As we age, we naturally develop more problems with our feet due to normal daily wear and tear of joints
and because the skin starts to become thin and loses its elasticity, as well as becoming dry and much more fragile.
Foot pain can be truly debilitating and therefore, here at Boston Spa Podiatry, we recognise the importance of maintaining your comfort and mobility.
General Foot Care and Protection carried out by our Podiatrists include:
- keeping toenails cut and under control
- checking feet to identify problems early
- providing advice on treating any foot concerns
We recommend seeing a Podiatrist regularly to treat and prevent any problems with your feet and to maintain your mobility.
What are they?
A toenail that has pierced the flesh of a toe, it can feel similar to having a splinter and can be very painful.
If left untreated an ingrown toenail can become very inflamed and infected. Ingrown toenails most commonly affect the big toe but can appear on any toe.
What causes it?
Certain genetic factors can make you more prone to ingrown toenails including:
- posture
- gait (the way you walk)
- foot deformities (including bunions, hammer toes or excessive pronation)
Other factors that can contribute to the formation of ingrown toenails include:
- tight socks or shoes
- excessive foot sweating
- tearing off nails instead of cutting them
- cutting nails too short
Treatment
If you think you are experiencing foot pain, or suspect you have an ingrown toenail, book an appointment at Boston Spa Podiatry today.
We will offer a full assessment and aim to relieve you of any long-term pain.
What are they?
An area of thickened skin formed as a protective response to friction of skin rubbing against a bone, shoe or the ground.
Callus is an extended area of hard skin on the soles of the feet, it is usually a sign that there is an underlying problem such as bone deformity,
a particular style of walking or inappropriate footwear.
Elderly people are more prone to developing callus because they have less fatty tissue in their skin.
Corns are caused by pressure or friction over bony areas and they have a central core which can cause pain if it presses on a nerve.
There are several different types of corn:
Hard corns - the most common type, appear as a small area of concentrated hard skin no larger than the size of a pea
Soft corns - usually appear between toes where the skin is moist and are white and rubbery in texture
Seed corns - tiny, usually painless corns that can occur singly or in clusters on the bottom of the foot
Vascular corns - can be very painful and bleed when cut
Fibrous corns - these arise when corns have been present for an extended period of time and have become attached to deeper fibres
Treatment
Please make an appointment and visit us at Boston Spa Podiatry where you will have your feet fully assessed and treatment will be carried out for long term relief.
What are they?
Blisters are painful, fluid-filled lesions produced by friction and pressure.
What causes them?
- ill fitting footwear
- stiff shoes
- wrinkled socks against skin
- excessive moisture
- foot deformities
How can I prevent them?
- Keep your feet dry and toenails short
- Always wear socks of the right size to prevent wrinkling
- Wear comfortable, well-fitting footwear
- Control excessive moisture using a foot deodorant if necessary
- Check your feet regularly and treat a blister as soon as it forms
Treatment
Act immediately upon pain or friction on the foot, applying padding or a waterproof plaster to cover the area.
If a blister does occur, do not pop it. Most foot blisters clear up within three to seven days if further excessive friction is avoided.
However, if your blisters have not cleared up within three weeks it is advised that you make an appointment with a Podiatrist.
Blisters can become a more serious concern if you have diabetes and may not heal so easily.
If you have diabetes you should make an appointment to ensure your blisters are healing properly.
What are they?
Verrucae are benign types of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) group.
The needling procedure is an innovative and effective treatment for verrucae.
It is a form of soft tissue therapy which is intended to break down the verruca and create a controlled inflammatory response which, in turn, stimulates the body's immune system to recognise the virus and destroy it.
The treatment has been around for over 45 years (being first described in a medical journal in America in 1969) and is used routinely with great success by practitioners internationally.
Needling is different from most other treatment modalities (such as caustics, which can entail dozens of applications to be effective) as it only requires one, or occasionally two, applications making this an ideal treatment for busy people.
24 hours after treatment you can shower as normal without the need to keep bulky dressings dry.
In fact, no dressings are required at all after 2 days, so you can continue with daily activities as normal.
How does this method of treatment work?
By puncturing the verruca with an empty sterile needle many times, the viral particles are directly exposed to the fatty tissue beneath the skin where the body is rich in immune regulators.
Here, the immune system can recognise and destroy the virus. As this immune response is often systemic, treatment of only one verruca is required even where there are many lesions as spontaneous remission occurs in all, or most, verrucae at the same time.
The procedure is carried out painlessly under a local anaesthetic and only mild soreness the following day has been reported by a few patients, although the majority of patients feel no discomfort at all following treatment.
Treatment
Boston Spa Podiatry is pleased to offer this treatment for patients following an assessment appointment.