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Home Blog (Page 37)

Category: Blog

footcare
13Nov

It is important to treat the foot injuries right away if you suffer from diabetes because even the smallest wounds can quickly turn serious. The wounds lead to sores and ulcers when left untreated and that can mean losing the foot, or in extreme cases, the entire leg. The problem is further compounded by the fact that wounds take longer to heal in people suffering from diabetes because of the poor blood flow to the feet. There’s also an onset of nerve damage, called neuropathy, which stops any feeling in the feet. Since you are unable to feel anything in your feet, you will not even get to know that you are hurt. So, even the minor cuts can quickly turn into something major.

 

footcare

The best thing you can do to avoid wounds is to take the preventive approach by keeping the feet protected and healthy. Here are the top four ways through which you can do that:

Run regular checks on your feet

If you have lost sensations on your feet due to diabetes, you will have to check your feet daily to know if something is wrong. It might be hard for you to check the bottom of your feet. In that case, use a mirror or ask a friend or your spouse to help you out.

Wash and dry your feet properly

At the time of taking a bath, you should soap the feet with lukewarm water and dry them well with a soft towel. Make sure to dry between and behind your toes. Moisture that stays trapped there can be harmful because it can lead to sores. Use creams and lotions to make sure that the skin of your feet is adequately hydrated because sores might also develop from the dryness of your feet.

Comfort comes first

Keep in your mind that comfort is the key to making your feet happy. Wear comfortable footwear and soft socks to keep the feet cushioned. Narrow, pointy shoes with high heels are not for your delicate feet. Your doctor might ask you to wear special shoes. Otherwise, you can wear something with added padding, like sneakers, to keep the feet comfortable.

Trimming the toenails

It is important for people with diabetes to see a podiatrist regularly. He will cut your toenails, if needed, as a part of foot wound care. Podiatrists, or foot doctors as they are popularly known as, usually do this for people who suffer from neuropathy or have had foot ulcers earlier. It is better to get your nails trimmed by an expert, rather than going to a salon, if you have diabetes.

If you get wounded accidentally, cleanse it first under running water. Put antibiotic ointment on the wound and cover it with a clean bandage. Visit your nearest podiatrist as soon as you can for further treatment.

If you are looking for quality diabetic wound care from experienced podiatrists, you can get in touch with DeNiel Foot & Ankle Center. You will find effective treatment under the careful supervision of the experts.

warts
7Nov

The popular tale that you must have heard from grandmothers is that the toads give you warts. This is nothing but a tale and the real story to cure wart on foot is far more complicated than that. Warts appear on the skin on the attack of a virus. This gets specifically seen in the areas that have broken skin like the areas on the side on the sides of nails or the skin picked by shaving. The thing that is still largely unknown is why and how certain people are more susceptible than others when it comes to getting warts. The general belief that exists is that children having weaker immune system compared to the adults are more prone than the adults in the matters of getting warts.

warts

The spread of warts on feet

In the matter of treatment of warts, you must know they are contagious in nature. They can spread from one part of the body to another. This is the prime reason why you are advised to wash your hands well after you have touched a wart. Never pick or scratch warts because even that can lead to it spreading to other parts. If you shave on the part that has warts, the virus gets transferred to the razor and eventually to other parts of the body. 

The plantar wart treatment experts will tell you that one can get warts from touching the body of someone else too. So if you see that someone close to you has warts, you need to refrain not just from touching that area of the person but also take care about not using any of his things like bathmats or towels.

The prevention of warts

There is no full-proof way to prevent the coming of or cure warts. You can take certain precautions that can minimize the risks. Make sure that you keep your skin moisturized, healthy and free from any kind of cuts as a plantar wart removalprocess. If you are someone who has the habit of biting the nails or cuticles, then it is best to stop as these are the most likely places for the development of warts. Use fresh and clean towels wherever you go and ensure that your hands are always clean and washed. When you are going to places like gyms or public toilets, make sure that your feet stay covered with sandals or flip-flops at all times to stem the growth of wart on foot. 

Wart treatment at home and clinics

The doctors take any one of the two approaches. They either burn it off or use liquid nitrogen to freeze the skin of the wart. The home remedies that are popular in treating warts is using things like apple cider vinegar and hydrogen peroxide to make the wart fall off on its own after a few days. Most warts are benign, and people prefer only to get them removed for cosmetic reasons. 

warts2

Baking powder and Vinegar

It is known as an age-old therapy that treats warts effectively. You can make a paste of baking powder along with vinegar to treat warts. Moreover, they have antibacterial properties which kill the germs present on the external surface of warts. On the other hand, you can also use tea tree oil as it is a popular option to get rid of warts.

