When to Go to Urgent Care vs. the Emergency Room
An urgent care is not a replacement for an emergency room visit if your condition is serious or...
By: Reliant Urgent Care Apr 24, 2020 3:20:44 AM
Podiatry is a medical specialty focused on issues affecting the feet, ankles, and lower legs. A podiatrist can treat existing issues or help people prevent problems. During a podiatry visit, a podiatrist will examine your foot and may check your gait (the way you walk), your range of motion, and the fit of your shoes. Podiatrists treat a number of illnesses and injuries and may prescribe treatment using medication, orthotics, physical or occupational therapy, cryotherapy, or surgery.
Podiatrists are known as “doctors of podiatric medicine” (DPM). They complete medical training separately from medical doctors (MDs) at a specialized four-year podiatry school, followed by a three-year residency, and they must be licensed in the state they practice.
You have more than two dozen bones in your feet, making up a quarter of all the bones in your body. Your feet keep you balanced and support all your weight. It’s no wonder that seemingly small foot problems can take you out—and they can be very common.
Here are some of the most common foot-related problems:
Some health conditions increase the likelihood or severity of foot-related issues. One of the major risk factors for foot problems is diabetes. Diabetes can cause problems with blood flow to the feet and legs, damaging nerves and leading to serious complications. If you have diabetes, paying attention to your foot care and foot health is very important. Without treatment, diabetes complications can become severe, even leading to amputation.
Arthritis is joint inflammation, which can cause pain and stiffness. Because there are 33 joints in each foot, arthritis is a common cause of foot and ankle pain. A podiatrist can help care for arthritis of the foot or ankle, using treatments ranging from medication, orthotics, or even surgery.
Some other health conditions that can increase the risk of foot-related problems include:
The health of your feet is related to your overall mobility and balance. If you ignore feet-related problems, it could lead to issues in your legs or back, or put you more at risk for falls. Also, problems with your feet may indicate undiagnosed conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, liver disease, thyroid issues, or circulation problems. Getting checked out by a podiatrist for your foot issue is a good first step, as a podiatrist can help address symptoms in your feet and refer you to further screening or testing for underlying conditions.
You may want to contact a podiatrist for an appointment if you have foot or ankle pain, toenail discoloration or pain, warts, corns, bunions, or cracked or scaling skin.
Some foot injuries may require urgent care, including fractures, sprains, or other injuries resulting from trauma. If not treated properly, a foot injury can lead to permanent deformity, early development of arthritis, infection, poor blood flow to the foot, or, in some of the most serious cases, amputation.
Contact a podiatrist for an urgent appointment if your symptoms include:
If you have diabetes, it’s especially important to pay attention to foot problems and it may be a good idea to see a podiatrist right away even for issues such as calluses, cracked toenails or cracked skin, foot pain, numbness, unpleasant foot smell, calf pain, or after a minor foot injury. Any of these may lead to serious diabetic foot complications and may require urgent care with a podiatrist
Healthy feet are not a luxury—they’re a necessity. We use our feet a lot, so mild pain or discomfort in the feet is not unusual, but if you have persistent or severe foot problems, it’s important to seek medical help.
An urgent care is not a replacement for an emergency room visit if your condition is serious or...
An alternative to an emergency room, urgent care is a walk-in clinic that...
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