How to Diagnose Chronic Headache & Foot Pain

Some ailments occur simultaneously for no reason. However, in some cases two ailments occurring simultaneously for a long time can be an indicator of a serious medical condition. Individuals suffering from chronic headache and foot pain could have Felty syndrome, lead poisoning, hypoparathyroidism, anemia, Woodhouse-Sakati syndrome or exposure to harmful chemicals. But these symptoms also can be signs of alcohol abuse or simple injuries.

Things You'll Need

• Blood test
• Urine test

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Instructions

• 1

  Keep track of how often you drink alcoholic beverages. Alcohol abuse can cause headache and foot pain simultaneously.

• 2

  Look for signs of malaise, joint pain, weight loss and exhaustion. You might be suffering from Felty syndrome, which is associated with long-term rheumatoid arthritis.

• 3

  Consider talking to your doctor about hypoparathyroidism if you have short stature or suffer from a mental disability in addition to chronic headache and food pain. Hypoparathyroidism, which is a condition in which hormones are produced at very small levels, can cause foot pain and headaches.

• 4

  Look for injuries. Pain and swelling caused by an injury on the foot can also lead to headaches.

• 5

  Get a blood and urine test to check for high lead. Lead poisoning can lead to chronic headache and foot pain.

• 6

  Get tested for anemia. One version of anemia, called pernicious anemia, can cause headache and foot pain.

• 7

  Ask your doctor about Zalcitabine if you have taken it. In addition to increasing the chances of cancer, Zalcitabine can cause headache and foot pain. Zalcitabine is an antiretroviral virus drug.

• 8

  Look for signs of fatigue, shortness of breath and pallor. Patients with sickle cell anemia can also develop chronic headache and foot pain.

• 9

  Find out if you have been exposed to thalidomide as an infant. Infants exposed to thalidomide might not only develop ear abnormalities, shortened limbs, intestinal problems and eye defects but also might suffer from chronic headache and foot pain.

• 10

  Talk to your doctor about Woodhouse-Sakati syndrom if you are suffering from deafness, diabetes, hypogonadism and mental retardation. These are all signs of Woodhouse-Sakati syndrome, which can also cause headaches and foot pain.