numb/tingly little toe

[ssipes]

O.K. I'm not so much trolling for medical advice as just wondering if anyone has had this problem.

My little toe has been partially numb for almost a week. It either feels half numb, as though it has partially worn-off novocaine, or kind of pins and needles prickly.

Today after a light dance rehearsal, I noticed a sharp sensation at the end of my little toe when I put weight on the ball of my foot. Its not painful, just a sharp sensation.

I believe I have Reynaulds syndrome in my hands -- my fingers turn completely white and go numb sometimes when I am mildly chilled, but that is always very temporary. I have never had similar symptoms in my feet before.

This toe has gone numb before after lots of dancing, or from uncomfortable shoes, but its never been constantly affected as it is now. It still moves and is the same color as my other toes. I did have a metatarsal stress fracture in this foot several years ago, but it was of the 4th metatarsal, not the 5th. And that has not caused me pain in a long time. Also, my little toes of both feet are deformed -- seriously they are very stubby and all my other toes are very long. My 4th toe is fully twice as long as the little one, so I'm wondering if its an inevitable result of my faulty foot structure.

Has anyone experienced anything like this?

Sedonia

[mish_mish]

Yes. I broke a metatarsal in my left foot in 2004 and had the numbness thing happen on the same toe that is attached to that metatarsal after I wore some very pointy toed heels to a wedding last year.

My toe right before my pinky toes was numb for about a week. I think it's like a tarsal-tunnel thing or something having to do with your toe being in a bad position or overused for a period of time.

That's my armchair physician talkin'--take with grain of salt.

[ssipes]

O.K. I am (seriously) a hypochondriac. When I was 10 yrs old I read the merc manual and diagnosed myself as having congestive heart failure after having some intercostal muscle pains and few skipped heartbeats. This has become a running joke in my family My husband was making fun of me tonight by suggesting that I surely must have little toe cancer.

I'm much more creative than that. I was thinking more along the lines of diabetic neuropathy. No, I'm not diabetic, but I am a hypochondriac, which means in my irrational state of mind I could be an undiagnosed diabetic. The doctors always miss things, you know. Perhaps little toe neuropathy is merely my first noticeable symptom.

[mish_mish]

Maybe it's multiple sclerosis?

Maybe your toe has that disease where you just fall asleep for no reason?

Maybe?!

You didn't like my tarsal-tunnel syndrome diagnosis?

Maybe the rest of your toes are horrible conversationalists and the only way your toe can deal with them is to fall asleep.

[ssipes]

Originally Posted by mish_mish

Maybe it's multiple sclerosis?

dear god, don't put ideas in my head. Rare, hard to diagnose diseases with vague symptoms are fertile grounds for hypochondria.

Maybe your toe has that disease where you just fall asleep for no reason?

narc-toe-lepsy?

You didn't like my tarsal-tunnel syndrome diagnosis?

well, no offense, it's just that it's not the toe whose metatarsal was broken. You broke a metatarsal and then later that same toe went numb. This means my disease must be different, and probably way more serious. It will probably have to be amputated.

Do you see the logic? No?

O.K. I'm going to bed.

[mish_mish]

I'll be over with my slightly dull saw tomorrow to remove the offending toe.

I'm sure it's very serious and likely to spread.

[gypsydanse]

I have Reynauds disease in my hands. When I get the least bit cold, my fingers start turning white and get numb. I have to run warm water over them to get the circulation going again. I read that its a form of arthritis.

[mish_mish]

My MIL has Reynauds also. It is trippy to watch her hands turn grey.

[jilyan]

I had serial numb areas a few years ago, one of which was my entire left foot up to just above my ankle.

Don't feel silly about seeing the doc if this is worrying you. If the first doctor laughs at you then try another one.

MS is not necessarily going to put you in a wheelchair. My neuro thinks I probably have MS but very mildly. The equipment is just better at detecting it these days.

But the odds are that you don't have MS.

[adiemusfree]

Originally Posted by mish_mish

I'll be over with my slightly dull saw tomorrow to remove the offending toe.

I'm sure it's very serious and likely to spread.

I'm sure it will require amputation just below the neck...slow amputation...

[Monifa]

i have the same tingling sensations in my fingers, but i didn't know what it was called until now. however, i am also experiencing the same weird sensation in my right, little toe. so, i'm assuming this is from dancing so much cabaret in 3-inch heels.

do you wear heels as well? or dance frequently on your toes?

if you find out any more information, let me know. but i recommend that we both see a podiatrist... or your primary care doctor at least.

[ssipes]

I do dance on releve, but ever since the metatarsal stress fracture I have been careful to place my weight towards my big toe.

I generally wear podiatrist-recommended new balances or SAS or other ugly shoes that are good for the feet. I even dance in SAS sandals. However, this summer I bought two pairs of low wedge fashionable sandals (one pair are flip flops). They hurt my feet and now that I think about it, last week before the toe went numb I was walking all over campus running errands in those sandals, and my feet were killing me by the weekend.

They are not that high of a heel though, maybe 1.5 inches

O.K. maybe I don't have toe cancer.

[Michelle75]

Maybe it's just a pinched nerve.

OR maybe it is Toe Cancer, a horrid case of trench foot gone wrong, or the early warnings signs of lepresy.

Runs out screaming!!!!!!

[TediThomas]

Please ladies (and gentlemen), don't encourage her (sometimes rather extravagant) flights of hypochondria. As one of her partners, I get to (at least partially) live with the fall out from these ah... well... mmm... occurrences of panic. She is responding well to some of the good natured ribbing (it's only human nature to try to see the humor in a situation - it's one of our survival mechanisms), but I know she is exceedingly concerned about her toe. And Sedonia, I love your quite-different-from-mine little toes.

[Lauren_]

Go to the doctor. Before you give yourself congestive heart failure from worrying about it.

It could be any number of very minor things, like a pinched nerve. Breathe.

[ssipes]

It actually feels better today.

I think it was wearing the unsensible shoes, followed by too many Tunesian twists on my toes last weekend.

[jilyan]

Good to hear!

Remember the thing about rare diseases is that they are RARE

[nasila]

do you by any chance sit cross-legged much? the leg with the offending toe on top? that pressure could cause nerve reactions... I was having this feeling in my pinky finger until someone suggested it might be from my mouse. been better since I've stayed away (sort of). ;)