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Pain in the joints of the toes
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025

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The joints of the toes take part in the walking process and perform the function of a "shock absorber" by softening the shocks that are transmitted to the body and occur when walking, jumping, running.
Pain in the joints of the toes occurs with diseases of the joints. The most common of them are: sprains of the ligaments and muscles that surround the joints of the fingers, injuries, arthritis of a certain joint, osteoarthritis, gout or rheumatoid arthritis. Sometimes others are observed, but they are much less common. In cases of rheumatoid arthritis, only doctors can make a diagnosis. In this case, they rely on X-rays, changes in tests and quite specific symptoms of these diseases. Rheumatoid arthritis, for example, is characterized by symmetrical damage to the joints (in other words, the same joints on both limbs), often the ankle joints and joints of the feet. At the same time, there are signs of inflammation (redness of the joint, swelling, as well as limited mobility in the joints).
Diseases that cause pain in the joints of the toes
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Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis can affect both children and adults. Often, the process affects the joints of the hands. With osteoarthritis, pain often occurs in the knee and hip joints, while the inflammatory process is usually absent. Moreover, this disease almost always occurs in older and elderly people, although there may be familial types of osteoarthritis, transmitted by inheritance, in which the disease begins in adolescence and even at a younger age. Osteoarthritis is characterized by pain in the joints of the toes after physical exertion, at the end of the day, while with rheumatoid arthritis, pain usually decreases slightly after minor physical activity.
Rheumatoid arthritis can cause pain in the joints of the fingers and wrists, and can also cause pain in the joints of the toes, ankles, and even temporomandibular joints.
Pain sensations are usually of medium intensity, there is redness and swelling of the joints, equally on both sides and no less than 2 groups of joints (for example, temporomandibular and ankle). In the morning, some stiffness may bother for several hours, there is a need to "walk around". Pain in the joints of the toes may appear both periodically and be constant.
Take action. You should immediately consult a rheumatologist. Although rheumatoid arthritis cannot be completely cured, changes in the joints can be slowed down in a timely manner with the help of anti-inflammatory drugs or, in extreme cases, surgery (synovectomy).
Gout
Gout, also called "meat-eaters' disease", appears because crystals of a substance formed during the metabolism of purines (substances, the content of which is especially high in meat and products made from it) are deposited in the joints. If this metabolism is disrupted, gout occurs. It most often affects mature men. The pain is acute, sometimes unbearable, and appears spontaneously. Often the joint that suffers is the one located at the base of the big toe. The joint swells, the skin takes on a purple-red hue. This disease can be cured, first of all, by a diet that limits the consumption of meat. There are also medications that balance the metabolism of purines.
Gout usually affects the joints of the fingers, wrists, elbow joints, and also causes pain in the joints of the toes (especially the big toe), joints of the feet (metatarsals), ankles, and knee joints.
People suffering from gout report severe burning, pressing, pulsating or tearing pain in the joints of the toes. The pain reaches its maximum intensity at night and weakens closer to the morning. An attack can be provoked by drinking alcoholic beverages, eating a lot of meat and excessively fatty foods, or visiting a sauna. Attacks can recur on average 2-6 times a year and last about 3-4 days.
We take measures. In order to relieve an attack of gout, it is necessary to take analgesics (they should be recommended by a doctor). After this, it is necessary to strictly follow a diet, which involves restrictions in the diet of such products as meat, fish, fatty and alcohol, on the recommendation of the attending physician, it is necessary to periodically undergo a course of treatment with medications that reduce the level of uric acid in the blood.
Osteoarthritis of the toe joints
With this disease, the usual symptom is pain in the joints of the toes, in particular in the first metatarsophalangeal joint.
The pain is dull, localized in the joints of the toes, usually manifests itself during the day and becomes stronger with movement, physical activity, after a long stay in an upright position. The pain syndrome is significantly reduced in the morning and after rest. Sometimes crunching and clicking may be observed in the joints.
The main symptoms include limited mobility and pain in the big toe, difficulty walking, outward deviation of the toe, and curvature of the joint (due to osteophytes). The curved joint is often injured (in most cases due to uncomfortable shoes), and inflammation often occurs in the periarticular bursa (bursitis).
Painful sensations can bother you for a long time (weeks and months) or for a short period – up to 24 hours.
We take measures. The need to take medications is rare. In most cases, massage, physiotherapy courses, swimming, mud therapy are enough.
Arthritis of the joints of the toes
This disease is characterized by constant pain in the joints of the toes when moving, as well as limited mobility of the joints, a feeling of stiffness after sleep, swelling and redness of the skin over the affected joint, and probably an increase in body temperature. Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints of the toes. It can occur in an acute form, then there is severe pain in the joints of the toes, swelling. Arthritis can also become chronic - in this case, the disease progresses at a slow pace, periodically manifesting itself as pain. The second form is more dangerous due to the mild symptoms, because a prolonged inflammatory process can lead to deformation of the joint and, as a consequence, its destruction. Often, arthritis appears as a result of an infection that gets directly into the joint of the fingers or from some other organ along with the bloodstream.
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