Foot issue

Here a little update on my foot situation. Since the first time I posted in this thread, I have done everything I could think of to eliminate the bump between the 2nd and 3rd toe; all types of exercises to strengthen the muscles in the foot (which did work, thanks again @France and @gottathink with your great Foot Collective), rest, got insoles as per the ortho’s specs, barefoot shoes, toe spreaders, massages, arnica, you name it. The sensitivity between these toes first manifested on May 21st. We are now well over 3 months later and nothing I’ve been doing has worked. Sometimes the bump got a bit smaller but the sensitivity remained, especially when walking for about 20 minutes. So, conclusion, what I’ve been doing apparently doesn’t work.

Last night I went to see another ortho for a second opinion. This is an elderly man with tons of experience and a twinkle in his eye, pleasant guy. He studied the X-ray and examined my feet. He didn’t mention the hallux valgus at all, commented that my feet are fine, but he said that the X-ray showed that the width of the second toe base bone was about 60% larger than the other ones and there is this piece of something between the 2nd and 3rd toe base bones that he wants to investigate, it may be bone or something else. So he recommended I have an MRI to get more information. He mentioned that one of the options that crossed his mind was that a chunk of the base bone of the 2nd toe is surgically removed, a small pin put in, let it heal, he said 4 to 6 weeks, then remove the pin and all would be well. Interesting that according to him this issue is not caused by hallux valgus or the position of the 2nd toe, he also said that he doesn’t know if it is indeed bone touching that causes the bump, and he said insoles, special shoes and all that stuff won’t make a bit of difference. The previous ortho had not remarked on the bone size at all.

So, I just came back from the MRI, and I have an appointment with him to discuss the results next week Monday, should they have come in by then.

I had a terrible time getting to sleep last night (in spite of reading 2 chapters of Stella Riley’s Brandon Brothers part 3 which I just love), and at one point managed to allow the fear that I was feeling to just course through my body without any comment or judgment, which worked, and I slept till 5.45, which is good. You see, when I was 29, I had “simple” meniscus surgery which went awry (doc had also said I’d be up and about in 1 to 2 weeks), my knee blew up to the size of a football, had surgery again, which was fruitless and spent 3 months in bed, more or less sedated because of the immense pain (and I think I have a pretty high pain tolerance), before I was able to slowly start walking again. My knee has never been the same and has been flaring up every now and again, but it’s good enough for me, as I could walk and play 18 holes of golf without any problems. Perhaps it was an infection? That would explain the myriad of drugs and antibiotics I was put on.

Needless to say, I would not much like a repeat of that situation, so I’m feeling quite wary with respect to any surgery. On the other hand, it’s not an option to go on like this; I’m a very energetic and active person and love to go out and about in nature! Well, I just have to wait and see what the MRI results bring and what the doc says, keeping in mind that a man suffers most by the suffering he fears, but which never appears (old Dutch expression), and that we don’t know what’s coming in the health care sector in the EU and if he indeed highly recommends surgery, not to wait too long. I will post again when I have further news, perhaps then it will be time to network about surgery options as per Joe's suggestion above. In the meantime i accept it as it is and make the best of it! If anyone has any suggestions or comments, I'd love to hear it, thanks in advance.
 
Hello Laurs. My deep commiseration with your pain and experience. What you are describing is about 100% of what I have experienced. I broke down and had surgery just over a year ago (July 2023). I couldn't walk for 6 months after having a 1/2 inch cut out of all the long bones and big toe (11 titanium screws) in my foot to balance out what had started as just bunion pain. I found out recently that my problem was an issue with calcium deposits in the joints of my foot and other areas throughout my body, culminating in the thickness of my bones increasing. Two foot doctors had given me a similar run-around for years about insoles, foot exercises, etc. One of my primary physicians referred me to a surgeon who said it was an "easy fix." Well, at least I thought so, and he said so.

