Unless something feels off, you usually don’t pay a second thought to your toes while you’re walking around throughout the day. Acute trauma helps sends a signal that something is wrong with your toe, but what about less obvious signs, like cold sensations or numbness? Others complain that their completely dry toe feels wet. So what could be behind these sensations, and how is the problem treated? We explain in today’s blog.
Cold, Wet and Numb Toes
Cold, wet or numb toes require a diagnosis by a foot specialist via an in-person appointment, but oftentimes these symptoms share one main condition – nerve damage. Nerve damage in your feet may be a sign of peripheral neuropathy, which can be caused by a number of different issues. Peripheral neuropathy usually first develops in the longest nerves in our bodies, which are the nerves that run all the way down to your toes. Peripheral neuropathy can be caused by:
- Acute injury
- Arthritic degeneration
- Related health conditions (Decreased blood pressure, diabetes, etc.)
- Damage from alcohol or smoking
- Inadequate blood flow to the feet
It’s also worth noting that if the condition only happens once in a while, it may be happening for a much less benign reason. For example, sometimes people feel these sensations after a workout, or because they are feeling nervous. That being said, you should still bring up those symptoms to your foot specialist or physician the next time you’re in for a visit.
Treating Wet or Cold Toes
If the cold or wet sensations occur more frequently or have become chronic, this is is a sign that suggests you need to contact a foot specialist sooner rather than later. You are likely dealing with a circulation or nerve disorder, both of which have potentially serious consequences, and neither condition is going to get better on their own without active treatment.
Diagnosis begins with a physical assessment from your doctor. They will listen to you describe your symptoms, take a look at your medical history, and examine the toe in question. They may conduct a few physical tests on the toe to look for signs of muscle weakness or delayed reflexes. Your doctor may also conduct some imaging tests using a CT scan, MRI or other imaging device to look for signs of neuropathic degeneration, but this is not always the case.
If your doctor believes your nerve degeneration is being caused by a specific condition, like a blood pressure disorder or diabetes, they will set you up with a treatment plan that gets these conditions under control. However, if it isn’t being caused by a specific health disorder, your doctor will likely recommend some lifestyle changes based on the potential causes we listed above.
Some conservative treatment options include changes to your diet, reducing your alcohol intake, stop smoking, getting regular moderate intensity exercise, avoiding long periods of sitting or standing, doing some foot focused physical therapy and maintaining a healthy weight. Should a more hands-on treatment be necessary, your foot specialist can walk you through all your options.