4 Conditions That May Require A Visit To A Podiatrist

Keeping your feet in the best condition possible is critical to your well-being. Staying active and mobile will allow you to get to where you need to go and enjoy life better. However, there are times when problems can occur with your feet and knowing when you should see a podiatrist, a person who specializes in caring for your feet, is important.

Painful joints

If you begin to experience joint pain in your either your feet or ankles, you may have arthritis. This can be a painful condition that may worsen over time due to inflammation.

Your podiatrist may be able to advise some type of treatment to allow you to deal with this problem better on a daily basis.

Diabetes

If you've been diagnosed with diabetes, this can be a challenging medical condition to treat. You may need to take medication to help keep it under control, as this condition can also negatively affect your feet.

It's common for diabetics to experience some of the foot conditions listed below:

1. Tingling or numbness in the feet on a regular basis.

2.  Loss of feeling in the feet for an extended amount of time.

3.  Decreased circulation in the feet that could cause slower healing times if the feet are injured.

Athlete's Foot

If you have a skin infection that doesn't get better quickly on its own, this may be athlete's foot. This condition is typically caused by walking barefoot in contaminated areas such as gym locker rooms.

Some of the common symptoms of this condition include itching, burning and scaling of the feet. This can be painful, and it's ideal to see a podiatrist for antifungal medications that will speed up the healing time.

Corns

Hardened areas of the toes may become painful and will usually require professional treatment. These are referred to as corns or calluses and may appear over time. Some of the most common symptoms of this condition include a bump on the skin and a dry patch in this area, as well as tenderness.

The best way to treat corns is by using medicated products that use the right amount of chemicals to assist in decreasing the size of the corn quickly.

The benefits of seeing a podiatrist include getting the best possible care and having your feet problem diagnosed and treated promptly.  Be sure to take the time to see a foot doctor in your area, such as those at Advanced Foot Clinic, for the best results.