What causes pain in the big toe?
Disease description:
Recently, my big toe has been hurting constantly. The pain intensifies especially when walking—particularly upon touching the ground—and sometimes I also experience a dull ache at night while sleeping. Therefore, what is causing my big toe pain? It has already affected my daily life.
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Chen Jian
Pain in the big toe, also known as hallux pain, commonly results from the following causes:
1. Trauma: The big toe is susceptible to external forces during daily activities, such as crush injuries or impact injuries, which can cause soft tissue or bone damage, leading to pain. In such cases, patients often have a clear history of trauma and may experience local swelling, bruising, or other related symptoms.
2. Bunion (Bursitis): This refers to the condition where the big toe tilts toward the second toe, forming a protruding bone spur or lump, often accompanied by redness, swelling, and pain.
3. Arthritis: Including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, arthritis can cause pain, stiffness, and limited function in the big toe joint.
4. Gout: A type of inflammatory disease caused by deposition of uric acid crystals in the joints, gout most commonly affects the big toe. It presents as acute, severe pain, along with redness, swelling, and warmth.
5. Athlete's foot or paronychia: Fungal or bacterial infections can cause inflammation of the skin around the toenails, resulting in pain.
6. Plantar fasciitis: Plantar fasciitis is an aseptic inflammation of the tendons or fascia on the sole of the foot, which may be caused by factors such as obesity or abnormal foot arches. Although plantar fasciitis mainly presents as heel or sole pain, the discomfort can sometimes radiate to the big toe.
