Podiatric Care 101: When Do You Need A Foot Doctor?

Walking daily for work or any activity you are into can cause foot problems. Whether you run or walk for a long time, your feet might feel pain. Experiencing foot problems means talking to a professional foot doctor cypress is needed to get the right foot and ankle care treatment.

Foot problems that need a foot doctor

Foot or heel pain

You must see a podiatrist if your foot or heel is in pain. Foot and heel pain causes several reasons, including:

• injuries
• overuse
• medical conditions, such as:
  • plantar fasciitis
  • heel spurs
  • Achilles tendonitis
  • arthritis

A foot doctor can diagnose the cause of foot or heel pain as it recommends appropriate treatment, which includes:

• stretching exercises
• physical therapy
• medication
• custom orthotics

Foot and ankle injuries

Foot and ankle injuries can cause a variety of activities, such as:

• sports
• exercise
• simply walking

Foot and ankle injuries are painful and can lead to sprains and fractures. The podiatrist diagnoses the period of the injury and offers the right treatment, including:

• immobilization
• physical therapy
• non-surgical treatments
• surgery in severe cases

Hammer toe

Hammer toe is when the toe bends downward. The second toe is the most affected, and the deformity happens in other toes, too. Sometimes, more than one toe is affected.

Bunions

Bunions are skinny bumps formed at the base of the big toe that causes the toe to bend towards the other toes. The condition is painful to wear the shoes. The podiatrist provides advice on managing bunions, which includes:

• wearing special shoes
• using orthotics
• bunionectomy

Ingrown toenails

Ingrown toenails happen when an edge of the toenail grows in the skin, causing:

• pain
• redness
• swelling

If it is left untreated, the ingrown toenails lead to infection. The foot doctor removes the ingrown part of the nail and how to keep it from happening again.

Flat feet

When the arch of the foot collapses, it is called flat feet. It causes the entire foot to touch the ground. Flat feet cause pain, which can lead to some foot problems. The podiatrist diagnoses and treats flat feet with the following:

• orthotics
• physical therapy
• other treatments

Fungal toenail infections

The feet can experience fungal toenail infections. The foot condition is unsightly and caused the nails to become like these:

• thick
• discolored
• brittle

Fungal toenail infections can be difficult to treat with other OTC remedies. The foot doctor diagnoses and treats fungal toenail infections with:

• prescription medications
• laser therapy
• other treatments

When you experience foot and ankle pain or discomfort, consider seeing a foot doctor to help address the problem.