Feet problem - toe nail issue

Hi - it's been a while but all has been going well.  Still no dx but no major flare ups so I am content.  

New problem.  I lost the toe nail on my right foot - the toe next to the big toe.   This happened a few months ago.  Half of the toenail fell off.  No pain at all.   If it was a finger then it would be called the index finger.  My primary care and dermatologist have looked at it and don't know what is going on.

Now this morning I was looking at my toes - and on my left foot the same thing is about to happen to the toenail on the "index" toe (toe next to big toe).  I'm wondering if this has anything to do with the missing nerve function that I have.  I'm reorganizing so I can't find the info on which nerve it was that is missing.  Argh.  

Thoughts?

[JulesL5S1]

More info - it is the P37 nerve that is usually missing.  Does that nerve connect to the "index" toe?

[Lulu54]

Interesting question because I had a toe nail (middle toe, left foot) fall off without any pain or discomfort.  It was a strange thing - I took off my sock and the nail fell off.

No explanation - but I haven't seen my doctor since it happened.

[jensequitur]

If I had to guess, I'd say your foot is hammer-toeing against the top of the shoe, and it's damaged the nail bed.  If your foot's numb, then you won't notice the pain or bruising.

When I used to run all the time, I had a pair of shoes that were the world's worst at causing that.  Once I wore them without socks, and when I took my shoes off, the nail that you describe was black and red.  Then it fell off about four days later.

[Deb61]

I had a very similar thing happen to me a couple of years ago with both of my feet--the oddest thing!  My big toenails were both black and blue.  The only thing I came up with is that I was wearing shoes that were too short, and didn't even feel it.  So maybe you've done something similar and because of a nerve or CNS problem, you just didn't feel that something was going on with your feet.  

I also had a pedicure once and had been cut and didn't feel it.  It was a blood mess!   I'll never get a pedicure again after that ordeal.

[Quixotic1]

Everyone above is correct that recurrent trauma to the nail can damage the bed and have it fall off.  My question for Jules is, do you have normal sensation at the tip of that toe and around the nailbed?  If not, this is very likely the problem.  In a good percentage of people the second toe (that's its name) is as long or longer than the great toe and is more at risk for trauma.

Quix

[jensequitur]

Speaking personally, all of the toes on my right foot are numb, except for a small patch on my big toe.  So if I injure myself, I don't feel it.  

This was a bit of a problem last year, because I broke my toe and didn't know it.  I knew it hurt, but it didn't hurt bad enough for it to be broken, so I didn't worry about it.  It wasn't until the swelling went down and I couldn't really flex it properly that I realized it was broken.

[Quixotic1]

Jen brings up a really important thing about foot health.  When your feet and toes don't send proper sensation signals to the brain we have to be concerned about hidden trauma.  We should inspect our toes and feet on a daily basis anywhere the sensation is reduced.  Our risk isn't as great as in the diabetic who has poor circulation and a predeliction for infection, but still, an uncared for cut or blister could get us into trouble.

Quix

[JulesL5S1]

Thanks everyone.  I've got an appointment with a podiatrist.  I saw him when I broke a toe on my foot.   Like many, due to nerve damage I can have problems and not realize it.  My favorite :-) was when I noticed a few drops of blood on my floor.  And when picking up the socks that I had taken off and tossed aside I noticed blood on the socks.   Since I didn't know what sock came from what foot it was a problem.  I wanted to just pull up each foot and look but due to balance issues I needed to sit down to look at my feet.  But sitting down would be walking on whatever foot had a problem.  And sitting down on the floor was a problem because my legs didn't have the strength for me to get back up.  I decided I could clean up the wood floor better than the carpet so I headed to the steps.  Sure enough - a big bloody blister on my foot.  It didn't hurt - but looking at it I thought - Gosh that has to hurt!  So my intellectual mind was saying that should hurt but the nerves had nothing to say!   This is why my sense of humor is so important to me.

[NiCeeGlover]

I'm glad I saw this post,
Last week I noticed while applying lotion to my feet after a bath,

that both big toes had this strange thing going on.

Upon close inspection, it appears that Three whitish color nails are growing on

top of each other! I can feel the ridges of each nail shape, but they aren't open to

pick up, they are smooth on the edges. Now the next toe is doing the same

thing. I pointed this out to Doc Skeen at Duke.... no response!

I have always had beautiful natural finger nails. This all changed about a month

ago. Now they are thin and brittle, barely growing. Not pretty anymore.

[NiCeeGlover]

PS My feet aren't usually numb unless I sit in a chair w feet down. (Doc office)or  if there's long walk in to office. Then I will get knife pain in my toes and  they turn red/blue. Usually my symps stop at the ankle.

[jensequitur]

Sounds like you have severe ridging in your nails...  might be time to get your thyroid checked.