Podiatry Clinic: Exploring Foot Ailments and Importance of Foot Health
The health of the feet greatly impacts a person’s overall health because of the simple fact that the feet carry the entire weight of the body. As each foot and ankle is comprised of a combination of a large number of bones, joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments, chances are very high of having an issue in this area, even for a person with average health condition. While a number of issues can crop up inside, ingrowth of nails and formation of corns, calluses, bunions etc., are some of the possible ailments that can affect the foot from outside. With advanced medical care nowadays, a number of preventative measures can be taken to avoid a lot of complications in the feet and ankle area, thanks to the services of podiatry clinic. Consultants for this area, who are also known as podiatrists offer treatment for various progressed ailments as well as guidance on preventive measures that can be taken to avoid difficulties.
If there is any discomfort experienced in the feet and ankle area, consultation with a podiatrist to find the root cause of the issue is highly recommended.
At any standard podiatry clinic, a range of foot problems can be treated, such as:
- Plantar fasciitis characterized by chronic heel pain.
- Shin bone pain
- Achilles’ tendonitis
- Dysfunction of the posterior tibia tendon
- Morton’s Neuroma or forefoot pain
- Nerve pain
- Fracture management
- Ingrowth of toenails and fungal nails
- Muscle tightness, loss of balance and weakness in foot
- Bunion
- Plantar warts
- Pediatric foot problems
Almost every podiatry clinic nowadays has certified and trained podiatrists who are experienced well to treat various foot problems. Some of the foot conditions that may be related to chronic ailments that need attention from a podiatrist are:
#1. Diabetes:
Diabetic patients are very susceptible to infections that take very long to heal. If ignored for long, these might turn into gangrene and lead to removal of tissues or sometimes amputation. For this reason, patients with diabetes should take good care of their foot health.
#2. Athlete’s foot:
This is a fungal infection that develops between the toes that might be contagious in nature. This infection creates much irritation and makes the skin white and if goes untreated for long, might turn serious. A visit to the podiatry clinic is necessary in these cases where the consultant will prescribe antifungal medications and preventive measures like keeping the foot clean and wearing clean cotton socks.
#3. Foot swelling and lumps formation:
Painful lumps appearing in the foot that gradually increase in size indicate that it might be a tumor or a cyst. Though tumors are not very common in the foot area, but chances of occurrence cannot be ruled out completely. If there is a swelling in one of the feet, it might be a sign of an infection, a broken bone or a ruptured tendon.
#4. Discoloration of feet
In normal conditions, both the feet should have the same skin tone. If there is discoloration noticed in one of the feet, t might be a sign of a vein problem which is a matter of concern. In case of such color transformations, one should immediately consult a podiatry clinic.
The foot is often the most ignored part of the body and most people do not realize the importance of it until some kind of discomfort arises in this part of the body. Foot problems are normal, especially with older generations. Sometimes foot problems also occur due to a chronic health condition like diabetes arthritis which is not so age dependent illnesses. In such cases, regular consultations with a podiatry clinic might prove to be beneficial as an expert podiatrist can guide the patient on effective treatment options.