Ask The Experts
Why are my feet nearly always deep red on the soles and feel like painful dead wood?
Thank you for contacting us. IPFH does not diagnose conditions or give medical advice on line. Your best bet is to consult your primary care physician or a foot health specialist. He or she can help determine what is causing the symptoms, and what needs to be done to treat them. We hope you will do this at your earliest convenience, since redness sometimes can be an indicator of an underlying condtion, and since you are experiencing pain along with the redness. It is often, but not always, a danger sign. Redness or red streaks can indicate the presence of infection, especially if accompanied by swelling and/or a sensation of warmth. Redness with swelling can also be a sign of poor circulation. Other conditions that might produce redness include neuropathy (nerve damage usually accompanied by burning, tingling or loss of sensation) and a phenomenon called Raynaud’s disease. In Raynaud’s, the blood vessels (arteries) in the fingers and toes contract briefly and suddenly, and little or no blood flows to them. As a result, the skin will turn white and then blue for a brief period. Then, as blood flow resumes, the affected area often will turn red and may also tingle, burn, or develop numbness. These episodes are often related to changes in temperature. If you haven’t noticed this progression of “white, blue, red” then Raynaud’s is most likely not the cause of your condition.
Again, our best advice is for you to consult a medical professional. We hope you will do this, and that your condition will soon be resolved.