# What could be wrong with the bottom of my foot? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 18, 2005, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-be-wrong-with-the-bottom-of-my-foot/317521 "2005-08-18T02:09:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stainz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Stainz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stainz)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-be-wrong-with-the-bottom-of-my-foot/317521/1 "2005-08-18T02:09:43Z")
Can’t get in to see a doctor for a few days, but in the meantime, the bottom of my foot REALLY hurts! I have a constant pain on the ball of my foot, kind of at the base of my 2nd and 3rd toes. Nothing looks out of the ordinary but when I compare it to my other foot, I can see kind of a small raised area, as if there is something pushing up under the skin. The skin though looks exactly the same as on the rest of the bottom of my foot. It’s not a callous or a blister and from what I’ve seen online it’s not a corn or a bunion …? I don’t see a bug bite or anything, and it has no wart-like appearance. It hurts like HELL though - not so much when I’m resting but when I walk - OUCH!!! Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-be-wrong-with-the-bottom-of-my-foot/317521/2 "2005-08-18T02:19:22Z")
Bonespur maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Stainz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Stainz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stainz)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-be-wrong-with-the-bottom-of-my-foot/317521/3 "2005-08-18T02:52:31Z")
Hmmm … when I googled “Bone spur” … that doesn’t sound like it, those are mainly on the heel and result from an injury. This started after a drive home from holidays. I did a lot of walking / golfing on my holiday, but nothing more than usual. I’m pregnant though which is of course putting a bit more weight on my feet but my other foot is fine … ---
**Author:** ![Giant\_Spongess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@Giant\_Spongess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giant_Spongess)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-be-wrong-with-the-bottom-of-my-foot/317521/4 "2005-08-18T03:01:14Z")
It might be gout. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-be-wrong-with-the-bottom-of-my-foot/317521/5 "2005-08-18T03:02:33Z")
[Plantar wart?](http://www.podiatrychannel.com/plantarwarts/) ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-be-wrong-with-the-bottom-of-my-foot/317521/6 "2005-08-18T03:03:06Z")
[Incipient Plantars wart?](http://www.mamashealth.com/skin/plantar.asp) ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-be-wrong-with-the-bottom-of-my-foot/317521/7 "2005-08-18T03:03:59Z")
_does the “I beat you! I beat you!” dance_ ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-be-wrong-with-the-bottom-of-my-foot/317521/8 "2005-08-18T03:56:53Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > _does the “I beat you! I beat you!” dance_ " Astro: \*Drops to the floor and does a writhing, spastic version of “The Gator” to acknowledge jayjay’s nimble fingered victory. Initially mistakenly typed “kaykay’s’ nimble fingered victory” but realized there no mention of a blowjob involved, so I corrected my spelling. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-be-wrong-with-the-bottom-of-my-foot/317521/9 "2005-08-18T04:08:01Z")
> [@astro](#): > > …but realized there no mention of a blowjob involved, so I corrected my spelling. Eh. I’m just less vocal about my mad skillz… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-be-wrong-with-the-bottom-of-my-foot/317521/10 "2005-08-18T04:20:23Z")
You can buy the stuff that freezes plantar warts off your foot over the counter now. It costs about $25. I know this because I just bought some about an hour ago. But I used it for a wart on one of my fingers. ---
**Author:** ![Mac\_Guffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mac\_Guffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mac_Guffin)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-be-wrong-with-the-bottom-of-my-foot/317521/11 "2005-08-18T07:00:36Z")
I am betting gout as well, as I suffer from it and get those same pains occasionaly. Get your cholesteral checked. Gout is a symptom of high cholesterol. Ianad. ---
**Author:** ![Giant\_Spongess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@Giant\_Spongess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giant_Spongess)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-be-wrong-with-the-bottom-of-my-foot/317521/12 "2005-08-18T08:18:03Z")
Plantar warts don’t hurt that much, and a patch of duct tape for about a week works just as well or better than the freezy stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_Holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a5b964/32.png) [@Mycroft\_Holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_Holmes)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-be-wrong-with-the-bottom-of-my-foot/317521/13 "2005-08-18T09:26:35Z")