As of today, I can finally walk again, but my foot is partially paralyzed, and nerves and circulation were damaged during the surgery; my right leg became atrophied and is not the same size as the other, and my right foot is much smaller than the other and with residual pain from the surgery 14 months later. I crossed paths with a physical therapist/healer who said that if I changed my diet and stopped taking the unbalanced mineral supplements recommended because I'm a middle-aged woman, I could stop this from happening to my other foot. And she was right!!! Most women (and men, for that matter) are generically told to take calcium for our bone health, but when it is not balanced with other minerals and the right type of calcium for the individual, it accumulates in the body, leading to calcification issues like weird bone growth in strange places. I went through a period of time being raging and angry for having fallen for the medical establishment's answer to my problem, but I am doing much better now mentally, spiritually, and physically. My foot will never have full function again (my toes don't bend and I have dead patches where I can't feel anything) but the physical therapist/ Quantum Healer I have been going to for the last 7 months (1x a month) has helped me to reduce the pain and the diet has resulted in an excess mineral dump. I now look upon my experience as a true learning experience that I had to go through in this 3rd density existence to clear my sight and lead to more knowledge. Reading the Wave series has helped tremendously.

I am attaching pictures (which are not the super gruesome ones). And yes, I have the Pisces sign tattooed on the arches of my feet (the astrological sign that rules the feet ironically). My understanding of me is that "sometimes the easy, obvious solution" is not according to my "free will" in making the "choice." I know and understand that with every fiber of my being now, and I am grateful for coming out the other side with knowledge, which is the only thing that can protect me.

Sending you love and light IS FOR CRAP... but sharing KNOWLEDGE for you to test, investigate, test, and investigate some more is where it's at, Baby!
Sincerely yours.
 

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Laurs said:
In the meantime i accept it as it is and make the best of it! If anyone has any suggestions or comments, I'd love to hear it, thanks in advance.
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There's a chance of regional complex syndrome when operating feet. I would try everything else and consider surgery as a last resource and even then, ideally minimally invasive. Correcting the anatomy might not be a guarantee of pain resolution.

There's a loss of the natural cushion in the feet with age. Perhaps mesotherapy or percutaneous hydrotomy can help rehydrate the natural loss of fat and hydration from the feet.
 
Laurs said:
If anyone has any suggestions or comments, I'd love to hear it, thanks in advance.
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I'd look into getting a third opinion because, as Gaby said, surgery on the feet bones can be tricky. Other than that, let's wait for the MRI to see what that "thing" is between the toes. That may be the source of some, or all, of the problem.
 
Laurs said:
Now, I have a big bunion (on both feet actually, no pain at all but the right is causing trouble atm) which causes the big and second toes to grow to the right, putting a lot of pressure on the bones at the base of the second and third toe, causing friction as these bones are basically touching now. This was clearly seen on the X-ray. On that spot, the nerve is irritated, causing fluid and quite a bump. Also, the second toe is quite a bit longer than the big toe. In the first consultation 5 weeks ago, she basically said that when the feetsies were handed out, I was at the absolute back of the line, and that this problem was genetic and only a matter of time when it would manifest. Indeed, my brother’s feet have the exact same shape minus the bunions, and I’m told my paternal grandma’s toes were so crooked, due to rheumatoid arthritis, that she had to cut out the upper bit of her shoes to be able to walk in shoes at all!
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Hey Laurs, I actually used to have bunions too. Nothing too severe, but definitely noticeable, painful, and growing bigger and bigger. My feet are apparently predisposed to bunions as the bone on the toe that normally develops a bunion is a bit large naturally. I was also told by a doctor that given the shape of my feet and a family history of bunions I had a genetic predisposition to this condition and my only option was to wait for them to get big and bad enough for an operation. But over the years I managed to revert them almost fully with daily applications of iodine + DMSO, combined with subcutaneous Quinton isotonic injections every coupe of days, and weekly 10-12ml AHT. They started to get a little less painful with oral iodine + cofactors supplementation that I started in 2016, so I'd say iodine was quite key here, but the topical therapies and applications really sped up the process.

