When the heart pumps blood around the body, it is called circulation. Good blood circulation works to provide oxygen and nutrients to cells and remove waste from the body. Factors that can lead to poor circulation include high or low blood pressure, high red blood cells, a weak heart, and problems with veins and arteries interfering with the flow of blood to the body. Circulation can be improved by being more active, implementing cardiovascular and stretching exercises, and maintaining good health habits, like having a healthy body weight and not smoking. Other ways include reducing saturated fats, increasing omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants in the diet, and having a balanced level of iron intake. Underlying conditions that can impact proper blood circulation include obesity, diabetes, and a heart condition. When one has poor circulation they may experience numbness, tingling, and pain in their limbs, including the feet. This can lead to falls or other conditions that can be dangerous and should be checked by a qualified podiatrist who can examine the feet, diagnose problems, and suggest proper treatment methods.
While poor circulation itself isn’t a condition; it is a symptom of another underlying health condition you may have. If you have any concerns with poor circulation in your feet contact Dr. Lubrina Bryant of District Podiatry, PLLC. Our doctor will treat your foot and ankle needs.
Poor Circulation in the Feet
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) can potentially lead to poor circulation in the lower extremities. PAD is a condition that causes the blood vessels and arteries to narrow. In a linked condition called atherosclerosis, the arteries stiffen up due to a buildup of plaque in the arteries and blood vessels. These two conditions can cause a decrease in the amount of blood that flows to your extremities, therefore resulting in pain.
Symptoms
Some of the most common symptoms of poor circulation are:
Treatment for poor circulation often depends on the underlying condition that causes it. Methods for treatment may include insulin for diabetes, special exercise programs, surgery for varicose veins, or compression socks for swollen legs.
As always, see a podiatrist as he or she will assist in finding a regimen that suits you. A podiatrist can also prescribe you any needed medication.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in Washington, D.C . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.
Blisters on the feet can be uncomfortable, painful, and if infected, can become a serious health issue. Blisters are a small pocket of fluid that develops over a damaged portion of skin. This is the body’s natural defense in protecting the area as new skin forms. Blisters can develop from wearing shoes that do not fit correctly, and this can cause the foot to rub against the shoe. Many patients find it helpful to keep their feet as dry as possible, and this can aid in preventing blisters. Additionally, blisters can develop from a severe sun or chemical burn, frostbite, or possibly from an allergic reaction. If you have developed blisters on your feet, it is suggested that you speak to a podiatrist who can guide you toward proper treatment and healing techniques.
Blisters are prone to making everyday activities extremely uncomfortable. If your feet are hurting, contact Dr. Lubrina Bryant of District Podiatry, PLLC. Our doctor can provide the care you need to keep you pain-free and on your feet.
Foot Blisters
Foot blisters develop as a result of constantly wearing tight or ill-fitting footwear. This happens due to the constant rubbing from the shoe, which can often lead to pain.
What Are Foot Blisters?
A foot blister is a small fluid-filled pocket that forms on the upper-most layer of the skin. Blisters are filled with clear fluid and can lead to blood drainage or pus if the area becomes infected.
How Do Blisters Form?
Blisters on the feet are often the result of constant friction of skin and material, usually by shoe rubbing. Walking in sandals, boots, or shoes that don’t fit properly for long periods of time can result in a blister. Having consistent foot moisture and humidity can easily lead to blister formation.
Prevention & Treatment
It is important to properly care for the affected area in order to prevent infection and ease the pain. Do not lance the blister and use a Band-Aid to provide pain relief. Also, be sure to keep your feet dry and wear proper fitting shoes. If you see blood or pus in a blister, seek assistance from a podiatrist.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in Washington, D.C . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.
Do you suffer from heel pain when you get up in the morning? If so, you should seek the professional help of your podiatrist and have a proper diagnosis performed. Heel pain can be caused by several different foot-related conditions.
