Foot specialists treat and diagnose a wide variety of painful conditions. They treat conditions as serious as plantar fasciitis, corns and calluses, hammer toe and whiplash to the less severe conditions such as bunions, corns and calluses, and various more.
One of the advantages of foot specialists is that they do not usually refer to an orthopaedist when treating patients. This allows for more specialized treatments. Here’s a look at how foot specialists in Southbury, CT works.
Process of treatment
Medical history-
The first step in how foot specialists treat a patient is to take a complete medical history. During the medical history, foot specialists can obtain information on the patient’s current health conditions, any previous foot problems and their treatment, if any, and their family history. Foot specialists need to know about the patient’s lifestyle because this may affect their treatment and results. It is also important to gather medical histories from patients before and after various foot treatments.
Research to find reason-
After the medical history, the foot specialist needs to do some research on the possible causes of the pain and injury. They may ask about where the injury occurs, the severity of the pain and whether there are any other injuries that could have caused it. Specific tests such as x-rays and MRI scans can help foot specialists determine the cause of the pain and the proper treatment plan. Once the cause is determined, the next step is to do a physical examination of the foot, using the familiar tools, such as the mirror, to see if the foot looks normal and swollen or normal but swollen. The specialist will want to feel the foot to determine its ability to bend and straighten. He or she might also feel the toes.
Knowing about patient’s lifestyle-
Many injuries to the foot can be the result of poor shoe choices, improper foot mechanics or abnormal feet. The foot specialists will need to know about the patient’s lifestyle, such as whether he or she is active or sedentary, the types of shoes they use and their foot characteristics, for example if they have high arches. The foot specialists need to have information about the patient’s family medical history as well, including whether anyone in the family has ever had foot problems or has been treated by the same professional. All of this information helps foot specialists understand the patient’s risk of having further health complications or injury down the road.
To make a diagnosis, foot specialists in Southbury, CT often evaluate X-rays or CT scans of the foot. If X-rays or scans indicate any problems with the foot, the specialist will discuss them with the patient. Foot specialists are not qualified to make any medical decisions; they must be asked by the patient.
Different procedures for foot injuries
When the X-rays and CT scans are done, the foot specialist can determine the severity of the injury, which will in turn determine the treatment. Depending upon the severity of the foot injury, the foot specialist may recommend surgery. There are many different procedures available for foot injuries, but the most common ones are arthroscopic surgery and plantar fasciectomy. Both of these procedures are considered major surgeries and require months of recovery time.
The plantar fasciectomy involves a surgical procedure that removes the plantar fascia, which is a tough fibrous band that runs across the top of the foot. This enables the foot to move more freely and reduces pain. A major treatment for plantar fasciitis is arch supports, which are made out of orthotic devices that are customized to conform to the natural shape of the feet.
The foot specialists usually tell the patient how long they will have to wear the support and how many orthotics they will need to wear during the initial healing period.
Other serious foot disorders include bunion deformity, which can occur when a person rolls their foot too much. Bunion deformities can cause pain and deformation that can severely affect a patient’s daily living. To prevent this from happening, foot specialists in Southbury, CT perform customized exercises designed to strengthen the muscles around the foot. This helps prevent bunion deformities from occurring or improving existing conditions. To go for your foot treatment you can consider visiting https://danburypodiatrist.com/ .