With so many branches of medicine it is very easy to get confused as to who exactly you will need in certain situations, something which we are going to help you to unravel in this piece. Today we are going to look into the branch of medicine known as podiatry as well as what podiatrists do and when you may need to see one, this is a fascinating branch of medicine, and here is all you need to know about podiatry and podiatrists.
What Do Podiatrists Do?
Podiatrists work in hospitals as well as in private clinics such as Stride Podiatry and their focus is on all things related to the feet and the lower legs. These professionals work on the feet for a range of issues such as injuries, disease, bone issues and they will also treat issues that have been caused as a result of other illnesses such as cancer or diabetes.
Are Podiatrists Doctors?
Podiatrists are doctors however they do not attend a traditional med school as other doctors did. Instead a podiatrists will go to a specialized podiatry school where they will eventually be credited with a DPM suffix, standing for a doctor of pediatric medicine. In terms of what podiatrists are able to do for their patients, this doesn’t vary much from that of an MD in that they are able to perform surgery, they can prescribe drugs, reset bones and ask for X-Rays for their patients.
When You May Need to See a Podiatrist
There is a wide variety of reasons why you may need to see a podiatrist to have your feet looked at and these are some of the most common issues which they will treat.
Fractures
The feet contain more bones than the rest of the body combined and fractures can often occur, so too can sprains. When a fracture or a sprain happens to the foot it will be the role of the podiatrist to help reset the bone or ease the sprain.
Arthritis
Arthritis in the joints of the feet can be very painful and give the patient difficulty walking. In such a case the patient may be given special shoes to wear or inserts which can support the joints and reduce inflammation.
Bunions
Bunions are found in the feet following damage to the base of the joint of the big toe. This is a very uncomfortable issue to have happen and it is one which will need treatment, this may be an operation or special shoes which force the joint to reset.
Diabetes
The reason why diabetes sufferers often have foot conditions is that the disease often prevents the flow of blood to extremities or causes nerve damage which affects the feet. Over 60,000 diabetes patents each year need to have a foot amputated because of complications of the disease.
As you can see there are a number of reasons why you may need a podiatrist appointment.
