# What do YOU think is wrong with my toes? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 23, 2007, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-wrong-with-my-toes/389146 "2007-01-23T20:52:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-wrong-with-my-toes/389146/1 "2007-01-23T20:52:52Z")
So, last Sunday I went skiing. Ever since (10 days) my toes have been numb. It hasn’t gotten any better, it hasn’t gotten any worse. I have been seen by a physican and am getting a battery of tests done over the next while. But, in the mean time, what do YOU think is wrong with my toes? My vote goes for…\… **LEPROSY!** Anyone want to take a guess? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-wrong-with-my-toes/389146/2 "2007-01-23T20:59:21Z")
Frostbite? 😃 Actually, since you were skiing, I’d guess possibly a pinched nerve or something… but then I’m not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-wrong-with-my-toes/389146/3 "2007-01-23T21:04:17Z")
[QUOTE=alice\_in\_wonderland] So, last Sunday I went skiing. Ever since (10 days) my toes have been numb. It hasn’t gotten any better, it hasn’t gotten any worse. I have been seen by a physican and am getting a battery of tests done over the next while. But, in the mean time, what do YOU think is wrong with my toes? My vote goes for…\… **LEPROSY!** Anyone want to take a guess? 🙂 [/QUOTE] if your ski boots were too tight, or if you were wearing ribbed socks, you may have restricted circulation to your feet and may have suffered frostbite with downhill ski boots, you want to have them just tight enough to restrict foot motion, but not tight enough to cut off circulation, it’s important to wear smooth socks, not ribbed, with ribbed socks, the ribs press into your lower leg and reduce circulation, increasing the chance of frostbite, either go with smooth ski socks, or just go barefoot, most ski boots are well insulated enough to allow bare feet in them my diagnosis (IANAD) is amputate from the neck up 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-wrong-with-my-toes/389146/4 "2007-01-23T21:04:31Z")
Can Reynaud’s Syndrome last that long? Or maybe you have upside-down Bell’s palsy. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-wrong-with-my-toes/389146/5 "2007-01-23T21:04:45Z")
Random mutation: you’re getting new flipper feet! ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-wrong-with-my-toes/389146/6 "2007-01-23T21:06:28Z")
Oooo - flipper feet would be cool! It’s NOT frostbite for sure - that has been ruled out… What is upside down bells palsy? ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-wrong-with-my-toes/389146/7 "2007-01-23T21:07:33Z")
[QUOTE=MacTech] with downhill ski boots, you want to have them just tight enough to restrict foot motion, but not tight enough to cut off circulation, it’s important to wear smooth socks, not ribbed, with ribbed socks, the ribs press into your lower leg and reduce circulation, increasing the chance of frostbite, either go with smooth ski socks, or just go barefoot, most ski boots are well insulated enough to allow bare feet in them [/QUOTE] This isn’t it either - I’ve had the boots for over 5 years, and I use ski specific Hot Chilis for socks. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-wrong-with-my-toes/389146/8 "2007-01-23T21:23:24Z")
Creeping Zombification. In a week or two you’ll start feeling cravings for brains, I bet. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-wrong-with-my-toes/389146/9 "2007-01-23T21:52:30Z")
[QUOTE=alice\_in\_wonderland] What is upside down bells palsy? [/QUOTE] Bells Palsy is a frightening condition in that one just wakes up one morning to a face that is half paralyzed. It can strike anyone at any time and both the cause and cure are unknown although it usually goes away by itself in a few months. Upside down Bells Palsy is even less well understood. The virus or whatever else that causes it can’t tell up from down and goes straight for the toes. Thousands of people are believed to be afflicted with this version but it is impossible to know because most people wear shoes and rarely demonstrate dexterity with their feet to make the condition noticeable. I am fairly certain that you have early onset rabies. The cause of course would be a rabid snow leopard bite to your lower leg. I doubt you noticed yourself getting bitten by a snow leopard. Nobody does because they are really fast (and crazy when they are rabid). ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-wrong-with-my-toes/389146/10 "2007-01-23T21:52:34Z")
