What is wrong with my foot?

[revey]

I have been experiencing pain in my foot for around 2 years now.  The area is right on the top if my left foot in the soft spot by my ankle bone. What happened is at work I tripped and twisted my ankle. It hurt right from the start after I got up. My boss had me go to the doctor and make sure it was not broken. They took x-rays and told me that it was not broke probably sprained.

After about 2 weeks I was noticing that the pain was not going away. I went to see my doctor for a 2 opinion. He referred me to a specialist in feet an orthapedic doctor. I went and saw them and once again they took x-rays and nothing came back. They placed my ankle in a elastic brace that fits to my leg rather snug. I was also told to where supports in my shoes. Which I follows them.

Six months later I was still having trouble with my ankle.  The exact spot is on the top of the foot with pain in between the soft spot on by the ankle bone. Follow the little toe down and you will find it. At this point it is hurting when I sleep and waking me up at night.

This past Christmas I was talking the dog out to the bathroom and I stepped off the step wrong. I almost feel because I was in so much pain. When I got back into the house I took at look at my ankle and it looked like a tennis ball was coming out of my foot. I was really scared. I placed ice on it and keep it elevated. For around 3-4 days I still had the lump and it was hard to walk on. Then one morning it went away before I could get to the doctor. Since then I have more pain than usual.

Well it has been 2 years and I am still having pain almost on a daily basis. To touch the spot on my foot I cry. I have days where it feel numb but I am able to walk. I need to keep it elavated at certain times as home where it helps a little but not much.

I am not sure what is going on with my foot and I am tired of going to the doctor and being told there is nothing but a sprain. Can someone help me?

[JadedSweetheart]

I can't think of the name of it, but the lump on your foot may have been some sort of internal bleeding where the blood became gel.  My grandmother had one on her thigh once from throwing her leg over a fence (my grandmother was adventurous, lol) and she had to have it lanced.  My husband also got one following one of his surgeries as he had to work immediately after surgery.  (I wish I could think of what it's called!)
I agree with the others that an MRI might shed some light on this problem.  I have many problems that are not visible, or are only partially visible on x-ray.  You may need to go to a foot pain specialist, as well.  There are many things like neuropathy, plantars faciitis, and others that can cause pain.  I also think it's likely you broke a small bone and they haven't been able to find it.  Definetly keep pursuing the cause. You said you injured it at work orginally.  Workman's comp should still cover the cost of finding out what's happened to you.
I hope you find out what's going on!  

[mellie4]

Really good input from Running Mom on how it could be your back.  Very often things in the back travel to the leg and foot and injuries in the neck can travel to the arms and legs.  Something else for the doctor to look at in ruling things in and out.

[RunningMom]

Could it possibly be coming from your back?  Could you maybe have a pinced nerve from a slipped disc or maybe you have bone spurs caused by arthitis in your back as well.  Maybe you need to have an MRI of your spine just in case there is.  Usually when you have problems in the back spine, the pain travels to the legs and feet.  Anyways, it's just a thought.  Good luck and I hope you can find the cause.

[mellie4]

Great point, Sara.  My son also broke a small bone on the top of his foot and it took a while to find it.   Sprains can often be much more painful than breaks and can take longer to recover from but at this point, if it was a sprain, I'd think you'd see improvement.  There are also lots of other structures you could have injured, tendons, ligaments, and like Sara said, nerves.  Maybe you need other tests besides x-rays?  Maybe an MRI?  And what kind of doctor are you seeing and where?  Sometimes when we don't get relief from our local doctors it's a good idea to search out a specialist.  And if the local specialist doesn't help, then beyond that.  A specialist in a bigger institution, maybe a teaching hospital.

When I started having trouble with my hand, I saw an orthopedic.  I thought he was okay and he did help the pain.  Unfortunately, he probably made things worse.  He gave me many cortisone shots, which did alleviate the pain, but you're only supposed to have so many and I had many more than I should have.  As a result, the bones in my thumb joint sort of broke, shattered and crumbled a bit.  My primary care doctor suggested I see not just an orthopedic but someone specializing in hands.  That's all he does is hands.  If I had seen him at the beginning, I probably would have had a better outcome.

The hands have lots of tiny bones, vessels, ligaments, tendons and nerves, and I imagine it's the same with the feet.  You want someone who sees and deals with feet all the time; someone who may have come across something like this before.

Good luck.  I hope you'll post and let us know how things are going.  Lots of support here.  It's been a God send to me to be able to chat with people who can understand what's going on.

[Sarajmt]

I'm really sorry to hear you're in pain.  Unfortunately we're not doctors here but pain patients.  However we have some very smart members who may be able to shed light some light as to the source of your pain.

Are you certain there isn't a break in a bone in there somewhere?  There are so many tiny bones in your foot.  It took the drs 5 months to find the break in my foot. (This was many years ago.  Ended up being a sesamoid bone on the bottom of my foot.)  I'm telling you this because those breaks can be hard to find.  Or it could be some type of nerve damage.  I don't know.

My best advice is to see an orthopedic doctor.  You may wish to consider wearing an ankle brace, available at CVS, Walgreens et al.  Ice may help your swelling.  But above all try to get in to see a doctor who can diagnose.  Short of a diagnosis, you might want to see a pain management doctor.  At least they can do something to help your pain.

Please stick around and check back later and tomorrow.  I'm sure one of our member will be able to give you better advice than I.