Minor Foot Injuries You Should Be Wary About

In life we invariably get injuries. Most of them heal on their own and after they get better we usually forget we had them in the first place. But there are some that take intervention by a medical expert to get corrected.

Foot injuries are common because humans walk all the time and our feet are constantly being pounded into the ground. This constant pounding along with our feet being hit or bumping into things can be the source of a lot of foot pain. Sometimes however we get a foot injury and think that it is something that will pass without too much concern. This might be right but if you have a foot injury you should know when to take it seriously and see a podiatrist.

Look for a local podiatrist in your area and make sure he or she has a great reputation to be sure you get treated properly. If you need a great podiatrist Melbourne has one of the very best.

Here are some signs that indicate you need to see a specialist about your foot injury.

You have diabetes and have any wound that isn't healing or is deep, red, swollen or warm to the touch

This issue tops the list because it is so important that it receives the proper amount of attention. One of the symptoms of diabetes is that their blood does not clot well, particularly towards the extremities of the body. Many also have circulation problems. You will often notice that a diabetic’s hands or feet are usually cold to the touch. This is because of circulation problems. Another is that their skin bruises easily. Finally, diabetics are not as sensitive to pain. These three factors combine to create a dangerous situation for diabetics.

If a diabetic gets a cut or a deep bruise that is red and swollen, it can develop into a cut either above or below the surface on his or her foot. He or she must watch it very closely to make sure that it heals quickly and fully. If it does not, the cut can get infected, and develop ulcers or gangrene (the death of tissue due to a lack of blood). This can also happen with diabetics who have athlete’s foot, bunions or calluses on their feet, corns, blisters or bunions. These common foot problems can lead to infection and serious complications, such as amputation.

If you are not diabetic and you find that you have a cut that will not heal and there is green fluid coming out of a cut on your foot or you have a fever, this is a sign of infection and you need to see a doctor immediately.

Severe pain or swelling

Severe pain or swelling could be something as simple as you have twisted or bumped your foot or ankle very badly and it will heal after a few days rest or you might have serious damage. The area fills with blood when something like this occurs and inflammation causes the area to swell. The pain comes from the actual wound and from the nerves being pushed against one another inside of your foot. If your foot is really swollen or in a lot of pain you should get to a doctor to have it checked out to make sure that you do not have any serious damage to your foot.

You are unable to walk or put weight on your foot

If you are unable to put any weight on your foot and there is no swelling this could be a mild or severe injury. If you have had a recent foot injury that has not healed properly or if there was swelling and you assumed the pain would go away once the swelling has, then you might find out that you have a broken bone in your foot. You should immediately make an appointment with a foot doctor and keep your weight off your foot in the meantime.

Your feet are very important to your mobility and overall health so it is important that you take good care of them. If you find yourself with one of these issues do not pass it off as something inconsequential. It might be a serious injury. Call your doctor immediately and describe the symptoms and then go and get your foot checked out. You will thank yourself in the long run.

This is a gust blog entry.