Longshot, but - does anyone know why my 84-year-old Dad might have painful feet, especially at night?

[Fauve]

Sorry for the vague description - it's as much as I've been able to get out of him. It's nothing obvious, like corns or bunions, and is unlikely to be gout because he's very abstemious and has never touched a drop of drink I've tried googling without any success - it's all too vague. Any ideas at all would be appreciated! He's always had circulation issues - could it be that?

I don't think gout is necessarily to do with drink - it's more to do with a very rich diet. (Sorry, nothing more useful to add.)

Is it definately his feet or is it his lower legs?

It's definitely his feet, not his legs. His diet is extremely plain, not at all gout-inducing!

is he diabetic? I'm not sure if neuropathy is exclusive to diabetics but I know it causes severe pain in the feet.

My FIL has gout, he,s a complete health fascist! has been brought on by some sort of kidney disfunction. Cant be more precise as he hasn't completed tests yet!

Could it be cramp? Very common for it to occur at night. Can be solved with quinine tablet from GP.

My mil had gout without touching a drop. She had to avoid tomatoes and citrus which helped slightly!

(I did want to say stop wearing high heels )

I think you are right - more likely to be circulation problems but would be good to get it checked out. I know achy limbs can sometimes be caused by anti-cholestorol drugs (such as simvastatin) and it is a side-effect that many doctors don't warn about. A few people I know have had this problem and once drug stopped pain went away. Don't know whether this extends to feet though. My grandad used to get painful feet at night - he had kidney problems and was low in potassium (don't know if there's any connection).

Is the pain a shooting pain or more of a tingling/cramping?

Gosh, thanks for all these ideas. Brightwell, I said just his feet, but haven't actually asked him. If it were his lower legs, what could that be?

my dad had gout - nothing to do with drink or diet, just genetic, though avoiding certain foods does help! But gout is very very painful - he got it in his toe, and could hardly walk for a few days. Achy at night sounds more like either circulation or arthritic changes...is it always in the same spot, or all over?

AP, hard to say, he's very un-forthcoming about it.

My Ma had terrible cramp at night, in feet and lower legs.

These are really good questions for me to ask him - I know very little at the moment! In fact I'll run this thread out and secrete it in my handbag to use as a crib sheet.

If its shooting pain it could be a neuroma, does he get any pain on walking?

Look here;

www.drfoot.co.uk/neuroma.htm

Other foot problems on the same website.

Second what Plummy says - does he take any medicines, and if so, have you checked the possible side effects.

Muscle aches and /or painful extremities can be a side effect of many (especially heart/ circulation) medicines...

Fauve, painful lower legs at night, the classic symptom being people have to dangle their legs over the side of the bed at night to ease the pain, can indicate arterial problems.

Thanks, Brightwell, it could be that. It could also be a drug side-effect, he takes a few unfortunately. I will try to tease more info out of him. He's being seen by a health visitor this week which might shed some light, hopefully.

Diabetes? Painful feet is often the first clinical sign.

I have raynaulds I have raynauds phenomenon; this can accompany arterial disorders or be completely stand alone

That also is a very useful suggestion.