At Best Foot Doctor, we understand that your feet are crucial to your overall health and wellbeing. As millions of New Yorkers go to work and school every day, their footwear choices can significantly affect their comfort and foot health. Everyone faces a foot condition at some point in their lives. Having a good podiatrist in NYC on their medical team can mean the difference between relief for common foot conditions and lifelong pain and discomfort.
We are experts in the field of foot medicine and are currently accepting new patients. If you are looking for a podiatrist in NYC or Manhattan, please give our offices a call to schedule an appointment. Best Foot Doctor specializes in the following common foot conditions:
- Bunion surgery
- Corn removal
- Treatment of toenail fungus
We offer these top services to help you find relief from foot pain and discomfort. Everyone deserves to have comfortable feet that add to their sense of well-being.
What Is a Podiatrist?
A doctor of podiatric medicine, commonly called a podiatrist, diagnoses, treats and helps prevent injuries and health conditions in the lower extremities. All podiatrists are licensed as experts in caring for foot conditions, and in some areas, this licensure may also include treatment of the lower legs and ankle areas.
Podiatrists focus specifically on lower legs and feet and the related conditions. We are often asked about the difference between podiatrists and orthopedic specialists. Orthopedic specialists are medical doctors who concentrate on the musculoskeletal functions of the entire body. While some orthopedic specialists do focus on foot and ankle wellness, a podiatrist will often have more experience in this field due to the specialized nature of their education and practice. If you are unsure of the cause of your foot pain, you probably should see a podiatrist instead of an orthopedist.
What Does an NYC Podiatrist Do?
A licensed podiatrist can prescribe medicine, set broken bones, make casts, and provide other medical treatments for feet and ankle injuries. They can also supply orthotics, which are individualized supports in shoes that help people walk correctly.
Even healthy individuals should consider a checkup with a podiatrist in NYC like Best Foot Doctor. We can evaluate your foot health, provide recommendations on suitable types of footwear, and take care of hardened skin or any foot concerns you may have.
How Do I Know I Can Trust a Podiatrist?
While podiatrists follow a different education plan than medical doctors, their education is very similar. After undergraduate school, they must complete a four-year degree at an approved podiatric school. Upon completing their podiatry school degree, doctors seeking to become podiatrists must complete a three-year residency at a hospital. This residency allows them to interact with other medical care teams and staff, giving them a more comprehensive range of experience before progressing to a dedicated podiatry clinic or hospital area.
After residency, a podiatry student must pass the National Board Exams and become licensed by their state to practice podiatry. Although a podiatrist is not technically a medical doctor, they are recognized as physicians by the United States, because of their rigorous and dedicated education before entering practice. Podiatrists must also renew their state licensure periodically, and some states require continuing education as well.
Because of the advanced education and experience of a podiatrist, you can trust them to take care of your feet. At Best Foot Doctor, our staff understands the challenges of working and living in a fast-paced area like Manhattan and the challenges you can face in properly caring for your feet.
What Does A NYC Podiatrist Treat?
Individuals commonly visit us to seek treatment for foot pain or injuries. Some of the conditions we typically treat include:
- ingrown toenails
- blisters and warts
- corns and calluses
- dry or cracked heel skin
- nail or foot infections
- flat feet, fallen arches, or overlapping toes
- hammertoes and bunions
- heel pain and injuries
- neuromas
- sprains
- arthritis
Podiatrists often work with diabetic patients to care for their foot health and prevent future nerve loss or amputation. While working with a medical team, podiatrists also often help identify cardiovascular disease before other physicians because foot health is closely related to the rest of the body.
Can You Help with My Toenail Fungus?
In short, yes! Several potential health risks may arise because of untreated fungal infections in toenails. You can help prevent a worse condition by visiting a good podiatrist and working with them to create a plan of action for your fungal nails. We would be happy to look at your infection and offer advice on the best treatment options.
Potential Complications from Toenail Fungus
If your toenail fungus is painful or has thickened your nails, you should seek treatment from a licensed podiatrist as soon as possible. There are at least four ways that your untreated toenail fungus has the potential to further complicate your health.
It can spread to other nails (or people!). Toenail fungus is an infection that rarely stays in one place. Without proper treatment, the condition will continue to grow and spread to other nails and potentially to different feet and body parts. The same fungus in feet is commonly known as athlete’s foot.
Fungal toenails may be causing your foot pain. As a fungal infection grows and toenails thicken, you may find it difficult to walk in shoes due to the pressure that shoes put on unhealthy nails.
Fungal infections often cause widespread disease throughout the body in immunocompromised individuals. When bacteria from the toenail fungus gets inside the body, even through a seemingly minor cut, it can cause widespread cellulitis. Cellulitis, if left untreated, can enter the bloodstream and be potentially deadly.
You could lose your toenails entirely if the fungal infection is not treated. Infected nails or nails that do not respond to treatment and have separated from the nail bed must be removed.
If you are concerned you may have a toenail fungus; please make an appointment with an NYC podiatrist as soon as possible. Although it will not go away on its own, your toenail fungus may not need intense treatment if the infection does not spread. However, you should always treat aggressively spreading infections as soon as possible to avoid permanent damage.
How Can I Prevent Toenail Fungus?
While anyone can contract toenail fungus, we often see it in older adults (especially those over 60). You can reduce your risk of contracting toenail fungus or athlete’s foot with the following seven suggestions.
- Foot fungus is common in public areas like showers and swimming pools. Avoid going barefoot in these areas.
- Carefully clip your toenails. Aggressive clipping can cause cuts where bacteria can enter.
- Clean your nail clippers after use.
- Keep your feet dry.