> [@Mac Guffin](#): > > I am betting gout as well, as I suffer from it and get those same pains occasionaly. > > Get your cholesteral checked. Gout is a symptom of high cholesterol. > > Ianad. Actually, gout has nothing to do with high cholesterol. Gout is called by crystals of uric acid in the joints. The cause is a high concentration of uric acid in the blood, which again can be caused by several factors. The most important risk factors are: - regular consumption of alcohol - genetic predisposition - exposure to lead - large intake of foods high in purine (red meat, beans, cream) - use of certain medications (mainly diuretics, but also aspirin) Other factors that can increase the risk are: diabetes, obesity, kidney disease. I also doubt that **Stainz** has gout, because gout causes pain in joints (usually the joint of the big toe, but sometimes the ankles or knees are also affected). ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_Holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a5b964/32.png) [@Mycroft\_Holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_Holmes)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-be-wrong-with-the-bottom-of-my-foot/317521/14 "2005-08-18T09:32:33Z")
To add: gout will not cause > [@Stainz](#): > > kind of a small raised area, as if there is something pushing up under the skin. Gout can cause swelling of the joints due to inflammation caused by the uric acid crystals, but not “a small raised area”. I am an expert on gout because my father has it (and has had some serious attacks), and I am predisposed for it, so I have my uric acid checked regularly. During one serious attack, my father actually had to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his knee, where they had to scrape out the crystals. The video makes for interesting watching, and the crystals are actually quite pretty. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-be-wrong-with-the-bottom-of-my-foot/317521/15 "2005-08-18T10:28:33Z")
The differential diagnosis would also include Morton’s neuroma ([http://www.emedicine.com/radio/topic882.htm](http://www.emedicine.com/radio/topic882.htm)), metatarsalgia, stress fracture, arthritis and foreign body to the skin. I would think gout and warts to be less likely diagnoses given your description. Dr\_Pap MD ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-be-wrong-with-the-bottom-of-my-foot/317521/16 "2005-08-18T10:47:25Z")
This link is better. [http://www.wheelessonline.com/ortho/metatarsalgia](http://www.wheelessonline.com/ortho/metatarsalgia) ---
**Author:** ![Stainz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Stainz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stainz)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-be-wrong-with-the-bottom-of-my-foot/317521/17 "2005-08-18T14:00:09Z")
Thanks all … nope it’s not a plantar’s wart and I highly doubt it’s gout … it kind of feels as if I’ve stepped on a pebble or something but when I look, there is nothing there, and the ball of my foot looks absolutely normal - no discoloration or roughness or anything. And I have no similar symptoms anywhere else in my body. I’ll wait and see what the dr says - he’s less smart than the Doper community so I don’t hold out a lot of hope. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-be-wrong-with-the-bottom-of-my-foot/317521/18 "2005-08-18T14:19:08Z")
Sounds like a bone spur to me. My dad gets them all over his feet, and they don’t result from injury. He’s just predisposed to them. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-be-wrong-with-the-bottom-of-my-foot/317521/19 "2005-08-19T05:03:44Z")
My money is still on Morton’s neuroma. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sequent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Sequent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sequent)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-be-wrong-with-the-bottom-of-my-foot/317521/20 "2005-08-20T07:08:53Z")
I love the [non-operative treatment option](http://www.wheelessonline.com/ortho/mortons_neuroma_interdigital_perineural_fibrosis): > [@](#): > > modified activities : “don’t do what hurts, until it doesn’t hurt to do it anymore” (W.G. Hamilton) That’ll be $500. Please pay the nurse on your way out. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-be-wrong-with-the-bottom-of-my-foot/317521.md?page=2)