They never developed to a very advanced stage, although I did get to a point where I couldn't spread my toes anymore and the one was really pronounced, moving the large toes to the sides. So it wasn't exactly very early stages either.

What I did was put a little iodine on an organic cotton pad, the same that's used to remove make-up, and then add a bit of DMSO. I'd then put it on the affected bone and keep it there for a few minutes. Not too long, as it starts burning quite quickly. I'd do that a few times a day. I also injected Quinton's isotonic water in the area 1-2 times a week. Quinton injections were really good for pain management as they stopped it for a few days each time. If you decide to do it, be careful and make sure you avoid the veins on your feet. I once inflated my vain to an enormous size before I noticed it was a vain I'd hit, but luckily, no damage was done. I inject the entire 10ml in one spot, it stretches the skin quite a bit and causes discomfort but I prefer it to inserting the needle in a few places each time. During that time I also did AHT weekly and I continued for years. I still do it although not as regularly.

At this stage I have regained full toe flexibility in both my feet, and my toes point straight and not to the side. The bones on both feet shrunk too. My left foot is back to perfectly normal, although once the bone shrunk that foot somehow got half a shoe size longer. Shoe shopping is way less fun now for sure as I need different shoe sizes!

My right foot still flares up sometimes and although my toes point to the front, the bone is a wee bit bigger than on the other foot and sometimes it hurts a little bit too. Although it improved massively with the above therapy I don't think it ever fully recovered, so I occasionally need to treat it again. But that's probably my fault, as soon as the symptoms go away I stop the therapy instead of preserving with it.

I have worn toe separators at all times for many years when at home, when sleeping, or when wearing sandals. The only exception has been when I wear shoes where the toe separators won't fit.

Your situation seems much more advanced than mine ever was, so I guess what worked for me may not be enough for you. But I thought I'd mention it in case it at least helps with pain management a little. I guess it's also likely that not all bunions are created equal and while the symptom is the same the underlying causes are different, so what worked for me may not work for you.
 
Hhhh
Laurs said:
Last night I went to see another ortho for a second opinion. This is an elderly man with tons of experience and a twinkle in his eye, pleasant guy. He studied the X-ray and examined my feet. He didn’t mention the hallux valgus at all, commented that my feet are fine, but he said that the X-ray showed that the width of the second toe base bone was about 60% larger than the other ones and there is this piece of something between the 2nd and 3rd toe base bones that he wants to investigate, it may be bone or something else. So he recommended I have an MRI to get more information.
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If there is a loose "piece of something" found, one possibility could be an old ingrown encapsulated splinter of something. Your MRI will probably show.

If it turns out to be somwthing like that, you could - additionally to everything recommended above - give homeopathy a try.
I got this homeopathic recommendation for ingrown splinters that support traction and outgrowing.
Aconitum: if there is no inflammation
Hepar sulfuricum: along inflammation
Silicea: along residing inflammation

(I got this recommendation, because I might have stepped on a tiny glas splinter some days ago, that seems to be stuck close to the joint of the big toe. I will get X-rays in 2 days.)
 
I was listening to remedies by Barbara O'Neill on youtube driving home from work today. She says castor oil compresses break up bone spurs. I'd give it a go, since you have nothing to lose. Make a castor oil compress for your foot with a cotton towel, cover it with plastic wrap, then put on a sock to keep it in place. Wear it overnight and see how it goes. It will definitely reduce inflammation, and perhaps over time, dissolve whatever is causing all your pain. Best to get cold pressed castor oil free of solvents. Keeping you in my prayers for a non-surgical resolution. Oh, and Barbara says to say a prayer for the castor oil pack as well. Thanking god for healing plants.

