When Do You Need to Consult a Podiatrist?

We tend to take our feet for granted. But when you experience a problem with one of your feet, you certainly know about it! Maybe you’re experiencing pain when you put your shoes on, or perhaps walking is becoming more uncomfortable than it should. You might have a vague idea that something’s wrong, but you may not be able to work out exactly what.

 Corns and verrucas on the ball of the foot, for instance, can look quite similar and an ill-advised attempt to treat the problem yourself with medication bought off the shelf at the chemist might not get to the root of the problem!

 With the right diagnosis and a treatment plan tailored to match your condition and your lifestyle, an experienced chiropodist can have you pain-free and back to normal without any of the guesswork.

Do You Have Any of These Symptoms?

Here are some of the most obvious conditions we see every day at our podiatry clinic.

• Ingrown Toenail. This is most commonly seen in the big toe, although others may be affected. The time to seek professional help, if not before, is if your toe is warm to the touch, is red and/ or swollen or is leaking pus. If the nail is severely ingrown, minor surgery to remove all or part of the nail may be necessary.
• Discoloured toenails. Your toenails may change colour – going yellowish, your nails may thicken and in some cases, you may feel pain in your toes. This is a sign that you may have a nail fungal infection. It’s not caused by poor hygiene, although looking after your feet can help prevent fungal infections. Treatments include topical creams or gels, or sometimes oral medications can be prescribed by a doctor. Seek a podiatrist’s advice, especially if you suffer from a weakened immune system or diabetes, as the complications can be serious.
• A cut, sore or wound on your foot that will not heal. If not addressed, this could lead to a more serious skin infection, ulcers or even infection of the bone beneath (known as osteomyelitis). It is particularly important to check your feet regularly for issues like this if you have been diagnosed with diabetes. That’s because sufferers of this condition can have poor circulation and nerve damage (neuropathy), which results in loss of feeling, so you might not notice before the cut worsens.

Other Symptoms That Should Be Checked Out

Alongside the very visible conditions mentioned above, there are also some general symptoms that you might not think of bothering a podiatrist with – but you should!

• For example, if you have persistent pain in your feet or lower legs, don’t just put it down to tiredness. Ask your podiatrist what might be causing it.

• Any rashes, swellings, lumps or redness should also be checked out. In most cases, there’s a specific reason why and treatment is needed.

• Do you suffer from bad foot odour? Don’t suffer in silence, because your podiatrist can get to the root of the problem.
• Finally, have you started tripping or falling? Are your usual shoes suddenly uncomfortable to wear? Again, a podiatrist with plenty of experience, like ours at Pantiles Podiatry, can assess the situation, diagnose any problems and suggest a plan of action to get you back to normal.