Your foot health is vital to your overall well-being. While we are prepared to treat a myriad of problems, here is some information about common foot issues that you may be experiencing.
Athlete's FootIf you have athlete's foot, you aren't alone! More than half the population will develop this fungal infection on the skin of the feet at some point in their lifetime. It can cause itching and burning/scaling of the skin (especially between the toes or on your soles). It tends to affect more men than women, but becomes increasingly common with age. Decrease your chances of developing this condition doing the following:
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BunionsBunions develop when the joint at the base of your big toe becomes enlarged, sore, and swollen. Your big toe may start to angle toward your second toe, or move underneath it. Women suffer the most from bunions - often due to wearing tight, narrow heels. A smaller version, a bunionette, can occur near your small toe.
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Calluses and CornsA callus, or tyloma, is caused from repeated pressure and friction. Over time, this leads to the build up of thickened skin. The callus could be dry, hard, or cracked. It developed on your foot to protect the area underneath it. A corn is quite similar to a callus, but is much smaller and appears on the toes rather than on the sole of your foot.
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Foot Odor and Sweating
Did you know that the foot has more sweat glands than any other part of the body? When sweat gets trapped inside of shoes, bacteria grows and odor occurs. It is often trapped because that sweat is not easily absorbed due to us wearing socks and shoes so often. The medical term for sweaty feet is hyperhidrosis and smelly feet are called bromhidrosis.
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Foot ulcersPatients with diabetes are prone to this condition. Years of elevated blood sugar causes damage to the nerves and small blood vessels in the feet. This can cause a lack of feeling when small injuries occur. The damage can also predispose people to developing wounds that may not heal. The immune system of patients with diabetes is also compromised which leads to an increased chance of infection with foot ulcers.
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GoutGout is the painful inflammation of a joint as a result of crystal build up. Those crystals are made of uric acid, a substance found in certain foods and excreted by the kidneys. Gout most often affects the base of the big toe, but it can affect any joint. It tends to occur in repeated attacks of acute inflammation. Individuals who produce too much uric acid, or those who have kidneys who don't excrete it enough, are predisposed to this condition.
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Hammer toesA hammer toe is one that is deformed - the end of the toe appears to be bending downward. This condition typically affects the second, third, or fourth toe. Often the toe will look slightly like a claw. A corn may form on top of the toe, or a callus may form underneath. This condition is often caused by muscle imbalance or shoes that are too tight at the top. Treatment will differ dependent upon the state of the toe's flexibility.
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Ingrown ToenailsAn ingrown toenail occurs when the nail grows sideways into the toe instead of outwards. The result of this is typically pain in the side of the toe, with the big toe being the most commonly affected. It can be caused by any situation that interferes with the proper, outward growth of the nail including improper trimming or the wrong footwear.
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Nail fungal infectionFungal infection occurs underneath the toenails on the protected skin. Nails are often discolored, raised, and thickened due to the fungus. Multiple nails are typically affected at once. This often occurs in people who have persistently moist feet due to non-breathable footwear or excessive foot perspiration.
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NeuromaA neuroma is the thickening of the tissue surrounding a nerve that travels between the base of two toes. It is caused by mild, repeated injury to the space between the two toes. That injury can occur when footwear does not fit properly or in runners. The thickened tissue causes pain in this area that is often felt while walking.
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WartsPlantar warts are ones that occur on the bottom of the foot. They often pop up on the portions of the foot that receive the most pressure (the ball and your heel). Walking and daily activity can place added pressure on these warts. When that occurs, the warts penetrate deeper and can cause a significant amount of pain. Warts are caused by human papilloma virus, HPV. They can be spread in moist environments (e.g. a locker room, swimming areas), but not everyone who comes into contact with one will develop it.
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