, the thickening that comes along with this condition can make it harder and more painful for you to walk. Thickened nails are also sharper than usual and they can dig into the skin of your foot.And to say the least, difficult to trim.

White nails: When the nail partially or completely separates from the nail bed, it may cause a white discoloration. This can be due to an infection, trauma or products used on the nails. Other causes include psoriasis and thyroid disease.

If the nail is intact and most of it is white, it can sometimes be a sign of a more serious condition including liver disease, congestive heart failure or kidney disease.

If white spots appear on them, this may be due to zinc deficiency. Sometimes this may be indicative of certain internal problems such as arthritis or toxic overload.

When there are white areas visible under the nail, normally at the tip of the nail where it joins the nail bed, it may be a fungal infection. Half white nails with dark spots, especially on the tip, may be indicative of kidney diseases.

Dark spot on nail:The most common cause of this is accidental trauma, which results in the collection of blood underneath the nail (subungual hematoma).

This collection not only causes the nail to become discolored, it also generates a tremendous amount of pressure, leading to intense pain.Fungal infection can also cause toenails to take on a dark color. And discoloration happens when debris accumulates under the nail. However, if you have neither been injured nor infected by any fungus, a dark spot (especially progressive) on your nail may be indicative of a more serious health condition, like cancer. Melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, can develop beneath the nail, where it might appear like a black spot.

Ache in the big toe:If you suddenly develop pain in the big toe, without any trauma, gout may be the cause.This may be accompanied by redness and swelling. Osteoarthritis is another culprit that causes pain and swelling. Other times the culprit may be something less obvious, such as an underlying structural deformity, bone tumor, disease or vascular issue.Bunion, Ingrown toe nail and fracture are possible obvious causes of the pain.

Big toe pain can sometimes extend from deep inside the joint and at other times it is localized to the nail. Whatever the cause, big toe pain makes it difficult for many people to remain active.It can become extremely bothersome for those who need to walk or stand for long periods.

There is so much your feet could be telling you. And they should not be ignored. Changes in the texture, thickness, appearance or color of your feet can signal that you're sick before other symptoms appear.At the first sign of any weird occurrence in your feet, please seek expert advice. This way the cause can be determined and treatment can begin promptly.