The foot and all the muscles/tendons around it can be a challenge to figure out.....unless you're a foot profession/physical therapist. You can have a pain at one end of your foot, and its caused from something at the other end (or even a shortened calf muscle). I fear you just haven't seen the right doctor yet. My experience with podiatrists has run the continuum from totally useless to absolutely a miracle worker......so don't give up hope. You just have to keep looking. I personally have found podiatrists to be much better than orthopedic docs. I don't know why. Don't give up. I spent quite a while in total pain, unable to hardly walk (with plantar fasciitis), and once I found the right podiatrist, he fixed it. I was finally pain free! It included a steroid injection to start with, and then custom inlays that I wore all day, every day. I eventually didn't need them anymore. You might also have to be on NSAIDS for awhile, if you can tolerate them. Good luck to you!

Hi mzmint, I'm glad you wrote again, since I have some questions. I've had so many foot problems in my life. Recently, a new one started up. I had intense stinging in my toes. I couldn't even walk. I have a wonderful podiatrist, who has always cured my problems, but he moved too far away. I foung an ortho doc who specializes in foot and ankle problems. He said I didn't have a neuroma, and sent me to PT for a generic inlay with a little pad under my metatarsal area. That helps a little. Then, a few weeks later, I developed horrible pain and stiffness in my metatarsal area. I limped badly. I went back to him and he took more xrays, offered neurontic, and that was it. I talked him into custom orthotics, since I thought the generic ones weren't working well. I got the $275 custom orthotics, and 4-5 days after starting to wear them, my knees hurt so bad I am actually using a cane part of the time! (I had knee surgery in July). So I've spent close to $1,000 at this doc's, and I'm worse than when I started! My question for you is: Did you doc actually feel a neuroma, or did he just go on symptoms? You mentioned some spenco pads you are wearing. Could you please explain to me where you put them on your feet? I truly feel this doctor, even though he's highly respected, is just not doing much for my feet. He wanted to give me the drug Neurontin. It ticked me off, since he hadn't really dealt with inlays well enough first. Anyhow....please let me know how you use your pads. Thanks!

It could be a bruise, could also be a cracked bone. My X-ray vision is in the shop being fixed, so only a real x-ray machine can tell what it is.

Hi Catherinet. Do you take prescription meds or use herbs? If you do, research the side effects. Some such as chol. meds can cause leg pain. I have Rh. arthritis and have a lot of knee and leg pain, which seems more irritating at night when I'm still and trying to sleep. My girlfriend has fibrom. as well, and also has a lot of stiffness and pain in her legs. We both take Epsom Salts soak in warm tub before bed. You can also make a paste and put it directly on those achey areas, which works even better. Have you noticed the pain is worse during times of stress? Those times are particularly painful. You might also take note of when you have these episodes. Mine is much worse when I've been on my legs that day. I also get some relief by doing gentle stretches before getting into bed. Try leaning your hands against a wall and stretching your leg (one at a time) behind and press down your heel to the floor. It's a good calf stretch. Also, while lying in bed, I bend my lower leg back at the knee and grab my foot, which stretches the upper quad muscle. This one hurts my knees a little if I pull too hard. Hope that helps. :)