CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS

FROSTBITE

Nail fungus, otherwise known as Onychomycosis, has been recognized as being a very difficult type of fungal infection to treat. It is a cosmetic condition that most often affects the toenails. Risk factors for nail fungus include increased age, male gender, diabetes, nail trauma, hyperhydrosis, peripheral vascular disease, athlete's foot, immunodeficiency, poor hygiene, and chronic exposure of the nails to water. There are many species of fungus that can infect the nail. Often in nail infections several types of fungus will be present at the same time. All nail fungus infections result in thickened, discolored, and distorted nails.

Nailfungas

 

 

Bunions are misaligned big toe joints that can become swollen and tender, causing the first joint of the big toe to slant outward, and the second joint to angle toward the other toes.
Bunions are misaligned big toe joints.  

 

 

Flat feet are a common condition. In infants and toddlers, the longitudinal arch is not developed and flat feet are normal. The arch develops in childhood, and by adulthood, most people have developed normal arches.

 Flat feet  

 

Heel Spurs
Plantar fasciitis (or heel pain) is commonly traced to an inflammation on the bottom of the foot. Our practice can evaluate arch pain, and may prescribe customized shoe inserts called orthoses to help alleviate the pain.

Heel Spurs  

 

Hammertoes
Hammertoe is a deformity of the second, third or fourth toes. In this condition, the toe is bent at the middle joint, resembling a hammer. Left untreated, hammertoes can become inflexible and require surgery.

Hammertoes 

 

Ingrown nails when the nail grows into the flesh instead of over it -- usually affect the toenails, particularly the big toe. People with curved or thick nails are most susceptible, although anyone can suffer from ingrown nails as a result of an injury, poorly fitting shoes, or because of improper grooming of the feet. Diabetics and people with vascular problems need to be aggressive in treating and preventing minor foot ailments such as an ingrown toenail because they can develop into serious medical problems such as loss of a limb.

Ingrown nails 

Warts normally grow out of the skin in cylindrical columns. These columns do not fuse when the wart grows on thin skin such as the face. On thicker skin, the columns fuse and are packed tightly together giving the surface the typical mosaic pattern. Black dots can sometimes be seen in a wart. These are actually blood vessels that have grown rapidly and irregularly into the wart and have thombosed or clotted off.

Wart                                                                                                                   




Extreme exposure of your feet to cold for a prolonged period can lead to a serious condition called frostbite. Frostbite starts by producing pain and a burning sensation in the exposed areas. This is followed by numbness in toes or feet and changes in skin color, from pale or red to bluish-gray or black. People with a history of frostbite often get it again in the same place.

Superficial frostbite injuries refer to those that involve the skin and subcutaneous tissue. When the damage goes more deeply, beyond the subcutaneous tissue and into muscles, nerves, tendons, or bones, they are classified as deep frostbite injuries. The extent of the injury impacts the prognosis for healing and long-term complications.

Children, the elderly, and diabetics are more prone to frostbite because of the size of their extremities or poor circulation. People who live or work outdoors also have a higher likelihood of contracting frostbite because of their increased exposure to the cold.

If you suspect that you have frostbite, seek emergency medical care as soon as possible. Get out of the cold and into a warm environment as quickly as possible. Keep the feet dry and warm. Do not expose the flesh to extremely warm or hot temperatures (such as a fire or portable heater). A gradual and steady warming procedure should be followed.