You may not be familiar with the term ‘podiatrist’, but they are nothing but foot doctors. They are medical specialists who help you with any problems regarding your feet or any part of your lower legs. They are also capable of treating health issues that are caused due to diabetes. These doctors are also capable of treating any foot injuries. If you have any foot injuries or problems, you now know which doctor you should be headed to. These doctors are also known as a doctor of podiatric medicine DPM or podiatric physician. They are also known as a chiropodist; this name might be out of trend now.
Their Training
Like other doctors, a podiatrist to complete a four-year-long medical training. podiatrists are trained in podiatric medical school. These are not like traditional medical schools. These schools have a professional association. They have a DPM before their name and not a Dr. After they finish their training, they go through three years of residency training in either clinics or in hospitals. This is the training period for them to gain experience.
The podiatrists need a license to practice. It is illegal for them to practice without a proper permit. They also have to renew their license. A good podiatrist needs to keep up with the new advances in his field. To do this, they can attend seminars and more.
What Does A Podiatrist Treat?
They Can Treat Many Foot Problems. Some of These Foot Problems Are:
Bunions and Hammertoes: This is the problem you may have in bones in your foot. A bunion is known as the condition where the base of your thumb gets more prominent, or it gets displaced. You can notice your thumb bending toward the other toes. Hammertoe occurs when the thumb does not turn the proper way. These can also include a nail disorder; it is called ingrown toenail. An ingrown toenail occurs when the nail grows inward and not outward. This can happen due to any fungus infection.
Fractures or Sprains: These doctors are trained to treat this kind of common injuries. They mostly treat areas like foot or ankle. They also work in sports to treat injuries of athletes and players. They can also provide you with tips and advice to avoid these injuries.
Arthritis: Arthritis can happen due to any reason. Some of the symptoms of this disease are swelling, inflammation and any wear or tear in joints. The advice is to go for physical therapy. They can also offer drugs and medical shoes. They can also perform surgeries in case other treatments do not work.
Growing Pains: Growing pains can include your foot pointing inward, toes not lining upright, and looking flat. The best treatments that they provide are braces, exercise, and insoles. Surgery can also be performed in case the treatments do not work.
Diabetes: In this disease, the nerves in your foot get damaged, and the blood does not flow properly in the foot. These doctors can help you with this problem if you are having too many issues they can advise to use callus on the feet.
Morton’s Neuroma: This is the condition when you have a problem in the nerves of the third and fourth bones of your foot. The symptoms of this disease are burning pain on the foot. This disease is mostly seen in runners. Over-pronation and tight shoes can be hazardous during these diseases.
Conclusion
The podiatrists can suggest you for Medicines for pain management and for reducing the burning sensation. If the situation gets worse, you might have to go for surgery. a podiatrist can help you in getting the best cure for any problem in your foot.