Three Seemingly Small Problems That Signify You Should Visit A Podiatrist Immediately

Posted on: 4 March 2020

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Many Australians underestimate their foot pain on a daily basis. After all, what is the harm in putting up with a slightly aching foot? In fact, many of these initial displays of foot pain are preliminary signs of a problem that could get much worse if left untreated. Every day, podiatrists treat chronic or severe foot problems that could have been prevented if the patient had come in earlier. Don't let it get to that stage if you have these varieties of foot pain. Get yourself down to a podiatrist as soon as possible. 

Skin Conditions

There are many skin conditions that emerge on the foot, but the most common one is athlete's foot. However, sometimes people wrongly self-diagnose themselves with athlete's foot when in actuality they have a much more severe fungal infection. Your feet are constantly coming into contact with foreign objects and can get sweaty very easily, which creates the perfect breeding ground for infections. If you have had foot pain due to what you thought was athlete's foot, then it never hurts to get a second opinion from a qualified professional. 

Aching Arches

The arch of your foot is the first place that many people begin to feel foot pain. If you are getting consistent pain in a specific area (the arch of your foot), then that is not something you should wave off. It could be something more serious within the ligaments of the arch of your foot and inflammation of the plantar fasciitis. If left untreated this can become more and more uncomfortable, especially if you are older or have diabetes. A podiatrist will be able to diagnose your issue and start providing relief, whether that be in the form of medication, prescribed exercises or specialised shoe inserts. 

Ingrown Toenails 

Everyone gets ingrown toenails at some stage in their life but they become more frequent as you get older and your nails become stronger and more intrusive. Ingrown toenails are not something you should put up with because they can very easily puncture the sides of your toe. While that is painful in itself, this can also cause infections that can be genuinely life-threatening if not treated. That is because the infection can spread to the blood which is known as sepsis. It is unpleasant to get an ingrown toenail dealt with but it is more unpleasant to put up with it for years and risk much worse complications.