P.S. Since the problem is between your second and third toe, I'd be sure to cut a cloth, saturated in castor oil, to put between the toes, as well as cloth covering the top and bottom of the foot, over your toes. I pray this works for you, Laurs.
 
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I too think you need to wait for your mri results consultation. You need to know as best you can what you are dealing with. Rehab of a problem like you described would take a number of years but you do need to be out of the high level of pain. I can say that when I work with people rehabbing these types of complex problems it is very usual for them to have to go through periods of much increased pain as their body starts to shift and change. To complement the feet strengthening and mobility I would suggest some type of non-volitional movement stimulation like Trauma Release Exercises. This is to help correct the whole kinematic chain from literally tip to toes. The problem is never specifically one area of the body e.g. peoples feet. Musculoskeletal pain in any part of the body can be a complex problem to do with how people stand and move and all the stressors of being human coded into that.
 
Big thank you everyone for sharing your suggestions and advice, really helpful ❤️.

Wow @polly, what a terrible ordeal! How wonderful that now you can at least walk again, I'm happy you are in a better place in all respects and that Laura's work has helped you so much as well, thank you for sharing your story.

Thanks @Ant22 for sharing about your feetsies. I'm happy you managed to do so much good with your remedy! I used DMSO especially in the beginning, twice a day, but it didn't do anything unfortunately. My hallux valguses fortunately do not cause me any pain or discomfort at present and haven't since i starting walking either barefoot or on flat shoes about 10 years ago.

For the past 3 nights I took a foot bath of Epsom salts with magnesium, eucalyptus and arnica, thank you @Breo for bringing up magnesium, which helped getting the swelling down and this morning it’s not painful at all, amazing. Tonight, I will try the castor oil compress as well, thanks Lilou :flowers:.

Last night I got an email from the hospital with the results of the MRI in Portuguese, which I include here, as well as the deepL translation in English.

Portuguese:

INFORMAÇÃO CLÍNICA:
"Deformidade proximal da F1 do 2º dedo pé dt."
EXAMES PRÉVIOS:
Indisponíveis.
PROTOCOLO TÉCNICO:
Sequências DP FS triplanares, T1 axial e coronal e T1 FS coronal dirigidas ao antepé.
INTERPRETAÇÃO:
Hallux valgus (ângulo metatarsofalângico estimado em 23º) com alterações degenerativas nas respetivas articulações
metatarsofalângica e metatarsossesamoideias, incluindo osteofitose e condropatia de alto grau, com extenso edema
medular ósseo subcondral na vertente plantar da cabeça metatársica e nos sesamoides. Não há derrame articular
significativo, nem sinais óbvios de rotura da placa plantar. Da avaliação das restantes articulações, apenas se destacam
alterações degenerativas idênticas na 2ª articulação metatarsofalângica, designadamente osteofitose, de predomínio
externo, e condropatia com exposição do osso subcondral em ambas as superfícies articulares, neste caso associando-se a
discreta sinovite, que se traduz pela presença de derrame articular em quantidade ligeiramente superior ao habitual. Nas
restantes articulações avaliadas, apenas sobressaem ocasionalmente adelgaçamento das cartilagens articulares, sem
exposição óssea, mais expressivo na de Lisfranc.
Os diversos tendões têm espessura e sinal normais e não contêm quantidade significativa de líquido.
Bursas intermetatársicas minimamente distendidas por líquido, em quantidade fisiológica (diâmetros transversais <2mm).
Sem edema significativo dos tecidos moles ou outros achados de relevo.
CONCLUSÃO:
Hallux valgus. Artroses metatarsossesamoideias e metatarsofalângicas no 1º e 2º raios.

