Are you concerned about foot pain or do you need diabetic foot care? If so, reach out to Jenny Furlow, NP-C, and the team at Health and Wellness Medical Services in Charlottesville, Virginia, for foot care services. Foot care services at the practice include general podiatry, toenail removal, and diabetic foot exams. To schedule an appointment, call the practice or book online today.
Foot care describes a wide range of foot-related services that Health and Wellness Medical Services provides to its patients. Some of these services include:
General podiatry services include treatment for issues like corns and bunions, thick toenails, ingrown toenails, heel pain, and sports injuries.
Feet are the key to an independent, healthy lifestyle. If you don’t take good care of your feet, you’ll have trouble walking, standing, exercising, and participating in countless day-to-day activities.
If you can’t engage in physical activity because of poor foot health, the rest of your health declines as well. As you become more sedentary, your risk for problems like heart disease, diabetes, and cognitive decline rises.
In order to combat eventualities such as these, you can maintain your foot health with good hygiene and by wearing supportive shoes and clean, padded socks.
Foot care is also important for people with diabetes, who are at a higher risk for foot problems.
Diabetes exposes your nerves to high blood sugar, which can lead to nerve fiber damage and neuropathy over time. Neuropathy is a condition in which your extremities go numb or become tingly.
People with diabetes can easily develop foot problems or injure their feet and not realize it. Common foot problems associated with diabetes include:
To prevent diabetic wounds, schedule yearly diabetic foot exams with Health and Wellness Medical Services.
During a diabetic foot exam, Health and Wellness Medical Services reviews your health history and lifestyle choices. Certain habits can complicate diabetic foot health. Smoking, for example, can cause nerve damage and poor circulation.
After the team gets to know you a little better, they begin the examination of your feet, which consists of three main portions:
First, they check your skin for problems like:
The team then checks your toenails and in between your toenails for cracks or signs of a fungal infection.
During this portion of the exam, the team checks the feeling in your feet and toes. They also check your ankle reflexes by tapping them with a small mallet.
Finally, the team looks for any abnormalities in your foot shape and structure.
If the team finds any issues, they can address them with treatment like antibiotics or wound care.
If you’re experiencing foot pain or it’s time for your annual diabetic foot exam, schedule a foot care visit with Health and Wellness Medical Services online or over the phone today.
