What is going on with my toes?

[CoffeeChocolateWine]

I don't have the best circulation and am prone to cold feet and hands in the winter. This year has been particularly bad because the house hasn't been that warm either for obvious reason, so my feet especially just don't seem to warm up, even when wearing thermal socks and slippers round the house.

Anyway, over the past week I've noticed a slightly weird sensation in most of my toes - part numbness, part burning and if I scrunch my toes, they feel a bit tender too. A couple of toes have developed slightly rough skin on them, others look slightly mottled and others slightly red around the nail, but the main affected area is the pads of my toes. I wouldn't describe them as itchy though.

Is this chilblains? I've never had this before and didn't really know what chilblains were so had to google symptoms. Some symptoms sound similar but from what I understand chilblains are insanely itchy too which mine aren't. Any idea what else it could be?

It’s either that or a fungal infection?

Have you had covid recently?
Google covid toes - it's a thing!

How're your bloody sugars? Are you (pre)diabetic?

@BitOutOfPractice, I don't think so. The only fungal infection I've had before is athlete's foot years ago but that was very itchy and very obvious. Are there others with symptoms that I describe?

@Seeline, I had Covid in September so not that recently. Will google it though.

@PeachDelany, I'm not diabetic. I have no reason to think my blood sugar levels aren't ok. I don't tend to eat a huge amount of sugar or carbs so I wouldn't have thought it's that. But I'll bear it in mind if it continues.

I have this same thing!
I've been meaning to post about it for weeks.
Following with interest.

Reynauds?
www.nhs.uk/conditions/raynauds/

Yes I had. Fungal infection that was scaly and flaky not itchy. And between / under my toes not the nail. You could go to a pharmacist and they’ll look at it for you.

Could be pompholyx/ dishydrotic excema.

I have the same issue at the moment with the exact same symptoms.

Another contender is Hand, Foot and Mouth as this is going round at school.

Thanks @BitOutOfPractice. Will investigate that further. I just assumed it was somehow related to the cold and my circulation.

That's interesting @AnuSTart. So yours have lasted a few weeks have they?

@Youthinkyoureuniqueyourejustastatistic, it's possible as Raynauds does run in my family. My sister suffers very badly with it and my Dad does too but more mildly. My DH has it too. But it generally affects their fingers more than toes? My fingers are fine...they get a bit cold sometimes but nothing more than that. DH and my Dad's fingers go white and my sister's go blue. Is it common to have it affect toes but not fingers?

My chilblains don't itch, they feel more tender. I have taken to putting a cover over the duvet, tucked in at the foot of the bed, as I am sure that is where my feet were getting exposed to cold. Our bedroom is very chilly!

Hi,
I came on Mumsnet Health to see if I could find anything about this as I’ve been experiencing something similar. Started about 10 days ago and initially felt like my toes had got really cold and not ‘thawed’. The skin underneath toes feels sore to touch. Visually no change but feel stiff and basically like they are numb similar to when cold. Have no reason to think I’m diabetic. Am 54 and on HRT. Definitely worse on standing and when cold. Don’t have Covid (have had twice last year). Haven’t a clue what it could be!

Sounds like chilblains, i have seen lots of my patients with them over the last couple of months.
Get yourself some Snowfire and coat the area well. If you have any sudocrem use that in the meantime.
avoid any extremes of temperature, gentle heating ofthe feet, no hot fires or baths, dont let them get too cold.

I've had this for the last couple of weeks - I've also got a little blister/sore on the pad of each toe, it's very painful!

Thanks. Have just ordered some which will hopefully help!

I have this too! I put it down to chilblains and used hydrocortisone cream and thermal socks. But then, just as a ‘try it and see’ I sprayed my toes with athletes foot spray and it went! It’s nothing like how I thought athletes foot presented itself but it worked. Could be coincidence though.

Hi all, thanks for the replies. Sorry to hear this is affecting a few others too.
@WowIlikereallyhateyou, that's for the tips. I've got myself some snowfire so will start using that and see if it helps.

Hope it does, it is a old fashioned remedy that works well. Just remember noe tremes of temperature. Good luck.