Hi. I have been told today that I have a chilblain on my little toe. (Previously had a pressure sore there too - my left foot is not good!) Just wondering if this is common with MS and what I can do to help. My feet don’t ever seem to heat up no matter what I do. My walking is also shocking at the moment and I’m wondering if the foot issue is impacting on this.
Hi, I have chilblains also, dont know if its ms related or just poor circulation - although its on my right foot and my right side is affected by ms and i have foot drop on the right so maybe it is linked
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I’ve had chilblains on my toes just about every winter for decades. Also on my ear lobes. Painful and itchy things! I’ve had poor circulation in my extremities for a long time, inherited from my mother’s side of the family.
Chilblain cream helps a bit, as long as the chilblain is not broken and oozing. Wear good warm thick woollen socks, if you can tolerate wool, or those thicker cushioned sports socks. Sheepskin lined slippers are also good indoors if you are safe with slippers.
I see from previous posts you have had problems with your shoes, so what I say next may not be helpful. Shoes with good thick soles to keep your feet well insulated (crepe soles are lightweight but good insulators), or use insulating insoles. I used to love Ecco shoes - uppers really comfortable but the soles were always too thin for winter use. Trainers often have good insulating soles, as well as uppers.
Don’t stand on cold floors without shoes on. Don’t toast your cold feet in front of a roaring fire. Warming cold feet up quickly is a recipe for chilblains.
Sounds as if your shoes might be a bit tight if you have had a pressure sore there. That will impede circulation. Better to have good wriggle room for your toes.
This year I haven’t had chilblains - been expecting to get them as I have stood on cold floors a number of times, which would normally have triggered them. I started taking Coenzyme Q10 daily last March. For the last few years I’d become quite intolerant of the cold - feeling cold much of the time and had underactive thyroid type symptoms more generally (feeling cold, weight gain, fatigue) but my thyroid levels were normal. Within a few days of starting the Coenzyme Q 10 I had more energy, and no longer felt so cold. I lost 1 1/2 stones in 2 months - the fat that I’d accumulated dropped off despite no change in diet and I returned to the weight I had been for decades, and my weight has remained stable at that now for months. I hadn’t expected any of that when I started taking them! I’ve been able to tolerate the cold really well this winter, and we’ve had quite a bit of snow and ice. And no chilblains either this winter.
I don’t know if Coenzyme Q 10 will help you and your chilblains, but it is something we need more of as we age, and is very important for proper burning / utilisation of white fat. It may be a useful tip if anyone else has experienced under-active thyroid type symptoms but has normal thyroid levels. I’m sure I don’t need to say this (but just covering myself!) always check that they don’t contraindicate with any meds you might be on, before taking any supplements. .
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