4 Times To See A Foot Specialist For Help With A Foot Condition

Foot problems are fairly common. After all, your feet carry a lot of weight and are in use many hours of the day. Plus, you may subject them to tight shoes, high heels, and running long distances before your feet are ready. You don't always need to see a foot specialist when you have a foot problem, but here are four times it's a good idea to let a podiatrist check your feet and provide treatment.

1. When You Have A Persistent Fungal Infection

Fungal infections, especially ones under your toenail, can be hard to get rid of. If you've tried over-the-counter toenail fungus treatments and your toe isn't getting any better, see a foot specialist for help. They may prescribe medication for you to take, or even suggest surgery to remove the nail.

2. When You Have Foot Or Ankle Pain

Foot and ankle injuries often heal on their own given enough rest and time. However, when you have pain that doesn't show signs of getting better, it's a good idea to see a foot specialist. You could have a fracture or stress fracture you don't know about.

Many things cause foot and ankle pain, so getting a diagnosis is an important step for healing. Your doctor might need to prescribe orthotics to help your pain or send you to physical therapy to stretch or strengthen muscles in your foot. If you just ignore foot or ankle pain, your condition might get worse, and that might even leave you with chronic pain or put you at risk of a foot injury.

3. An Ingrown Toenail Is Painful Or Infected

If you pick at your toenails, you may get ingrown nails occasionally. You can usually treat these at home and just wait for the nail to grow back out. However, if the nail gets infected or if the ingrown nail is embedded in your flesh, you might need treatment from a foot specialist. It's worth a trip to the doctor to get relief from the constant pain associated with a bad ingrown nail.

4. When Your Toes Take On A Deformed Shape

The shape of your toes can change if you develop a bunion or hammertoe. Sometimes the deformity can be reversed if it's caught early. Other times, you may need surgery to correct the problem.

Problems like these with toes are often the result of wearing high heels all the time that have tight toe areas. When your toes are constantly squeezed together, it affects the joints in your toes. These toe conditions can be painful, but even if they're not, the problems can get worse if they're not corrected early.

To have your feet examined, contact a foot specialist in your area.