If you’ve been googling “foot specialist near me”, that’s a big teller that you are in need of foot care. Perhaps you’re dealing with a nasty nail infection that you’re not quite sure how to get rid of.
Whatever the case may be, a podiatrist can help you with your foot care issues with ease. Podiatrists are also called foot specialists, and they specialize in your feet, so they know everything there is to know when dealing with nail infections and other foot care-related issues.
If you want to know more about how a foot specialist can help you, you’re in luck! This article will tell you more about what foot specialists do and will teach you how to deal with nail infections as well.
Read on to learn more.
What Is A Foot Specialist?
“Foot Specialist” is an easy term for Podiatrists / Chiropodists. In simple words, they handle all things foot-care-related.
A Podiatrist is a medical specialist that helps with problems related to your feet and lower legs. We can deal with complications from health issues like diabetes and even treat minor and major injuries. People also call us Podiatric Physicians or Doctors of Podiatric Medicine, as well as Chiropodists.
Though a Podiatrist IS a doctor, they don’t go to traditional medical schools. There are separate schools and professional associations for Podiatrists. Doctors usually have an “MD” after their name, which stands for “Medical Doctor”. We have “DPM” at the end of our names. This stands for “Doctor of Podiatric Medicine”.
We can perform surgeries, reset broken bones, order lab tests or x-rays, and even rest broken bones. We’re completely licensed to do so, and we often work alongside other specialists that treat issues of the feet and lower legs.
How A Foot Specialist Near Me Can Help
There are many ways in which a foot specialist can help you. They can give you advice and treatment to deal with discolored toenails, nail infections, painful feet, cracks or cuts in your skin, growths like verrucas and warts, and more foot care-related issues.
Foot specialists / Podiatrists can give you orthotics as well and can prescribe any medications you may need.
You don’t necessarily have to have a big issue to see a Podiatrist, as it’s recommended to visit one at least for a single session of consultation. Especially in the case of hard skin on your feet, or ingrown toenails.
Apart from this, Podiatrists can give you much-needed knowledge on foot care, like what kind of footwear to wear, and how to maintain foot hygiene.
They can also help with bigger issues and are very needed especially for diabetic patients. They can treat issues and prevent them from recurring or becoming worse, and can also treat sports and exercise-related injuries.
Podiatrist vs. Chiropodist: What’s The Difference?
You may hear people use the term “Chiropodist” instead of “Podiatrist”. In truth, there is no difference between the two. They are interchangeable terms and both refer to foot specialists. The only real difference is that the term “Podiatrist” is relatively new compared to “Chiropodist”.
Dealing With A Nail Infection
If the source of your foot care troubles is a nail infection, a foot specialist / Podiatrist can help you easily. There are a few home remedies for infected nails, but we advise you to see a podiatrist. These home remedies give instant relief, but aren’t a permanent solution.
A few common home remedies are as follows:
- Snakeroot Extract: Sometimes the best solutions are found in nature. The extract of this antifungal plant can be used to treat fungal nail infections and has proved to be as effective as ciclopirox, a drug-store anti-fungal treatment.
- Ozone Oils: Oils like sunflower oil and olive oil are oils that contain the same gasses that exist in the ozone layer. Many studies have been conducted that have concluded that these “ozonized” oils are effective when it comes to treating nail fungus and may just be the best home remedy on how to get rid of a nail infection. In fact, a study took place in which sunflower oil had higher clinical effects than a common antifungal medication called ketoconazole.
- Oregano Oil: Another proof of the effectiveness of nature is oregano oil. It contains “thymol”, a naturally occurring phenol that is said to have antifungal properties. In treatments, this oil is also combined with tea tree oil, but this increases the risk of negative side effects, irritation, and allergic reaction.
- VapoRub: Though commonly used to treat colds and coughs, vicks vaporub has proved itself beneficial in treating fungal nail infections, in a study done in 2011.
Conclusion
Now that you know more about foot specialists and how they can help with foot care, you probably want to know where you can find the right person for the job. You can stop googling “foot specialist near me” because you’re in the right place already.
Bucks Foot Clinic has professionals who have lots of experience and knowledge in the field. If you have any foot care-related issues or nail infections, we can handle them with ease. So, contact us and book an appointment!
Please call us on 0800 107 3290 / 077 99 122 099 Or contact us now