Anyone with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) knows the inflammatory joint pain, stiffness, and swelling that can become a constant factor in their life. About a fifth of people with RA experience this inflammation first in one of the many toes, foot, and ankle joints. As this chronic disease gets worse, it brings with it damage to ligaments and other tissues surrounding the joints. Among the effects are hammertoe, where the middle joint of the toe bends upward; bunions, where the bone on the big toe protrudes as it is displaced; bursitis, where the fluid-filled sacs in a joint become inflamed; and claw toe, where the toe curls under. Because there is no known cure for rheumatoid arthritis, it is especially important to seek the care of a podiatrist who can help to identify the severity of the affected area(s) and begin a course of treatment to reduce the pain through medication, lifestyle changes, and possibly surgery if needed.
Because RA affects more than just your joints, including the joints in your feet and ankles, it is important to seek early diagnosis from your podiatrist if you feel like the pain in your feet might be caused by RA. For more information, contact Dr. Lubrina Bryant of District Podiatry, PLLC. Our doctor will assist you with all of your podiatric concerns.
What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder in which the body’s own immune system attacks the membranes surrounding the joints. Inflammation of the lining and eventually the destruction of the joint’s cartilage and bone occur, causing severe pain and immobility.
Rheumatoid Arthritis of the Feet
Although RA usually attacks multiple bones and joints throughout the entire body, almost 90 percent of cases result in pain in the foot or ankle area.
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Quick diagnosis of RA in the feet is important so that the podiatrist can treat the area effectively. Your doctor will ask you about your medical history, occupation, and lifestyle to determine the origin of the condition. Rheumatoid Factor tests help to determine if someone is affected by the disease.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact our office located in Washington, D.C . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle needs.
An ingrown toenail occurs when the outer edge of a toenail grows into the surrounding skin, rather than over it. This causes redness, swelling, pain, and inflammation around the ingrown toenail. The area is also at an increased risk of infection. Several factors make an ingrown toenail more likely to develop. Trimming the toenails improperly, by cutting them too short or into a rounded shape, makes the skin more likely to fold over the nail. Wearing shoes that are too tight or narrow in the toe area can squish the nails into the skin. Having excessively sweaty feet can make the skin surrounding the nails too soft, allowing the nail to pierce through the skin more easily. Sometimes an injury to the toenail can cause an ingrown nail to develop. Some people also have nails that naturally grow in a curved or fan-like shape that can make ingrown nails more likely. If you have a painful or infected ingrown toenail, or if you are prone to ingrown toenails, it is suggested that you seek the care of a podiatrist.
Ingrown toenails can become painful if they are not treated properly. For more information about ingrown toenails, contact Dr. Lubrina Bryant of District Podiatry, PLLC. Our doctor can provide the care you need to keep you pain-free and on your feet.
Ingrown Toenails
Ingrown toenails occur when a toenail grows sideways into the bed of the nail, causing pain, swelling, and possibly infection.
Causes
Prevention
Because ingrown toenails are not something found outside of shoe-wearing cultures, going barefoot as often as possible will decrease the likeliness of developing ingrown toenails. Wearing proper fitting shoes and using proper cutting techniques will also help decrease your risk of developing ingrown toenails.
Treatment
Ingrown toenails are a very treatable foot condition. In minor cases, soaking the affected area in salt or antibacterial soaps will not only help with the ingrown nail itself, but also help prevent any infections from occurring. In more severe cases, surgery is an option. In either case, speaking to your podiatrist about this condition will help you get a better understanding of specific treatment options that are right for you.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact our office located in Washington, D.C . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle needs.
Your child’s feet will grow very quickly in the first 5 years of their life. Proper footwear during this time is very important in order to allow the bones in the feet to grow straight. When your child is just a baby, the bones in the toes are very soft, and shoes and socks that are too tight can restrict these bones from growing properly. In fact, shoes are not necessary for children until they are walking on their own, and even then, they are only needed for walking outside. It is important to also make sure that your child’s shoes are fastened with either laces or Velcro in order to keep the heel from slipping out of the shoe. Parents who have further questions about what shoes their child should be wearing as they grow can consult with a podiatrist for further advice and recommendations.
The health of a child’s feet is vital to their overall well-being. If you have any questions regarding foot health, contact Dr. Lubrina Bryant of District Podiatry, PLLC. Our doctor can provide the care you need to keep you pain-free and on your feet.
Tips for Keeping Children's Feet Healthy
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in Washington, D.C . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.
