04/19/2024    

PODIATRISTS IN THE NEWS

Feet Can Help Diagnose Poor Circulation, Diabetes: OH Podiatrist 

 

If you’re feeling pain in your feet, it may be something more than just feeling sore. Joy Rowland, DPM from the Cleveland Clinic said she can also tell if someone has poor circulation or even diabetes, based on the appearance of their feet. People may have thought their pain was isolated to their feet and then discover it’s actually due to another medical condition. For example, someone experiencing numbness or tingling in their feet could have nerve damage from perhaps a back injury. In those situations, Dr. Rowland said she will order any needed tests to help confirm the suspected diagnosis.

 

Dr. Joy Rowland

 

It’s not just your feet that can indicate something is wrong. Your toenails can too. If you have thickened toenails that are crumbly and brittle, a podiatrist can evaluate you and take a culture. Then they can determine if you have psoriasis, a fungal nail infection in your toenails, or also something called nail dystrophy, which is related to repetitive injury to the toenail. Sometimes people will endure foot pain or discomfort for years before finally coming in to get examined, Dr. Rowland said. She urges you not to delay as it could impact the type of treatments available.

 

Source: Faith King, WNYT [4/16/24]