- Soak your nails before cutting them or cut them after a shower or bath.
- Trim toenails straight across – avoid rounding the edges.
- Wear shoes that allow your feet to breathe and that fit correctly.
We specialize in helping individuals with the treatment of their toenail fungus. If you suffer from this unsightly condition and need help, please contact the Best Foot Doctor in the NYC area. Finding a good podiatrist in NYC can be tricky, but we will do everything we can to make the journey as painless as possible.
Do You Offer Corn Removal?
Another condition we often see in the Manhattan and Queens area is calluses and corns. While these conditions can be treated at home when they are minor, we specialize in corn removal for those dealing with more advanced forms of foot corns.
Human skin contains a protein called keratin that can become overgrown as the boy responds to additional pressure or irritation. When the skin becomes stiff and thickened, it is called hyperkeratosis. There are many types of hyperkeratosis, including calluses, corns, warts, and more.
While improperly fitting footwear is the most common reason people develop corns, they may also develop when the body fights infection or overexposure to the sun. By building up the protective layer of skin, the body resists intrusion or health threats.
How Can I Prevent Corns From Developing?
Like many other foot ailments, the best way to prevent corns is to wear properly fitting footwear. For example, shoes that do not rub excessively on heels or soles can help you avoid the thickened skin that can cause calluses and corns.
Ill-fitting footwear can cause painful corns that continue to thicken and develop more layers of skin until they are unbearable and require treatment. If you change your footwear, it may be enough to encourage corns to recede on their own. If this does not help, a corn removal procedure may be necessary to treat your pain and discomfort.
Corns and calluses that develop on the soles and heels may protect your feet from thorns and rocks when walking barefoot, but they can also mask underlying problems.
Why Do Corns Grow on My Feet?
The most common types of hyperkeratosis on feet are corns and calluses. Unless they are a symptom of an underlying condition, they are not usually a cause for concern. However, an overgrowth of hard, tough skin can be embarrassing for some people, even if it is not dangerous to their health.
While calluses generally present in an even thickness, corns often develop with a hard center and slightly softer outer ring. Corns often appear between the toes and can become painful. You can treat corns similarly to calluses. Here are four ways that may be effective for treating your corns.
- Avoid going barefoot and wear comfortable shoes that fit you well.
- Soak your feet in warm, soapy water to soften the hard skin.
- Use a pumice stone or file to remove dead skin during or after soaking or bathing.
- Moisturize skin to soften and prevent continued callus growth.
If you are unsatisfied with the state of your feet and would like to have your corns removed, please consider the Best Foot Doctor to look after your foot health. Our specialists are experts at dealing with corns and calluses and would be happy to take a look at your feet.
Do You Do Bunion Surgery?
Yes, we do! Bunion surgery is another foot condition that we often deal with, and we would be happy to have a conversation about it with you. However, it is essential to remember that bunion surgery is often considered an elective procedure, and there are a few things you should keep in mind when pursuing surgery.
What Are Bunions?
Many people develop bunions in their lifetime, and they can be uncomfortable and unsightly. While we don’t know the exact reason bunions form, we have found that they seem to run in families. Wearing improperly fitting shoes is also a common reason for bunions and may also aggravate the condition. While lower arches, flat feet, and loose joints are common risk factors for developing bunions, wearing high heels dramatically increases the chances of developing bunions.
You can generally identify a bunion by the noticeable protruding bump on the joint just below the big toe. Because most shoes do not fit well with this bump, wearing shoes and walking aggravate the misaligned joint and can cause pain. As the bunion worsens, the fluid sac that cushions joints becomes inflamed and increases discomfort.
How to Relieve Bunion Pain Without Surgery
Sometimes, bunions are only mildly uncomfortable, but they can become so painful that walking and normal daily activities become limited. You may consider some of these common at-home remedies to relieve bunion pain.
- Use an ice pack or other cold compress to alleviate the pain of the joint.
- Switch out shoes for more comfortable options with a roomy toe area that does not constrict or pressure the bunion.
- Purchase padded or gel-filled inserts to reduce pressure on bunions when wearing shoes.
- Stretch feet to encourage joints into proper alignment.
- Wear a restrictive toe guard splint. Only wear splints under the supervision of a medical professional.
What If I Need Surgery?
If at-home remedies are not sufficient for relieving your bunion pain, you may need surgery to correct the condition. During bunion surgery, a podiatrist in NYC will realign the bones of the foot so that the bunion can heal completely.
There are many different types of bunion surgery, some more invasive than others. Most individuals seek bunion surgery only because the bunions have worsened to the point where they are affecting other toes or causing other problems. For more invasive surgery procedures, extended recovery periods include limiting walking as much as possible, not driving, and avoiding sports or running for months afterward.
What To Consider Before Elective Bunion Surgery
At Best Foot Doctor, we work with patients frequently that are tired of their bunions and want to have them removed. Below are six questions that we ask them to consider before choosing to pursue bunion removal surgery.
- How much pain do I have, on a scale of 1-10?
- How old am I?
- How active am I?
- Am I aesthetically uncomfortable?
- Do I have any significant medical conditions that would interfere with surgery?
- Are you ready to wear a surgical shoe for five weeks?
If you are considering bunion surgery and would like to discuss these questions further, please reach out to us at Best Foot Doctor, and we will schedule an appointment for you.
Finding a podiatrist in NYC specializing in bunion surgery, corn removal, and toenail fungus can be difficult, but we are here to help. With years of experience working in the fast-paced lifestyle of this area, we understand the daily challenges that New Yorkers face in keeping their feet healthy. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you pursue a more healthy future, starting with your feet.