Some days, I feel older than my years. Not because of life experiences or troubles, but because my body seems to be falling apart. I have that problem a lot with exercise. I’ll get going in a good stride, exercising consistently, then hurt myself or strain something and have to stop. So frustrating!
This weekend, something really weird happened. I’d felt fine and spent Saturday morning excited because the children were going out with their grandmother and my husband offered to take me to lunch. Just the two of us. Yay! So we go to lunch and everything is fine, except I can’t get comfortable in the booth. At barely 5 feet tall, I often have that problem because my feet don’t reach the floor once I sit. But it shouldn’t bother my feet. My back, maybe, but not my feet. Well, when we got up to leave, my big toe on my left foot hurt the moment I put weight on it. Thinking it would pass, I winced, but proceeded out the door. I attempted to ignore it through a touch of shopping, determined to enjoy this day with the hubby. But by the time we got home I was limping noticeably.
That night, through to today, I’ve had a horrible pain in the joint connecting my big toe to my foot. I’ve tried several different kinds of OTC pain meds and icing it, but nothing has helped. By Sunday night, I whimpered when we had to leave for a family dinner, even though I’d spent the majority of the day in bed.
This wouldn’t bother me so much if there was a reason for it. My in laws had all kinds of theories, from a sprain to gout, but I have no idea why it would start hurting all of a sudden. Wasn’t exercising or wearing really high heels (more like moderately low wedges). Why is this happening? And, of course, my exercise scheduled – the one I’ve tried to reestablish since school started – will be all blown to hell because I can’t stand on my own 2 feet at the moment.
Sigh. So make me feel better. Tell me I’m not alone. Where do these mysterious aches and pains come from? Do they make you feel old, too?
Angel
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18 comments:
Awe, you poor thing! I am sorry you have had so much pain. And the toe, big toe, is a tough one because it really is for balance and propelling us as we walk. That's like torture. All the nerve endings are firing, too.
I've had weird pains like that, they just come out of nowhere and then they go away. Often times I am stubborn and push myself through them because I tell myself if I keep moving, it'll go away faster. My worst pains are explainable--too much keyboarding equals tendonitis, or sore finger joints as an example.
You might have slightly injured it when you were doing your exercises... lunges with bare feet lately? Or a nerve pinched elsewhere sending pain to the area?
Were you wearing closed toe or open toe shoes? Something could have bitten you. I know that might not seem possible, but I've had a full anaphylactic reaction to a sting and I never felt the sting or saw the bug that bit me. We are convinced it was a small spider.
I also get weird edemas in my lip--swelling for no reason and they are usually right before my time of the month. Also, your joints are looser during that time... could be related to that as well.
Take care--hugs to you and feel better soon!
Oh sheesh! I hope my foot woes haven't become contagious. Christine has some good suggestions -- sprain, a bite, pinched nerve.
I'd always heard that going barefooted was good for your feet. Now after my bout with plantar fasciitis, I've been told to wear shoes at all times. I use Crocs for bedroom slippers and wear flip flops or tennis shoes around the house.
I hope your toe improves.
Hope your toe is better. I have no idea where these aches and pains come from.
Big toe, eh? Have you considered gout?
I thought I was the only one with mysterious aches and pains. Foot pain really sucks -- after three operations on my feet and my recent broken toe, I know how much a hurt foot can throw everything else out of whack.
Try to stay off it as much as you can -- if you're walking funny because of your toe, soon your knees, hips and back will hurt as well.
Not too long ago, I had such bad pain in the tops of my feet I was hobbling around like a 100 yr old woman, taking small steps, taking stairs cautiously because now and then my leg would give out from under me. The reason? Too much synthroid, which had made me a little hyperthyroid. Thyroid troubles and all sorts of joint pain are related, and I didn't know that until it became a problem for me.
Which basically means, who knows? It IS frustrating, I know. Hope it's better today.
LJ
If how I feel is a reflection of my age, I'm ready for medicare. Between the pinched nerves in my neck that give me trouble in my shoulders and arms, the hip that gives me fits and the feet that cramp up or get stiff for no apparent reason... sigh.
My big toe gives me every now and then with no provocation. I think its the one I broke as a child that's now developing arthritis. Did I just say arthritis? *sob*
Remember the big toe I had operated on last year? I'd broken it a dozen or so years before and it had developed arthritis. Arthitis isn't necessarily a problem of age, but of injuries to a joint.
I'm sorry! I hate when mysterious pains show up. Pains aren't fun but I usually like to be able to identify why I have them. I hope you feel better soon!
Instigator
Unfortunately, I'm leaning toward the arthritis thing. A friend told me heat would help with that, so I'm going to try that today. It still hurts, but I can walk on it without sobbing, so that's an improvement. :)
I definitely don't do barefoot as much as I used to. I try to wear shoes or flip flops with arch support most of the time. I learned that when I was having cramps and pain in my arches. Get the right shoes and it all went away.
And I'm definitely walking funny. My husband made fun of me all weekend. :)
SP, I'm telling you. SEE A CHIROPRACTOR!!! He can take care of that pinched nerve. It won't feel good at the time, but it will heal it.
Angel
NO HEAT! Ice. If the cause of the pain is inflammation, heat will make it worse. Says she whose sister is a physical therapist . . .
Hugs, Angel. I know that pains multiply as we age, and it takes longer to get over a pulled muscle than it used to, but I sure can't figure out what would make your toe hurt! Unless you did something and don't remember. I've done that before. My back will hurt and I can't remember what I did. But then I remember, "Oh yeah, I did pick up that heavy thing, didn't I?"
I feel your toe pain, Angel. Several years ago I strained the same area while doing calf raises. I didn't know it until the next day and it hit me while I was walking up the stairs to my office. I had to ice it for days. That was years ago and it still bothers me most days but I guess I have learned to live with it. My only option is to have surgery to repair something in there but I'm putting that off until I can't stand it anymore. Yes, I'm a big chicken when it comes to anything surgically related. :) Sorry, I'm no help, but I hope you feel better soon.
Verification word: huglit See, blogger is hoping you feel better too!
I'm going to say gout too. My husband has had the same thing - always the big toe first. He was tired of the doctor and pills because it would come back once in a while. He went to a health food store and was recommended concentrated black cherry juice. It tastes good and basically it's concentrated antioxidants. Keep it up for at least two weeks. I am a total skeptic but I had a bad elbow for years and I swear it's fine now. I take some in water every morning. We have told many friends and it works for a lot of them. Not all because if it's really something else like a strain or arthritis it won't hurt. It can't hurt and it may help. How you try it :) - you can get it online at a discount. We bought so much from our local store for us and friends that they give us a discount lol.
I meant to say "Not all because if it's really something else like a strain or arthritis it won't HELP" I should proofread lol.
Of for goodness sake - I need my coffee. I meant to say HOPE you try it. I'll shut up now.
I lied roflmao. That was OH not "of". What is wrong with me!!! So sorry (slinking off).
Hugs, Angel!! Have you tried Aspercreme? It's a topical ointment for pain and inflamation. Works good on large muscle groups and doesn't smell bad. My kids have used it for sport injuries/sprains, and I have too.
I had a nagging pain in my leg that hurt for a few days last week, always in the same spot, but not consistently. It was more like a pulsing stab that came and went. Like Christine, I think I'd been bitten by something because the first moment it hurt, I was in the car and immediately grabbed my leg. Hmmm... Think seriously about a spider bite. I was bitten by a spider in my 20's and my thigh is still numb in that area, a large area, I must say. ;(
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