Red, swollen toes.

Everyday living
1

Hi, Over the last week or so, two toes on my left foot have become red/purple. Now a toe on my right foot is a bit swollen and red. I’m assuming it’s a circulation problem. Normally, I go round in bare feet but now i put my furry mules on when I’m sat down to keep my feet warm. I can’t walk in them, or anything else as I drag my feet and the friction causes me to trip. Any thoughts on this? Heather

2

I’m having the same problem but i think my toes are sore because I am constantly tripping on them. I also spend more time in bare feet than in shoes and my toes now hurt even when i put my comfiest shoes on for a short time…so we are both saying the same thing about any footwear being hazardous…Interested to see what others say. Gill x

3

I wear socks around the house now… I’ve always had cold feet and assumed poor circulation til MS seems to have made my feet/ankles overheat! Now I check them by touch… if they’re cool I put socks on as I’ve some to realise that they are sometimes bittery cold and I’m still barefoot! I’ve also come to realise that my big toe (right foot) has really dry skin and I think that’s because I scuff it on the carpet so much :frowning: So yes, socks for me now. Sonia x

4

I always used to have cold feet and always wore thick socks. Until I had MS… now they are always boiling hot and I hate wearing socks and I hate having the duvet on my feet once I have been in bed for a while.

However, my toes began to go red/purple, a bit swollen and painful. Then I remembered how I used to get chill blains as a child when I used to warm my feet up on the hot water pipes at school after walking through snow. My toes now looked exactly the same.

I now do the same as Sonia - I have to check the temperature of my feet by touching them with my hands (which by the way also feel a lot colder on the outside than they do to me). I have to ignore the burning and put socks on anyway and try to keep my feet under the duvet because chill blains are much worse. This time of year especially can catch me out because it doesn’t feel all that cold and there’s no frosts yet so you would think it is too early for chill blains but I’ve learnt the hard way now and I’m not taking any chances.

I went to visit a friend in her mid 60s last winter and she showed me her feet and said she had been to the doctor about it. Her toes were exactly the same as mine. She said the GP had said it was chill blains and looked surprised when I whipped my socks off to show her my matching toes!! Then she said ‘But you’re only in your 40s’. ‘What, so you can’t have chill blains unless you’re an OAP? Well nobody told my feet that!’

Tracey x

5

Thanks, everyone. Once I looked up chilblains I realised that’s what I’d got. Trying to keep my feet warm now.

6

Tracey, I’m so glad it’s not just me, I was beginning to wonder as I think my thermostat is just broken now!

The other day when I’d showered, I rinsed my facecloth under the bath cold tap… I wasn’t really thinking and gave it a good rinse, put it on my face for a few seconds then rinsed again - then it dawned on me that I had the cold tap running on my feet and I hadn’t even noticed the cold, ‘normally’ that is the kind of thing that I’d shriek over - it’s very strange. I am now officially on cold watch!

Sonia x

7

Elmo by name and by nature, he was always the smart character.Well I say I would never have thought of that as my feet feel so hot…but i reckon you have solved the mystery of the toes…is the tripping over the toes just the red herring then? Thanks love Gill

8

Just to say I get this and putting lavender on your toes helps calm them xx

9

I get chilblains on toes and fingers, got to be more careful- thik socks on as I type. Nifedipine helps with circulation as does wine, but not recommended as has serious side effects.

Keep warm,

Jen x

10

Hi Gill

I think the tripping over the toes may be part of the nerve damage problem. The reason I think my feet are warm when they are really cold is because they are usually numb/tingly and my brain understands this as them being warm as toast or too hot. I have socks on today and my feet hate it as they feel muffled and constricted but I have to ignore it because I know it’s quite chilly weather really.

I meant to discuss this with my nurse and neuro at my hospital appointments this year but, typically, lots of other symptoms played up instead which were more important so I forgot :frowning:

Tracey x