Most of us use our feet every day and never really stop to think about how important they are. If you do any walking, running or exercise at all throughout the day, you have your feet to thank. The lease we can do is give them the proper level of care.
While on a typical day, that mostly means wearing comfortable shoes and occasionally putting some lotion on them, at times it means being vigilant to whether or not your feet are in need of some extra care due to a foot disease or ailment.
1. Fungal Infections
While the most common foot fungal infection you hear about is athlete’s foot, it’s not the only one you have to worry about. The symptoms of fungal infections are pretty similar across the board though.
Symptoms of Fungal Infections:
- Itching or burning
- Dry skin – peeling and cracking
- Redness
- Blisters
2. Gout
Gout doesn’t only happen in the foot, but the most common place people experience it is in their big toe. It’s a form of arthritis that causes serious pain and swelling in a joint.
Symptoms of Gout:
- Swelling in your big toe (or another joint)
- Warmth in the same area
- Pain in the same area
- Red or purplish skin around where it hurts
- Limited movement in the joint that’s affected
- A lingering itch after the gout attack passes
3. Bunions
Once again, we have a foot disease that tends to strike your big toe (poor guy). Bunions are painful bumps that show up at the base of your big toe due to your big toe pushing up against the toe next to it. Bunions are pretty easy to identify because of how much they hurt.
Symptoms of Bunions:
- A painful bulge at the base of your big toe
- Swelling in the same area
- Redness in the same area
- Pain, made worse by wearing tight shoes (or any constraining shoes)
For more information, or to schedule an appointment contact us at (773) 925-5700!