A foot and ankle clinic in Chicago will be able to help you with your feet and lower extremities, but they can do so much more. While they will handle feet problems, they can also help with diabetic needs, which are usually different than others. They can help with toenail problems, athletic injuries and can offer both neuropathy and holistic treatments. Many clinics can form custom orthotics for you or have a lab that can do so, but even if they don’t have their labs, they can help you find the right ones.
Common Feet Problems
The most common problems associated with feet include hammertoes, bunions, heel spurs, ingrown toenails, plantar fasciitis, neuromas, shin splints, stress fractures and Sesamoiditis. Toe joints that are misaligned can lead to bunions while muscle imbalances can sometimes lead to hammertoes. Inflammation and pain in the bottom of your feet can be Plantar fasciitis and growths on your heel bone can be heel spurs. Benign growths of nerves can be neuromas while small cracks in the bone can be a stress fracture.
Diabetic Needs
Diabetics tend to have special needs when it comes to feet. Many times, the blood doesn’t circulate correctly, causing vessel damage and other problems. Many diabetics don’t take care of their feet by eating a proper diet and exercising safely, which can also lead to amputation.
Because of their other problems, even simple problems such as calluses and corns can be a serious problem, so it is important that they routinely visit their podiatrist at least every three months to ensure everything is okay.
Specialized Treatment
Neuropathy includes any nerve disorder and can damage sensory and motor nerves. While most people have never heard of the disorder, about 15 million US citizens have the disease. In essence, neuropathy stops the body from communicating with its organs, muscles and tissues, which can cause burning, itching, tingling, dizziness or funny sensations to occur in the feet and elsewhere.
Your foot and ankle clinic in Chicago can offer specialized neuropathy treatments to help reduce the problem. It is unique and non-invasive.
If you prefer holistic treatments, you may be provided with extracorporal shock wave, which can help with joint pain, neuromas, plantar fasciitis, tendon problems and ligament pain. This is also a non-invasive treatment that is used before surgery or other more severe treatments.
