There’s basically a doctor for every part of your body, and a place that often gets overlooked for a specialist visit is your feet.
Getting in to see a podiatrist, or foot doctor, is just as important as seeing a heart doctor so that you can maintain healthy walking for the rest of your life. This helpful guide will walk you through when it’s time to see a specialist.
1. See A Foot Doctor About Swelling
If you have recurring swelling in one foot, also called edema, swelling that doesn’t go away after a while, or swelling that comes with pain you should make an appointment to see a foot doctor.
There might be an underlying condition that you may be missing that’s being indicated by the swelling. A specialist will be able to tell you if it’s the type of shoes you’re wearing, something in your diet, or maybe something structurally wrong with your muscle, nerves, or bones.
2. Weird Toe Nails
If you look at your toe and they don’t look like regular toes you see in pedicure posters, you should see a foot doctor.
What to look out for is ingrown toenails, discolored nails, hammertoes, and toenails that are growing in at angles or maybe even not at all. These are common foot problems, especially if you’ve had trauma to your foot.
3. Experiencing Foot, Knee, and/or Hip Pain
A little known fact is that foot health leads to healthy knees and hips. If something is wrong with your foot, there are strong chances that your knees and hips will experience pain or discomfort when walking or standing.
It’s important to see a foot doctor for this, especially when you’re young, as this may be the preventative you need to prolong getting knee and hip replacements when you’re much older.
4. If You’re Diabetic
People with diabetes should definitely see a professional foot doctor. Diabetics experience all kinds of symptoms and experiences with their bodies, and maintaining leg and foot care is an important part of that.
A foot doctor will monitor the effect of your condition on your feet and suggest support options for it. This is to make sure you maintain healthy legs that are prone to common foot problems like swelling, and circulation/blood cut off which can lead to losing limbs.
5. The Doctor Says So
The most obvious of all the reasons to go see a foot doctor? Your doctor says so!
Don’t ignore the recommendations of your family doctor or other medical professionals. Their opinions and recommendations can spot things that you may not be able to detect if you’re not a medical professional yourself. Visit the doctors you are being told to see, it may save your life (and limb!).
Happy Feet Start At The Foot Doctor
We hope this guide will help you identify reasons you should seek medical attention from a foot doctor to help you with any ailments you may be suffering. Be sure to follow up on any treatment plants recommended and follow care instructions for healthy happy feet.
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