What causes toe pain?
Mar 18, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yang Ziqi
Introduction
In general, toe pain may be caused by improper choice of footwear, trauma, paronychia, plantar warts, gout, or other factors, and symptomatic management such as general treatment and medication may be needed. In daily life, it is recommended to avoid excessive fatigue or strenuous exercise to prevent additional strain on the feet and further discomfort.
Generally, toe pain may be caused by improper shoe selection, trauma, paronychia, plantar warts, gout, and other reasons. Symptomatic management through general treatments and medication is usually required. If symptoms are severe, timely medical consultation and examination are recommended for targeted treatment. The detailed analysis is as follows:
1. Improper Shoe Selection
Wearing shoes that are too tight, stiff, or small for extended periods can compress and rub the toes, causing local soft tissue damage and resulting in pain. Symptoms may include skin abrasion, redness, and swelling in the toe area. It is recommended to promptly switch to appropriate footwear that provides sufficient space and support for the toes.
2. Trauma
Injuries such as compression, heavy object impact, or sprains can damage the soft tissues of the toes, leading to symptoms like swelling and bruising, which may cause pain accompanied by swelling, bruising, and limited mobility. Pain can be relieved using methods such as cold compresses, hot compresses, and massage.
3. Paronychia
Paronychia is commonly caused by bacterial infections, such as those by Staphylococcus aureus, and presents as redness, swelling, heat, and pain around the toenail. Symptoms may also include pus formation around the toenail, and granulation tissue proliferation. It is recommended to use medications such as fusidic acid cream, miconazole nitrate cream, and minocycline hydrochloride capsules under a doctor's guidance for treatment.
4. Plantar Warts
Plantar warts are skin infections caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), commonly occurring on the soles or toes. Viral infection leads to thickening of the stratum corneum, forming hard nodules that cause pain. Typically, these nodules appear on the soles or toes with black spots on the surface, and pain intensifies during walking. It is recommended to use medications such as salicylic acid cream, imiquimod cream, and recombinant human interferon α2a ointment under a doctor's guidance for treatment.
5. Gout
Gout is a disease caused by abnormal uric acid metabolism, leading to elevated uric acid levels in the body and deposition of urate crystals in the joints. It often initially affects the big toe, and acute episodes are accompanied by severe pain, obvious redness, swelling, heat, and pain, which worsen at night. It is recommended to follow medical advice to use medications such as benzbromarone tablets, colchicine tablets, and allopurinol tablets to alleviate symptoms.
In daily life, avoid excessive fatigue or strenuous exercise to prevent increasing the burden on the feet and further discomfort.
References
[1] Zhao Xiaobin. Troublesome Paronychia [J]. Health Horizon, 2024, (06): 28.
[2] Qiu Yuanzhou, Gao Yanjun, Ruan Peican, et al. Structural Bone Graft Fusion for Severe Gouty Arthritis of the First Metatarsophalangeal Joint: A Case Series of 7 Cases [J]. Chinese Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, 2025, 33(03): 64-67. DOI: 10.20085/j.cnki.issn1005-0205.250311.
