Compressive issues in the foot can be felt if you tap the top of the foot with a hard thing (like the handle of a butter knife or a wooden mixing spoon)...
If you feel zings easily in your toes/foot, some compression is happening around the ankle.
There is also a spot on the inside lower ankle:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinel_sign

Same for the hand. This is called Tinel's sign.

Compression in the spine can be from spurs, herniations, or vertebrae that have collapsed from osteoporosis.

Arthritis can compress nerves in any joint affected. This is from inflammation in general. I have some referral to my feet from my knees, and that is where I will do Lidoderms if they flare up.

Thank you so much Mrs. D!

I tried this morning the tapping of my front feet, there was no zings..

When compression happens in the spine by spurs, herniations, or vertebrae - is the pain at the back or does it have a referral to the feet?

Again, thank you.

Sometimes there is pain where the arthritis is located. Sometimes not. It depends on alot on mechanical factors.
Also some nerve paths vary from person to person genetically.
This is something I learned fairly recently while reading a medical acupuncture site. So if someone has a nerve running close to an inflamed area in a joint, they may have compressive pain from that. I only get mine in the right knee, for example.

In regards to Tinel's sign, I have it in both feet. Hence, I have to tie shoes very carefully over that area, and avoid sandals that hit that area as well. Otherwise my feet will go numb. This I believe is a hold over from my years of untreated hypothyroid.

Thank you so much Mrs. D!
I also remember you have your scar on your front foot that contributes to your feet discomfort.

When you wrote: "....hold over from years of untreated hypothyroid", what do you mean by that? Does it mean that you were not diagnosed, therefore, did not take medicine; or, you were taking medicine but did not find the appropriate brand/dosage that works for you?

How long was the "over the years of untreated hypo" for you? I had my total thyroidectomy in 2007. It took 8-9 months to stabilize my thyroid function. It was at .75mcg/Synthroid that i got it stabilized. I dont know what happened in between because I seldom get my thyroid function tested until May 2010 which was abnormal, then June 2010 - normal, then November 2011 - abnormal - till my last test of March 3, 2011 which was hyperactive. When I asked the neurologist if the hypothyroidism may be the cause of the neuropathy, he answered me that when a hypothyroidism is the cause, once its treated, the neuropathy symptoms should improve. My symptoms are not improving, and I think, its getting worse, specially in my feet.

Thank you Mrs. D for "listening" to my woes.

I had hypo I think since my pregnancy. At 34. I wasn't diagnosed until a decade later, because my blood work was confusing, and only a radio uptake scan showed a damaged gland.

My internist thinks I had it longer however.
I don't think treatment for thyroid is perfect...it is close, but the human body is very complicated and highly balanced and humans just cannot duplicate the thyroid actions well.

At least I don't have the autoantibodies, and my last test was negative for them (in Dec.). Some people do swing up and down and that may signal Hashimoto's. But then I am not an expert on this-- only just another cryptic case that eluded detection!

By the time I got Synthroid, my feet were pretty numb and my hands were moderate. It took a year, but my feet did wake up, only not 100%. I'd say I have about 10% residual numbness in the tips of 2 toes on each foot (next to the big toe). I also have arthritis and broken sesamoid bones, and the terrible scar, which now throbs some days. That took 50 yrs to manifest! It is like a blast from the past, that scar, now! This scar is S shaped, and covers 80% of the instep. It had a zillion small stitches from the plastic surgeon who did not graft skin to cover the hole left from removing the tumor, but pulled the skin over to cover instead. Said it would heal better. It was a LONG recovery I remember! I was just a 12 yr old then with lots of restrictions etc. It is a difficult place to fix. The magnesium lotion stops it from throbbing which seems to happen when I go to bed at night. During the day it stings some depending on the shoe I might have on. Last 3 days that foot has been swelling again. sigh.

Thank you for sharing with me your thyroid related h ealth issue. I am glad that you have partially "fixed" the numbness in your feet. I am also negative for autoantibodies from result of February 2012.

I will see an endocrinologist tomorrow. Hopefully, he can help me find the right dosage.
Meantime, I will do the soaking with epsom salt 2x a day.

Thank you.

I started with Hyperthroid (Graves Disease) about 15 years ago. I was unaware I had this disease. My internist did a general blood test and unknown to me; added throid testing.

My doctor called me and asked if I was aware of having this disease because I had not complained of symptoms. I had issues..difficulty climbing stairs, stooping to do the vacuum, started loosing some hair; but attributed a lot of this to getting older. I was sent to an Endocronologist and was treated with tapazole for a few years. Then went into remission for a couple of years. My endo, has me come in every 4 to 6 mos for blood work testing the throid. Eventually, I went into Hypotroidism about 8 years ago.

I am still Hypothroid and take Syntroid every a.m. without food. I will likely stay this way. My next appointment with the endo is in 6 mos. This is the longest he will go without testing my throid.This is very important in order to maintain the correct med dosage.

Thanks once again, Mrs. D. regarding the need to take the magnesium; especially since I am taking the Furosemide. The spironolactone is suppose to help maintain the potassium while still being a diuretic.

(Ger)