What Conditions Can Podiatrists Treat?

Updated on August 26, 2020

Many foot conditions are left unnoticed until they develop serious issues that affect your daily routine. Your feet are the primary reason that enables you to stand straight and do activities like running, walking, or jumping. It’s a flexible frame of soft tissues, muscles, joints, and bones. 

There are three sections of your feet, the hindfoot(forms your ankle and heels), midfoot(the pyramid-like bone collections), and forefoot (contains the toes—phalanges and five longer bones—metatarsals). 

Ligaments, tendons, and muscles run along your feet’s surface, enabling complex movements ideal for balance and motion. When a person feels discomfort on their feet, it’s essential to monitor, and if it persists or affects your routine, it’s time to pay a visit to a podiatrist. In this instance, Essex Union Podiatry from New Jersey is an excellent choice for all your feet-problems. They have a friendly staff that will assist you from consultations, treatments, recovery, and everything you ever need to get back on your feet once again. 

If you’ve never heard or are not familiar with what a podiatrist can treat, read along as we breakdown every bit and piece related to one of the essential parts of your body, your feet. 

What’s A Podiatrist?

A podiatrist is a well-trained and certified foot doctor that helps with issues affecting your lower legs and feet. They are well-experienced with complications from your on-going health problems such as diabetes or treat injuries related to your feet. Also known as doctors of podiatric medicine (DPM). 

You’ll easily differentiate a podiatrist from other physicians as they have the DPM initials in their names. A chiropodist is what they’re previously addressed and still used. 

Chiropodists are doctors. However, they never went to traditional med schools. They have independent professional associations and schools. They can perform surgeries, prescribe medications, reset deformity from broken bones, and ask for x-rays or lab tests. 

They can work hand-in-hand with other specialists as long as it’s related to the lower leg, ankle, or feet. They are licensed and are regulated by the state governments in the US. 

What Medical Conditions Does Podiatrist Treats?

If you are feeling discomfort with your lower leg or feet, consulting a podiatrist is essential. When you first meet a podiatrist, they will ask for a thorough medical history, which helps them identify the potential cause of the issue from your concern, which leads to current leg or foot problems.

Here’s a complete list of medical conditions that a podiatrist can treat:

Nail disorders

This includes nail infections from fungus or ingrown toenails when the side or corner of your nails grows into the toe instead of growing straight out. 

Arthritis

The result of swelling, inflammation, and wear and tear of your joints. Your feet have 33 bones alone. A podiatrist can recommend medications, physical therapy, or special inserts or shoes to help manage and treat arthritis. In case other treatments don’t work with your condition, then surgery may be recommended.  

Diabetes 

Diabetes is the condition where your body doesn’t use insulin properly or is not producing insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps the body digest sugar. Diabetes can be a severe condition that can damage the nerves on your feet and legs. The disease affects the proper circulation of blood to your feet. 

It’s a severe medical condition that sometimes can lead to complications that affect your lower leg. More than 65,000 people need to have a foot amputation because of diabetes. A podiatrist can prevent this scenario. If you have diabetes, then it’s best to check a sore or callus with a specialist.  

Growing pains 

If you notice your child’s feet look flat, growing inwards, or the toe doesn’t line up right, then visiting a podiatrist can help. The specialist can recommend insoles, braces, specific exercises, and even surgery to correct disorders. 

Heel pains 

Heel spurs are the common culprit associated with heel pains due to calcium buildup at the bottom of the heel bone. This can be developed from ill-fitted shoes, overweight, or running. 

Hammertoes and bunions

These are bone problems on your foot. When the joint at the base of your big toe is knocked out or grows more significant, it’s called bunions. It makes the toe bends to the direction of the other toes. Hammertoe, on the other hand, is when your toe bends the wrong way. 

Sprains and fractures

Podiatrists commonly treat regular injuries associated with the ankle and feet. They work with sports medicine to treat athletes with problems with their feet and provide information on how to avoid the issue. 

Morton’s neuroma 

Morton’s neuroma is a nerve issue that affects the third and fourth bones of your foot, which can feel like burning, pain, or discomfort that something is inside your shoe. Overpronation and tight shoes can make this problem worse. A podiatrist can provide inflammation shots to reduce pain and help you find a suitable orthopedic to your condition.  

Conclusion

Even if you’re not feeling discomfort or pain in your feet, it’s essential to visit podiatrist once in a while. That way, you can prevent any possible toe, foot, or nail disorder. They are foot specialists dedicated and trained to make sure that your feet are healthy and always in good condition.

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