Four Reasons to Schedule a Visit with Your Podiatrist
For general health concerns, you see your primary care physician. But what do you do when you have a problem with a particular area of your body? You see a specialist, right? Maybe a cardiologist for your heart, or perhaps an ophthalmologist to care for your eyes. Like those doctors, a podiatrist is a specialist as well. When you see the letters DPM after your doctor’s name, you can be sure that s/he is an expert with years of training and experience in the care of feet, ankles, and lower legs.
Here are some of the illnesses and injuries that podiatrists commonly treat:
Diabetes: While a whole-body illness, diabetes poses particular risks to foot health. Circulation can be negatively impacted and nerve damage called peripheral neuropathy can occur. Small wounds can become infected and diabetic ulcers can develop. Everyone with any form of diabetes should be seen by a board-certified podiatrist like James M. McKee, DPM, FACFAS at least once each year.
Foot Pain: Discomfort while standing or walking can be the result of innumerable conditions. Only your podiatrist can accurately diagnose the problem, and then provide relief with a wide range of solutions. Options often include the creation of prescription orthotics, customized shoe inserts that offer cushioning and support.
Ankle sprains or other foot and ankle injuries: With 26 bones and 33 joints in each foot, injuries are common, especially after a fall or another accident. Treat with RICE (rest ice, compression, and elevation) at home and report any discomfort that last more than 24 hours to your podiatrist.
Ingrown Toenails: These may seem trivial, but they hurt and can result in systemic infection. Don’t try to treat an ingrown toenail at home. See your podiatrist for expert care.
Are you experiencing foot pain, or do you have another concern about the health of your feet, ankles, or lower legs? Schedule a visit with Dr. James M. McKee in the modern comfortable Podiatry Group of Annapolis, P.A. office on Solomons Island Road today. Call or friendly staff at 410-224-4448 or click here to get started.