Question:

I hope you could point me in the right direction or at least refer me to a right specialist. I started having this problem 2 years ago, since then I have seen a number of chiropodists, surgeons, GPs, but to no avail. I have a pain in my 4th toe on the right foot. The pain is not permanent. If I am bare feet, I don`t have it at all. If I wear any shoes, doesn`t matter how comfortable or open they are, and do some walking or exercising, the pain appears in about 30 min – 1 hour. The pain is concentrated mainly around the nail, but if I don`t take my shoe off immediately, it starts spreading all around up to my ankle. I will try to describe this pain – it is like someone is squeezing my toe with a pair of pliers. When this happens, I need to stop, take off my shoe and wait till the pain goes away. I had fungus on this toe nail for about the same time as the pain started (2 years). It hasn`t been properly diagnozed in Ireland (where I live), but nevertheless I was advised to treat it with anti-fungal remedies, which I have been doing until last May with little success. However, I suspected that pain was not caused by the fungus, because I have fungal infection on another toe nail (1st toe, left foot) for much longer, and it is not causing any pain at all. I went to a surgeon thinking that it was an ingrown nail. He said that it wasn`t, and advised me to treat the fungus, saying that this must have caused the pain. The other surgeon said the same thing. Last May I went to Russia, where fungus was properly diagnozed by a dermatologist specialized in fungal problems (sample was taken and analysed in a lab). I was advised to treat fungus with Mycospore (German product), which I have been doing since the beginning of June. I used a kit for non-surgical nail removal. It has a cream that softens the affected nail while treating it from fungal infection. The idea is to treat a nail bed, and to scrape away all tissue affected by fungal infection. The nail is now completely gone, I am continuing treating it with anti-fungal cream, as was prescribed. It looks very clean, no trace of fungus so far. However, the pain is still there!!! Recent visit to chiropodist didn`t add any clarity. She said that she couldn`t think of a reason why it should be sore. I really think that this is not a chiropodist/podiatrist problem, however I might be mistaken. I would really appreciate if you could recognize the problem, it really affecting my life.

Sorry for such a long message. Looking forward to your reply.

Answer:

The pain does not sound like an arthritis disorder. Possibly you have a pinched nerve, of which there can be more than one type, including a Morton`s Neuroma

For more information:

Go to the Arthritis and Rheumatism health topic.