Foot problems are often a result of something minor, like standing for long periods or wearing the wrong-size shoes. But sometimes foot symptoms can signal a more serious health condition in a seemingly unrelated part of your body.
Feet are often dismissed as an appendage — even in medical school, says William Granberry, MD, an associate professor of orthopedic surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “We spent one day on the foot. Feet aren’t glamorous. They’re sort of an afterthought,” he says, describing his experience as a first-year medical student.
But your feet can say a lot about your overall health. Here are five symptoms to watch for and what to do if you notice them.
1. Loss of Hair on Your Feet
Hair growth depends on good circulation. Think of the arteries that deliver blood from your heart all the way to your toes as tributaries of a lake, says Nishit Vora, MPH, a doctor of podiatric medicine and a surgeon at the Center for Foot Surgery in Plantation, Florida. “If those farther down from the lake start to clot off, then that hair growth is not supported by the blood flow anymore.”
Tell your doctor if the hair on and around your feet goes away and the skin looks thin and shiny. They may order an imaging test, like an arterial ultrasound. “We can actually visualize those arteries and see if there are clots or anything blocking the flow down to your legs and the feet,” Vora says.
2. Numbness or Tingling in the Feet
A “pins and needles” feeling in your feet or toes may indicate a nerve condition called neuropathy, or nerve damage. “You get numbness that starts in the toes and works its way up because that’s where the nerves are the smallest,” Vora says.
Neuropathy can happen for a number of reasons, including diabetes. Nerves contain a protective sheath that allows electrical signals to travel quickly down to the foot and back up to the brain. With diabetes, excess glucose (sugar) circulating in the bloodstream can damage the sheath, Vora explains. “It withers away, and you don’t get that signaling anymore, so your feet feel numb.”
