Many diseases do not show any obvious symptoms for years before they develop for good. Usually, the first symptoms of any diseases are associated with pain, weakness, or a general deterioration of well-being. Few people know that one of the parts of the body can quickly signal us that something in the body is not working. When your feet change appearance, you may have cause for concern!
The foot is made up of 33 joints, 107 ligaments and 26 bones. Pain in the legs does not always mean fatigue, and yellow nails may not be the result of their neglect. There are many blood vessels in the feet that run to the brain, spine, and heart. That is why it is worth not ignoring the condition of your feet, because they can tell a lot about the state of our health.
- When your feet are cold and dry – cold feet, regardless of the weather, can mean abnormalities in the functioning of the thyroid gland. When it does not produce sufficient amounts of hormones, it does not regulate metabolic changes that lead to heat production in the body. You have a thyroid problem if you also notice weight gain, hair loss and fatigue. Dry skin on the feet is a signal that something is wrong with the blood circulation, usually due to peripheral arterial disease. Other symptoms include hair growing on the ankles or feet, and a shiny skin. Severely drying feet are also the result of allergies or mycosis, sometimes other skin diseases.
- Numbness and cramps – often appearing at night or in certain positions. If your feet tingle and sometimes even go numb or have cramps that feel like needles sticking into your skin, you may have diabetes. Sugar contributes to the blockage of the proper functioning of the nerves along the feet. Sometimes it causes loss of feeling. Recurring cramps are also a symptom of deficiencies, mainly: potassium, calcium and magnesium. To rule out each of these problems, you need to do blood tests for the deficiency of these elements and for sugar.
- Big, too wide fingers – also a change in the appearance of the toes can signal something. If they become wider and rounder than usual, it means that the blood flow present under the nail plate has decreased. It can also be a symptom of more serious conditions: intestinal problems, lung cancer or heart disease. When only the biggest toe is enlarged, the problem is arthritis>>arthritis. The cause of inflammation is then too much purine in the body, from which uric acid is formed. Elevated this acid leads to various diseases, such as: urolithiasis, gout, kidney failure.
- Ankle swelling – although it often appears in ordinary, everyday situations, such as walking in uncomfortable shoes, fatigue, or a walk on a hot day, this symptom must not be underestimated. Swollen ankles are a symptom of kidney failure. With more serious diseases of this part of the body, the body usually retains fluids in the body, so fluids also accumulate in the ankles.