[QUOTE=NinjaChick] In a week or two you’ll start feeling cravings for brains, I bet. [/QUOTE] Humm - I’ll have to watch out for tha…_BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAINNNNSSSSSSSSSSSSSS_… ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-wrong-with-my-toes/389146/11 "2007-01-23T21:54:58Z")
[QUOTE=Shagnasty] I am fairly certain that you have early onset rabies. The cause of course would be a rabid snow leopard bite to your lower leg. I doubt you noticed yourself getting bitten by a snow leopard. Nobody does because they are really fast (and crazy when they are rabid). [/QUOTE] Wow. Now that you mention it, there DID seem to be a bit of fur in my bindings.. For anyone who’s toes have never been totally numb for a week - it feels really, really weird. I was trying to put nail polish on this am and kept painting all over my toes 'cus I couldn’t feel it shmoo over. (I had taken the polish off for the Drs. exam…) ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-wrong-with-my-toes/389146/12 "2007-01-23T21:59:38Z")
I vote for werewolf-dom. Have you encountered a very large, vicious dog recently? When is the full moon, anyway? StG ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-wrong-with-my-toes/389146/13 "2007-01-23T22:06:54Z")
[QUOTE=StGermain] I vote for werewolf-dom. Have you encountered a very large, vicious dog recently? When is the full moon, anyway? StG [/QUOTE] I’m not sure that Voltaire counts as large or vicious. He’s sort of small and fluffy, actually. But he has attitude - perhaps that counts for something? ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-wrong-with-my-toes/389146/14 "2007-01-23T22:10:25Z")
You _were_ skiing after all, it’s _clearly_ a Snowsnake bite Snowsnakes commonly sun themselves on the edges of trails, and are very common in mogul fields, but they _can_ be found anywhere on the mountain, they are also highly agressive and bite without warning or provocation due to their pure white (snow white) coloration and their habit of lying perfectly still when threatened, they blend in _perfectly_ with their snowy environment, they are also the fastest striking snakes in the world, most skiers envenomated by a Snowsnake don’t even realize it until the Snowsnake’s slow-working venom has had time to flow through their system… antivenin research is ongoing… ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-wrong-with-my-toes/389146/15 "2007-01-23T22:16:54Z")
Slight monsterism? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-wrong-with-my-toes/389146/16 "2007-01-23T22:17:41Z")
[QUOTE=Shagnasty] Bells Palsy is a frightening condition in that one just wakes up one morning to a face that is half paralyzed. It can strike anyone at any time and both the cause and cure are unknown although it usually goes away by itself in a few months. [/QUOTE] This isn’t strictly true. Bell’s Palsy is caused by trauma to the 7th cranial nerve. Many things can cause that trauma, and most of them are identifiable. Some of the most common causes of it are [listed here.](http://www.bellspalsy.ws/cause.htm) As for the OP, I’m going to guess it’s a very slow acting invisibility spell. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-wrong-with-my-toes/389146/17 "2007-01-23T22:17:50Z")
Call a toe truck. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-wrong-with-my-toes/389146/18 "2007-01-23T22:21:59Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] As for the OP, I’m going to guess it’s a very slow acting invisibility spell. [/QUOTE] Must be really slow acting, 'cus I can still see my toes fine. I just can’t _FEEL_ them, ya know? ---
**Author:** ![stargazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@stargazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stargazer)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-wrong-with-my-toes/389146/19 "2007-01-23T22:28:51Z")
I had that for a couple weeks after a marathon cooking/baking weekend – I’d been on my feet all day for 3 days. It went away after a while; my doctor friend said it was most likely just pinched nerves. Either that, or you’re being eaten by a boa constrictor, and he’s only up to your toes. You probably don’t like it one bit. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-wrong-with-my-toes/389146/20 "2007-01-23T22:40:48Z")
[QUOTE=stargazer] You probably don’t like it one bit. [/QUOTE] I dunno - it can’t be as bad as the nerve conductance test I have to go for… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-wrong-with-my-toes/389146.md?page=2)