3 Foot Conditions That Require Specialized Medical Attention

There are certain foot conditions and ailments such as a twisted ankle or a bruised toenail that can easily be cared for at home and usually won’t require any sort of medical attention. However, on the other end of the spectrum, there are many foot conditions that are serious and should be addressed by a medical professional.

It’s important that people understand the types of foot conditions that require medical attention as this will prevent even more serious problems from arising and potentially save their life. In this post, we will take a look at three serious foot conditions that cannot be ignored and require the attention of a medical professional.

Gangrene:

Gangrene is a serious condition caused by things such as open wounds that were never properly cared for, bacterial infections, and frostbite. When oxygen and blood flow to the foot gets cut off, it leads to dead tissue (gangrene).

Symptoms of gangrene often include darkened skin color, numbness, and sharp pain. Gangrene must be surgically removed as soon as possible because if it isn’t, it will spread to other parts of the body and result in death.

It is important to note that if you area diabetic, have suffered from nerve damage, or have poor circulation, you are more susceptible to the risk of gangrene. Carefully monitor your foot if you have any of the aforementioned conditions and get immediate medical attention if you believe an area of your foot is affected by gangrene.

Diabetes:

Although diabetes is not a foot condition, it is a health condition that can seriously affect the feet in a negative way. If you have diabetes, it is vital that you get the proper foot care on a regular basis to protect your feet from serious problems.

Foot problems that people with diabetes are more at risk for include gangrene, which leads to bacterial infections (and in some cases amputation of the foot). Less serious problems include hammertoes, corns, fungal infections, calluses, dry and cracked skin, and athlete’s foot. Although these issues are not as serious as gangrene, they can become even more serious when they are not immediately taken care of.

If you have diabetes, you should work with a podiatry specialist to set up a foot care regimen that will prevent serious foot conditions from affecting you and immediately treat small problems before they become larger ones.

Bone Tumors:

Half of the time that benign bone tumors are present in a person’s foot, they are caused by a condition known as osteochondromas. Although this condition is usually not as pressing and urgent as something like gangrene, osteochondromas can become a recurring problem and that is why a medical professional is necessary for effectively treating it.

It should be noted that while this condition typically won’t cause pain, over time it does become uncomfortable and annoying. If left untreated, this condition usually turns into a deformed or ingrown toenail that will need to be removed.

If you suspect that you suffer from bone tumors, you will want to schedule an appointment with a podiatry specialist to get a proper diagnosis and determine what the best treatment options are.

Have Foot Conditions? We can Help!

Are you in need of more information related to serious foot conditions or do you need to schedule an appointment with our podiatry office? Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns you might have. You can also visit our official website to view our extensive list of podiatry and wound care services including treatment for all of the conditions listed above as well as fractures, infections, and cosmetic foot surgeries.