It also keeps the area clean and moist which makes sure that the affected area is not dry. A dry area on the surface of a mole would always pose problems. It is so because a dry wart surface can create friction which may cause further pain.

elderly foot care
27Oct

Elderly Foot Care: Things You Must Know

Seniors frequently suffer from the problem of recurring foot pain that hinders their mobility, balance, and independence. Moreover, there are times when the symptoms of a systemic disease first appears in the feet itself. For all these reasons and more, the elderly need special care to be taken of their feet. And on that note, here are the seven things you must know in about elderly foot care.

elderly foot care

  1. Check the bottom of your feet

A considerable percentage of people who suffer from foot problems have diabetes. Blisters, calluses, cracks, splinters, and cuts on your feet should ideally start healing within a day. You need to contact your physician if they do not start healing.

  1. Choose to wear proper socks

Socks must not be too tight because that ends up inhibiting blood flow to your feet. Elderly people should not wear cotton socks as it does not come with moisture wicking properties. It is best to wear socks with acrylic blend because it absorbs moisture well.

  1. Cut the toenails properly

Ingrown toenails are one of the most common problems faced by the seniors. Coupled with the issues of circulation, it can lead to a need for amputation. Thus, while cutting toenails, it is important to file them straight across and rounding out at the edges.

  1. Wear shoes that fit

Most seniors tend to wear shoes that are too small for their feet and choose to overlook the slight discomfort that they feel. Over time, it can turn out to be a major problem for your feet and the constant, nagging foot pain would grow worse with time.

  1. Use a gentle moisturizer

It is common practice among seniors to moisturize their feet, as a part of Geriatric Foot Care, and it is actually a good habit. But, you need to make sure to use a gentle moisturizer and use it only on the bottom and top of your feet. Do not use moisturizer between your toes.

  1. Regular foot baths and foot massages

Foot massages and foot baths help the muscles in your feet relax. It is helpful in soothing dry skin and relieving bunions. Foot massages would help in improving circulations in your feet, and keep away the usual problems of foot pain and soreness.

  1. Monitor the sores

The heels of your feet are common places for bedsores because you tend to spend most of your time in a chair or bed, while resting your feet on a mattress or pillow. Doing this for a prolonged time leads to skin irritation and tissue breakdown. So, try to suspend your feet in the air from time to time by keeping a support underneath it.

Routinely following the suggestions mentioned above would help in keeping foot pain and other problems at bay, and ensure greater mobility. Consult a reliable and experienced foot specialist in Houston if there is any continued feeling of continuous pain and numbness in your feet.

tendon
25Oct

The Achilles Tendon orcalcaneal tendonorheel cord, is the big entwinedensemble of fibrous tissuesthat is located at the back of the lower leg and connects the calf muscles(gastrocnemius and soleus muscles) to the heel bones (calcaneal tuberosity on the calcaneus).It is the largest and the strongest tendon in the human body. The Achilles tendon endures a lot of stress and pressure in the normal day-to-day activities, such as, walking, jumping, running, as well as athletic activities. However, a rupture in the Achilles tendon can be caused among the people of any age group, but most ruptures are caused during the age of 30-50, among the people who are very physically active or are professional athletes.

The tears in the tendon fibers can result in a partial or total disruption of the tendon. If you hear sudden pop sound at the back of the calf, then the condition might need instant medical care.

 tendon

Achilles Tendon: Causes

Achillis Tendonitis is normally caused by repetitive and intense pressure on the Achilles Tendon. The structure of the Tendon weakens with age, making it more prone to the injury. There are two main types of Tendonitis:

The first type of Tendonitis, Non-insertional Achilles Tendonitis, usually affects the younger adults. It causes pain and swelling as the small slits of the middle fibers of the tendon begins to disrupt.

The second type of Tendonitis, Insertional Achilles Tendonitis, can occur at any age, even to people who are not very physically active. The pain is caused due to additional bone development at the spot where the Tendon meets the heel bone.

Achilles Tendon: Symptoms

Achilles Tendonitis can weaken the tendon and can make the tendon more prone to the rupture, which may require an immediate surgical repair. The symptoms of Achilles Tendonitis are:

  1. Stiffness, aching or swelling within the tendon. Pain can be at its intensity upon waking up in the morning and worsening during the day due to increased activities. The pain would occur at the back of the leg or near the heel.
  1. Powerful penetrating pain when the sides of the tendon are squeezed. However, when the back of the tendon is touched or squeezed there is considerably less pain.
  1. Enlargement or growth of nodules may arise in the spots where the tissue is injured. The patient will experience difficulty in bending the affected foot.

Achilles Tendon: Treatment

After the Achillis Tendonitis is diagnosed by the doctor through your medical history, visible symptoms and X-ray results, it is important to get the right treatment.Treatment depends on the severity of the injury. If the injury is not very intense, the doctor will ask you to take considerable amount of rest, frequent ice compression at the affected area, intake of pain relieving drugs, special exercises that you can do on your own to strengthen the calf muscle, physiotheraphy, orthotic shoes (to lift your heel).

If the above treatment is not of much relief then the foot doctor might recommend surgery. Some of the surgical methods may include: surgery to extend the gastrocnemius (calf muscle) decline or surgery to remove the excess bone growth and to repair the tendon. 

It is very important to seek out a podiatrist if you believe you have an injury in the Achilles region, because further damage could result in severe complications that would make being mobile difficult, if not impossible.

