5 Signs you need to visit a Foot and Ankle Doctor

We rely on our feet and ankles to stand, walk, run, jump, pretty much all movement. Often, we stop to think about our feet only when we begin to experience discomfort or pain in the feet or suffer an injury. Even a small bump on the big toe can impact your balance and movement. To keep your feet and ankles healthy and pain-free, you should see a foot and ankle doctor or a podiatrist regularly.

If you are still not sure when to visit a podiatrist, watch out for these signs.

Foot Pain

Foot pain can be caused due to many reasons, ranging from flat feet to conditions, like Plantar Fasciitis. Regardless of what is causing your foot pain, you should see a podiatrist to seek treatment and care that can bring you relief.

Your podiatrist will check your feet, lifestyle, medical history, and symptoms to accurately diagnose your foot condition. They will then design a treatment plan specifically for you. Treatment options could include physical therapy, custom orthotics, medication, or other treatments.

Corns and Calluses

Your foot skin could thicken in patches due to ill-fitting footwear or an underlying condition, such as bunions (bone protrusions on the side of the big toe). This leads to corns and calluses, which should to be trimmed and the underlying issue should be treated. Bunions are not only painful but they can also affect your balance. Some bunions may require surgical removal.

Ingrown Toenails

You may think you can ignore an ingrown toenail or take it out yourself. However, it requires special skill to trim a toenail so that it doesn’t grow further into the skin or lead to complications in the future. An ingrown nail can hurt the surrounding tissues and cause a great deal of pain. In some cases, an ingrown nail can get infected. Always seea podiatrist to have ingrown nails treated.

Pain in the joints

If the joints in your feet or ankles are painful, swollen, or stiff, it could be the result of an infection or arthritis. Such issues must be resolved sooner than later. Any infections can spread rapidly, causing greater complications and osteoarthritis symptoms usually worsen with time. Left untreated, these conditions may require invasive treatments later.

Numbness and Tingling

Numbness and tingling indicate peripheral nerve damage. If a person has type 2 diabetes, they are at great risk of nerve damage, especially in the legs and feet. Podiatrists are experts in diabetic foot care and can help you prevent complications that result from nerve damage.

If you are looking for the best foot doctor or foot orthotics treatment in Phoenix and Scottsdale, AZ, call Oasis Foot and Ankle Center at 602-993-2700 right away.

About This Author

oasisfootankle Joined: June 25th, 2018