Hello all!

HOPEFULLY someone can give me some insight! I have had left ankle/topical foot swelling for about 2 years. For the most part, no pain. I have seen 3 foot Dr.s, a Cardiologist, had an MRI, a 2 Urologists, a Neurologist, family Dr., an OBGYN, a Chiropractor and no one can figure out as to why I have ankle puffiness. You can still see the ankle bone, but you can definatley see a difference between my two ankles. Sometime if I wear sandals that have a heel or no heel, you can see on the top of my foot where that sandal came to as you will see a dent and puffiness across my foot. my shin seems to be a little tender at times, and if you press on the ball of my foot, I do have pain then.

when I sit at the computer (as I am now) for too long, my left foot wilk start to go to sleep. I do have chronic low back pain (pretty bad I might add) and a pinched nerve on the left side of my neck that I can not get to go away. I can tell you that my mattress (2-3 years old) is horrible. It's a sealy posturpedic and I wake up in back pain EVERYDAY! (Can't afford a new one.)

Can someone tell me what kind of Dr. to see? I think I've been through them all. I have seen a Chiropractor for a short time but couldn't ever get low back to pop. Can anyone relate? I am in my early 40's and hopefully, walking on a treadmill will not cause anymore problems with this. I haven't gotten the treadmill yet. Oh, I forgot to mention that I do have sciatica on my left side from time to time. I appreciate any help on this!

I don't know what to tell you able the foot swelling, you have seen a ton of doctors and none have been able to come to any conclusion. You mentoned you had an MRI, MRI of what, the foot and ankle? When I had mysterious swelling of my ankle, my podiatrist diagnosed it, confirmed w/ an MRI that I had at sometime previously blown a tendon in my ankle, and my shin splints were caused by my compensating for the missing tendon.

Maybe someone else has another idea for you. Good Luck!

I had an MRI on the foot and ankle. Here is what it said: Findings: There is mild degenerative arthrosis of the first metatarsophalangeal joint as well as the first metatarsal sesamoid articulation and there is elevated STIR signal within the medial (tibial) sesamoid, without evidense or cortical collapse. These findings are compatible with sesamoiditis or avasular necrosis. The lateral (fibular) sesamoid is normal and there is no evidence of plantar plate injury. The flexor and extensor tendons are normal. No evidense of fracture. there is fluid within the intermetatarsal bursae of the first, second, and third interspaces.

Impression: Dengerative changes within the first metatarsophalangeal joint without evidence od sesamoiditis.

Intermetatarsal bursitis

I have asked NUMEROUS PEOPLE to translate this, including nurses and no one seems to give me a compound answer. Can someone make sense of this because at this point, I don't know what kind of Dr. to see because evidentally, the foot Dr. says it's not his area that something else is causing it and that's what I have been trying to figure out....what else in the body could cause on ankle/foot to swell? I do notice that when sitting on a hard chair, my foot will go to sleep...can that cause it to swell? Can chronic back pain? Can a pinched nerve? I just don't have a clue. By the way, this report was dated in 2004. Thanks everyone!!!

I am far from being an expert, but all I get out of your MRI finding is that they found arthritis and bursitis. The severity of the bursitis can cause swelling and pain. I suppose if the swelling is severe enough it could push on nerves and cause that "fall asleep" feeling. Have you ever tried wearing support stockings to help with the swelling? Foot Bursitis is often treated by DPMs with injections of steroids.

Wishing you the best.

so you are saying that by what the report says about the Bursitis, it is severe enough to cause swelling? I have tried to elevate, ice, heat, stockings...nothing seems to help. I have a hot tub, but I'm not sure if that is good for it or not. I also like to walk on my treadmill, but I don't know if that would be a good thing or not. My diet is by far not the best. I love junk food and don't eat an enormous amount of salt, but I do like salty things and I know I don't drink enough water. Not sure if any of that could contribute but no one ever said how this diagnosis could have happened, so I am at zero in knowing what to do. Thanks for your reply!:wave:

Depending on your relationship with your family doctor, you might want to show him/her the MRI report and ask about taking an anti-inflamatory to see if helps, that will take some time to "kick" in. It might be a start.

mmmmm...Not sure if I want to mask the problem so much as I want to find its cause. I wouldn't think swelling is a normal part of aging..maybe it is, I did read somewhere to where hormones can be a cause, but I'm not sure I understand that theory esp. in one foot/ankle. But thanks, I may never find out the cause of this thing.:wave:

There may be no other cause then getting older, you might be looking for something that really is not there. I was in my 30's when my doc's started talking about arthritis in my feet from injuries. I looked at them bewildered because it wasn't bothering me. We are incredibly hard on our feet and often take them for granted. If an anti-inflamatory helps, then arthritis/bursitis is the root of the problem - it happens. Good luck with what ever you decide to do.

Thank You. I am giving a doctor that I saw 2 years ago this week. He told me back then to come back when I had more swelling. I think I can humor him now! Thanks again!

Hey Eko...well, I went to see a vein Dr. today and he assured me that my veins were functioning normally. He said that the only other thing that he could think of is to get a blood test to check the liver and the kidneys. Well, I went to get a copy of my last two blood work ups and both of them (2004 and 2005) both showed the kidneys and liver to be fine and I was dealing with this swelling back then as well. So, I'm not sure if I really need to do it again. I asked him if there was any possibility that it could be some type of cancer that would cause this and he didn't think so, but, it is just driving me crazy! I know this is not normal, but yet, no one can find anything or we're all just looking in the wrong place which I think that could be a possibility too but I just don't know where to go to next. Uggggghhh!:dizzy: