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4 Definite Signs That You Should Visit Your Podiatrist

Despite being one of the most sedentary populations in human history, Australians still put their feet through a lot. It shouldn't be a surprise that things often go wrong with people's feet, they carry an entire human around for hours every day; that's pretty incredible! But when something does go wrong, how can you tell whether to go to a podiatrist, a GP, or to just walk it off? Below are some definite signs that you should pay your podiatrist a visit.

Nail Fungus

Often being pretty ugly, and potentially worsening, you shouldn't feel alone if you're in a rush to get rid of a nail fungus. With almost every job in Australia requiring its participants to wear shoes, creating the perfectly warm, humid environment for toenail fungi, an infection can be pretty persistent, and therefore almost always requires treatment. Technology has come a long way since the occupation of podiatry began, so you can put away that archaic antifungal cream. Most podiatrists can now offer laser treatments for problems like onychomycosis, a common fungal infection of the toenail. This laser treatment can destroy nail fungus via the creation of a controlled, persistent heat.

Bent Toes

If one or more of your toes seem bent in the middle joint, you may be suffering from a common problem called hammertoe, or contracted toe. Often harmless, hammertoe is, in the majority of cases, caused by wearing ill-fitting shoes or high-heels excessively. A trained podiatrist can quickly diagnose and assess your particular problem and offer both surgical and non-surgical solutions.

Sore Feet

Whether your feet are sore from walking around all day, or just from wearing shoes while sitting, a podiatrist can help. Offering solutions to your problem such as custom made, expertly fitted orthotic inserts, chances are your issues are completely avoidable. Whether you have postural, ankle, or general foot problems, or just get sore heels from standing all day, utilising technology such as 3D laser scanning, an experienced podiatrist can design and produce a pair of orthotic inserts perfect for your situation.

Ingrown Toenail

If one or both top corners of your toe are red and maybe in pain, and your toenail seems to be growing into your toe's flesh near these spots, you probably have an ingrown toenail. Being common among growing adults, ingrown toenails often only get worse, and can easily become infected, so should be treated by a podiatrist as soon as possible. Though the treatment is often surgical, when it is, it's an extremely simple procedure requiring only local anaesthetic and a few minutes of your time, often allowing its patients to walk out of the clinic on their feet.