Studio City Podiatrist

If foot pain affects your quality of life, consider seeing a Studio City podiatrist, a doctor specializing in foot-related injuries and conditions. Everyone experiences foot pain at some point, often requiring nothing more than a little rest or a break from activities likely placing a strain on muscles, tendons, and joints.  Contact our office today to learn more about the services we provide and to learn more about the wide range of foot health needs that we manage.

Common Conditions Treated By a Podiatrist

From tendonitis to heel pain, a podiatrist can diagnose and treat many common conditions affecting feet, ankles, and legs. Conditions treated by a podiatrist can range from minor irritations to persistent conditions having a noticeable impact on your ability to remain mobile without pain. Conditions often treated by your Studio City podiatrist include:

• Bunions: Characterized by bumps often appearing on toes, bunions often result in swelling, redness, and pain when wearing shoes or walking.
• Corns and calluses: Typically appearing between toes and on the soles of feet, corns and calluses are an area of hardened skin that sometimes becomes painful.
• Heel pain: Sometimes caused by protrusions of bone from the heel known as bone spurs, heel pain can have other causes, including plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinitis.
• Plantar fasciitis: Often painful, plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the soft tissue fibers of the fascia, a thick band of tissue.
• Athlete’s foot: Caused by a fungus, athlete’s foot refers to the resulting irritation from that fungus that frequently results in itching and inflammation.
• Morton’s neuroma: Affecting the ball of the foot, Morton’s neuroma is a painful condition often occurring between the third and fourth toes.

When to Go to a Podiatrist

If the pain you’re experiencing in your feet is considered acute, or sharp and sudden, or reaches a point where it’s considered chronic, referring to pain lasting longer than 2-3 months, it makes sense to schedule a visit with a podiatrist. It’s also worth considering a trip to a podiatrist if your foot pain becomes progressively worse over time, which should not happen with simple muscle strains. During your visit, a podiatrist will:

• Determine the extent of your pain or discomfort
• Review your medical history, including any previously recommended treatments
• Schedule diagnostic tests to determine if there is structural damage
• Observe what movements appear to trigger your pain

Your initial consultation is very important because it helps your doctor determine a treatment plan that is specially tailored to you and your needs.

What a Studio City Podiatrist Can Do for You

A podiatrist is able to make an attempt to determine the source of your foot pain or discomfort. Since this type of doctor specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of foot-related conditions, they may observe signs of a condition that was overlooked during a visit to your primary care doctor. A podiatrist frequently takes the following actions:

• Recommending ways to immediately ease pain, when possible
• Observing progress between visits
• Prescribing medications that may provide relief
• Providing immediate care for open wounds or sores

A podiatrist can also develop custom orthotics, provide access to a physical therapist, perform reconstructive and minimally invasive procedures, and more.

Podiatrists also play an important role in foot care related to conditions such as diabetes. If you’re experiencing foot pain as a result of diabetic nerve damage, a podiatrist can perform a comprehensive diabetic foot examination on a regular basis to look for issues that may require some type of medical attention or treatment. Such an examination typically includes looking for redness, irritation, cuts, or sores that may have gone unnoticed if you are having difficulty sensing foot pain.

Common Treatment Options

After providing a medical diagnosis of your foot issue, a Studio City podiatrist will recommend appropriate treatment options. Treatment for foot conditions also includes an understanding of the overall health of a patient. Excess weight, for instance, can put added pressure on joints and muscles. Circulation issues can also contribute to foot problems. The specific treatment of foot pain depends on the identified source of the problem, although common treatment options include:

• Topical creams and ointments
• Anti-inflammatory medications
• Injections administered to the affected area
• Surgery to correct structural issues

Preventative Care Tips

Preventative care is a part of the treatment and care you’ll receive when seeing a Studio City podiatrist. For patients with blisters or bunions, a podiatrist often suggests wearing comfortable shoes. Proper washing of the feet can also help ease the pain associated with some foot conditions. Wearing high heels may result in a misalignment that can place added pressure on joints and muscles supporting the feet. It’s tips like these that emphasize another important role a Studio City podiatrist plays, educating patients on what may be causing or contributing to their foot pain. Some other preventative care tips a podiatrist may offer include:

• Taking a break to rest your feet when sudden pain develops
• Keeping toenails trimmed and feet moisturized
• Wearing appropriate shoes on the surface you’ll be walking, running, jogging, or playing sports on

Your Studio City podiatrist can provide you with more specific tips for foot care based on any current or past injuries or foot conditions.

A podiatrist often works in conjunction with your primary care physician to determine the most effective treatment for your foot pain or recurring discomfort. Following an initial diagnosis, your progress with any recommended treatments will be tracked to determine whether or not additional steps are necessary to minimize your discomfort or eliminate your pain altogether. If typical home remedies aren’t working for you, a podiatrist may provide an accurate diagnosis and an effective treatment.

To learn more about what our Studio City podiatrist provides or to ask questions about diagnostic procedures or treatments options, contact our office today. Feel free to ask us any questions that you might have and schedule a consultation with us so that we can help you return to a life of comfort and range of motion. We look forward to helping you.