What Your Feet May Reveal About Health

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Sometimes health conditions can cause pain or strange sensations in the feet. Nerve damage, called peripheral neuropathy, can bring on burning pain, tingling or numbness. Over half of people with diabetes get some type of neuropathy. Arthritis can make your feet and toes hurt or feel stiff.

A buildup of fluid called edema can lead to swollen feet. One problem that can trigger it is congestive heart failure. Another is damage to the kidneys or liver. But mild edema can be normal during pregnancy. If your feet often feel cold, there's a small chance the culprit may be peripheral artery disease-- a circulation problem that usually happens to older people with conditions like high blood pressure or cholesterol.

But keep this in mind-- you can have foot symptoms and be perfectly healthy. Just see your doctor to be sure.