 

 

ingrown
21Oct

Ingrown toenail is a common medical condition whereby the side or the corner of a toenail grows in the soft flesh. It leads to redness, pain, and swelling and the resultant infection makes ingrown toenail removal a necessity. It is commonly seen in the big toes. Though you can try home remedies for the toenails, it is better to go to a foot doctor to relieve the discomfort and prevent further complications.

ingrown

Causes of ingrown toenails:

Ingrown toenails can occur in both women and men. This condition is highly common in people whose feet sweats a lot, such as the teenagers. Even the elderly is at a higher risk because the toenails tend to thicken with age. There are multiple reasons why you might develop an ingrown toenail, such as:

  • Incorrectly cutting the toenails can lead to ingrowth. The toenails have to be cut straight because angling the sides of your nails can make them grow into the skin directly.
  • Curved or irregular toenails
  • Footwear that creates a lot of pressure on the big toes, like stocking and socks which are really tight, can cause ingrown toenails. Even shoes those are too narrow, tight, or flat for the feet.
  • Toenail injury might be the cause, including dropping a heavy object on the foot, stubbing the toe somewhere, or repeatedly kicking a football
  • Wrong posture
  • Not maintaining proper hygiene for your feet, like not keeping the feet dry or clean
  • Genetic causes
  • Diabetes or other such conditions that leads to loss of proper blood flow to the feet.

The athletic activities that require frequent usage of feet can make you prone to the condition of ingrown toenails. In the activities where you put constant pressure on the feet or kick any object for a long period of time, there is a high risk of your toenail getting damaged and the consequent development of the condition that needs ingrown toenail removal. Some of the sports that generally lead to the condition are:

  • Football
  • Soccer
  • Ballet
  • Kickboxing

Symptoms of ingrown toenails

Ingrown toenails are not just painful, but the condition also worsens progressively. The earliest symptoms of the condition are:

  • The skin right beside the nail becomes swollen, tender, and hard
  • A nagging pain when there is any pressure on that toe
  • Fluid accumulation around the infected toe.

If your toe has already become infected, then following are the symptoms you will notice:

  • Continuous pain
  • The skin around the nail becoming swollen and red
  • Bleeding or pus oozing out from the corner of the nail
  • Overgrown skin around the toenails

You need ingrown toenail removalas soon as you can in order to avoid any worsening of the symptoms.

For any questions that you have, get in touch with us at our office in Houston, TX. We have the latest treatment technologies and tools to cure all your foot and ankle conditions. Do not wait for the symptoms to worsen and contact your nearest podiatrists in Houston without further delay.

toenail fungus
21Oct

Nail fungus is a common disease. It starts with a white and yellow spot under the tip of a fingernail or toenail and gradually the fungal infection spreads. With the increasing rot of the nail due to fungus, it may discolor the nail; thicken it to crumble at the edges. It may spread to other nails as well. We often ignore such nail fungus and if it is not bothering, we do not opt for any treatment. But if it turns out to be painful and has developed thickened nails, self-care and domestic medications might help. But even though the treatment helps it recover, there is always a chance of nail fungus to come back. Toenail fungus is seen more often than in fingernails. The disease of nail fungus is also called Onychomycosis.

toenailfungus

Causes of nail fungus:

As the name suggests, fungus infection develops due to infection by a fungal organism (fungus). The most common form of fungi that cause nail fungus is known as a dermatophyte. Yeast and molds are other variables that cause fungal infection in nails. It is most commonly seen in older adults but does not imply it won’t occur in younger people. As the nail gets old, it becomes brittle and dry which results in the formation of cracks in nails. These cracks allow room for fungi to enter. Other causes of developing nail fungus can be- Reduced blood circulation to feet and a weak immune system.

Sometimes, nail fungus can also develop from an athlete’s foot. It spreads from one nail to another. But it occurs very rarely to get the disease from an affected person.

The chances of developing nail fungus occur when:

  • Old age
  • Reduced blood flow
  • Sweating heavily
  • Unhealthy conditions that allow fungi to grow
  • Athlete’s foot
  • Walking barefoot in damp areas such as swimming pools, bathrooms, etc.
  • Having an unattended skin or nail injury or in case of a skin condition such as psoriasis.
  • Suffering from diabetes
  • A problem in proper blood circulation
  • The weakened immune system of the body

Symptoms of nail fungus:

You might have developed a nail fungus if you observe the following symptoms growing in your nails:

  • Thickened
  • White nails start changing to yellow-brown
  • Brittle, crumbled or ragged
  • Distorted shape
  • Develops a dark color due to debris building up under your nail.
  • Foul smell.

If the domestic nail fungus cures are not improving the situation, you may want to consult a nail fungus doctor at DeNiel Foot and Ankle Center. When the nails become extremely discolored, thickened or darkened, it is advisable not to ignore it anymore and consult a foot doctor urgently to get the best treatment for a fungal toenail. If you are already suffering from diabetes, it is a must to get treated by a physician.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in Houston, TX. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle needs.