English:

CLINICAL INFORMATION:
“Proximal F1 deformity of the 2nd toe dt.”
PREVIOUS EXAMINATIONS:
Unavailable.
TECHNICAL PROTOCOL:
Triplanar DP FS sequences, axial and coronal T1 and coronal T1 FS directed at the forefoot.
INTERPRETATION:
Hallux valgus (metatarsophalangeal angle estimated at 23º) with degenerative changes in the respective joints
metatarsophalangeal and metatarsosamoid joints, including osteophytosis and high-grade chondropathy, with extensive edema
subchondral bone marrow edema in the plantar aspect of the metatarsal head and in the sesamoids. There is no significant joint effusion
no obvious signs of plantar plate rupture. From the assessment of the other joints, only the following stand out
identical degenerative changes in the 2nd metatarsophalangeal joint, namely osteophytosis, predominantly external, and chondropathy with
external, and chondropathy with exposure of the subchondral bone on both articular surfaces, in this case associated with
synovitis, which is reflected in the presence of a slightly larger than usual amount of joint effusion. In the
other joints evaluated, only occasional thinning of the articular cartilage was visible, without
more expressive in the Lisfranc joint.
The various tendons have normal thickness and signal and do not contain a significant amount of fluid.
Intermetatarsal bursae minimally distended by fluid, in physiological quantity (transverse diameters <2mm).
No significant soft tissue edema or other significant findings.
CONCLUSION:
Hallux valgus. Metatarsosamoid and metatarsophalangeal arthroses in the 1st and 2nd rays.
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Being a layman, I try not to draw any conclusions from it, but think that what it says is that the condition can be ascribed to osteoarthritis, and that the "to be investigated piece" is the result of osteophytes (perhaps caused by arthritis)? This condition is very prevalent on my father’s side of the family, with my dad, both his sisters and my grandmama having suffered from it, though from what I saw online, it seems it’s not hereditary and they haven’t been able to identify a single gene responsible. I also saw that, among other things, fasting, moving a lot and borax can help alleviate or minimize symptoms. I will carefully reread Gaby’s post here, and perhaps up the dose of borax.

Okay, I will now wait for my consult with the doctor on Monday, see what he says, and in the meantime do research for another specialist for a third opinion should this be necessary. Thanks once again for your feedback and help everyone, this forum is such a wonderful Blessing!!
 
Laurs said:
Okay, I will now wait for my consult with the doctor on Monday, see what he says, and in the meantime do research for another specialist for a third opinion should this be necessary. Thanks once again for your feedback and help everyone, this forum is such a wonderful Blessing!!
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Yeah, from my layman's perspective, it sounds like osteoarthritis is causing the pain/discomfort. Maybe Gaby's suggestion of mesotherapy or percutaneous hydrotomy (Quinton therapy) would be something to try.
 
Being a layman myself, I went to chatGPT 4o and asked them to simplify that medical text - FWIW:

CLINICAL INFORMATION: Deformity of the 2nd toe.

PREVIOUS EXAMINATIONS: No previous records are available.

TECHNICAL PROTOCOL: MRI scan of the forefoot using specific imaging techniques from different angles.

INTERPRETATION:

  • Hallux Valgus: This refers to a bunion, where the big toe points towards the other toes. The angle of the joint (23º) shows it is moderately severe.
  • There are signs of wear and tear (degenerative changes) in the joints of the big toe (metatarsophalangeal and metatarsosamoid joints).
  • Bony growths (osteophytes) and cartilage damage (chondropathy) are present.
  • There is significant swelling in the bone marrow under the head of the first metatarsal (bone in the big toe) and in the small sesamoid bones.
  • No major fluid build-up in the joint or signs of a tear in the ligament that supports the ball of the foot (plantar plate).
  • The second toe also shows similar wear and tear with bony growths, cartilage damage, and swelling in the joint. There is a bit more fluid in the joint than normal, indicating mild inflammation.
  • Other joints in the foot show only slight thinning of cartilage, except for the Lisfranc joint, which shows minimal changes.
  • The tendons appear normal in thickness and appearance, with no excessive fluid.
  • The small fluid-filled sacs (bursae) between the metatarsal bones show a minimal amount of fluid, which is normal.
  • No significant swelling or other issues were noted in the soft tissues.
CONCLUSION:

  • Bunion (hallux valgus).
  • Arthritis (wear and tear) in the joints of the big toe and second toe.

