Your feet take quite a pounding -; literally. It’s inevitable that your feet will one day need the attention of a podiatrist, or a doctor that specializes in taking care of feet, ankles and nails. Here are tips on how to know when you need to see a Podiatrists Fort Kenosha, WI area.
Pain That Will Not Go Away
If you have foot or ankle pain that just will not go away and you have had your family practice doctor look at your problems, you need a specialist. There are many different reasons for chronic foot or ankle pain, including a new injury after food surgery, tarsal tunnel syndrome, poor footwear or birth defects in the feet that cause pain.
Plantar Warts
Plantar warts in the bottom of the feet can be very painful. Podiatrists can often remove the ingrown warts in their office. There are a variety of methods used to eliminate warts, including opening up the skin and using extreme cold to burn the wart off. Since all warts are caused by a virus, you may have to go on a round of anti-viral medications.
Sores That Never Heal
The feet are easy targets for all sorts of minor wounds, whether you walk barefoot or not. If it’s been weeks and your wound has not closed or just will not heal, get medical help as soon as possible. The more your skin is open the more likely that you will get a nasty internal infection. If you have diabetes, consider this an emergency. The wound needs treatment or you could risk losing your foot.
Weirdly Colored Foot
Usually your feet should be the same color and size. If one foot is noticeably different this could be a sign of a severe medical problem. If one foot suddenly has noticeable larger or deeply colored veins, get it checked out. If one foot becomes pale white, this could be a sign of circulation problems. If you have a mole on your foot or ankle that suddenly changes color or grows, it could be the sign of cancer. Get medical attention right away.
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