Few body parts bear such consistent daily punishment as the humble foot. This pedestrian appendage carries the weight of the human body day after day, mile upon mile. When nerve damage affects the foot, it can hamper mobility by causing pain and muscle weakness. A number of factors can cause damage to the nerves of the foot.
Degenerative Disc Disease
Sometimes nerve pain is referred to the feet from other areas of the body. In degenerative disc disease, the cartilaginous discs that provide cushioning between the vertebrae of the spine can erode to the point where they herniate and place pressure on the nerves roots of the spinal cord. Dr. Grant Cooper, a physiatrist with the Princeton Spine and Joint Center, explains that degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine can cause nerve pain that radiate into the feet.
Metabolic and Endocrine Disorders
Diseases that originate throughout the body can injure the nervous system and affect the feet. FamilyDoctor.org explains that diabetes mellitus is a major cause of peripheral nerve damage, meaning damage to the nerves that exist beyond the brain and spinal cord. Damage to the nerves of the foot can deaden the diabetic's ability to feel pain in the appendage, thus increasing the chance that small wounds may go unnoticed and become seriously infected. Gangrene and amputation are some of the worst case outcomes in cases where diabetes has lead to nerve damage in the foot. Kidney disorders, liver disease and hormonal imbalances can also cause nerve damage that affects the feet.
Infectious Disorders
Pathogens such as viruses and bacteria can damage nerves. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke notes that HIV infection often first manifests as symptoms of rapidly growing nerve pain in the feet and hands. Many other infectious diseases have been linked to nerve damage, including Lyme disease, shingles and Epstein-Barr virus.
Trauma
More commonly than any other cause, physical injury can create nerve damage. NINDS notes that sports related injuries, falls or automotive accidents can result in damage to the nerves where they exit the spine, or broken bones elsewhere in the body that can cause nerve damage. Trauma to the nerves anywhere along their path from the spinal cord to the foot can result in damage that causes symptoms of pain, numbness or muscle weakness.