I then asked, "metatarsosamoid is a strange word, are you able to find a better term or a brief definition of what this means?

ChatGPT said:

Yes, "metatarsosamoid" can sound unfamiliar. Here’s a breakdown:

Metatarsal: Refers to the long bones in the foot that connect to the toes.
Sesamoid: These are small, round bones embedded within tendons, often found near joints. In the foot, they are located under the big toe joint. So, "metatarsosamoid" refers to the area where the metatarsal bones (specifically the one leading to the big toe) and the sesamoid bones interact. The term is essentially describing the joint and surrounding area of the big toe where these bones meet.

In simpler terms, it refers to the joint between the long bone of the big toe and the small bones underneath it (sesamoids)."
 
Laurs said:
Big thank you everyone for sharing your suggestions and advice, really helpful ❤️.

Wow @polly, what a terrible ordeal! How wonderful that now you can at least walk again, I'm happy you are in a better place in all respects and that Laura's work has helped you so much as well, thank you for sharing your story.

Thanks @Ant22 for sharing about your feetsies. I'm happy you managed to do so much good with your remedy! I used DMSO especially in the beginning, twice a day, but it didn't do anything unfortunately. My hallux valguses fortunately do not cause me any pain or discomfort at present and haven't since i starting walking either barefoot or on flat shoes about 10 years ago.

For the past 3 nights I took a foot bath of Epsom salts with magnesium, eucalyptus and arnica, thank you @Breo for bringing up magnesium, which helped getting the swelling down and this morning it’s not painful at all, amazing. Tonight, I will try the castor oil compress as well, thanks Lilou :flowers:.

Last night I got an email from the hospital with the results of the MRI in Portuguese, which I include here, as well as the deepL translation in English.



Being a layman, I try not to draw any conclusions from it, but think that what it says is that the condition can be ascribed to osteoarthritis, and that the "to be investigated piece" is the result of osteophytes (perhaps caused by arthritis)? This condition is very prevalent on my father’s side of the family, with my dad, both his sisters and my grandmama having suffered from it, though from what I saw online, it seems it’s not hereditary and they haven’t been able to identify a single gene responsible. I also saw that, among other things, fasting, moving a lot and borax can help alleviate or minimize symptoms. I will carefully reread Gaby’s post here, and perhaps up the dose of borax.

Okay, I will now wait for my consult with the doctor on Monday, see what he says, and in the meantime do research for another specialist for a third opinion should this be necessary. Thanks once again for your feedback and help everyone, this forum is such a wonderful Blessing!!
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You are most kindly welcome, Laurs! You have a lot of support and can do this thing :thup:
Oh yes, as Breo mentioned, the magnesium soaks are wonderful!

I just finished reading the August 17 C's interaction that mentioned minerals near the end (below)... to add to your footsie toolbox :wizard:
Laura said:
(Persej) Rene Quinton used seawater from a plankton-rich environment in his medical practice. Charles Schnabel promoted the health benefits of juice powder made from cereal grass grown on mineral-rich soil. Weston Price used butter from cows fed on cereal grasses as a source of activator X. Julius Hensel praised his Physiological Bread, made by fermenting the wheat flour mixed with mineral powder. It looks to me that minerals in a certain form might be the reason why those gentlemen had such positive results in their practice. Do minerals play a role in formation of beneficial information in certain foods or nourishment?

A: Indeed!

Q: (L) So that's a big 10-4.

(Andromeda) Didn't the C's say something about that once?

(Gaby) Trace minerals.

(L) Yeah, minerals being very important.

(Joe) And being bound up in the right food.

(Andromeda) Right.
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