A podiatrist, also known as a chiropodist, is the person you should see when you have problems with your feet. Some of the conditions a podiatric can treat include smelly feet, dry or cracked heels, scaling on the soles, calluses, athlete’s foot and ingrown toenails. A podiatrist can also suggest the use of orthotic devices such as tailor-made arch supports, insoles and padding to relieve heel or arch pain. An orthotic device is inserted in a shoe for foot re-alignment. It provides comfort and reduces pressure on vulnerable areas of the foot.
Even if you feel like your feet are in good condition, you can still visit a podiatrist to find out if you are wearing the right type of shoes or to have your toenails clipped.
Education
You should be concerned with your doctor’s level of education if you want pay for quality services. A qualified podiatrist in Jacksonville, FL has completed medical school during which he received training similar to what Doctors of Medicine (M.D) receive, but with an emphasis on foot and ankle specialties.
To qualify for a place in a medical school, a person must complete undergraduate studies where he covers 90 semester hours studying chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, biology and other subject that are related to podiatry. In addition, he must also pass a Medical College Admission Test. The Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree takes a minimum of four years to complete.
Experience
Opt for an experienced podiatric physician. He takes a short time to treat foot conditions and is efficient because he has handled different kinds of podiatric problems for a long time. Field exposure for a podiatrist starts after medical school where he is required to go through residency training. You may also contact some of his patients to get different opinions about his work.
Before a podiatrist takes a deep look into your problem, he begins with a consultation. During the session, he may remove hard skin on your feet, cut your toenails or look for other small problems such as verrucas, calluses and corns. Minor problems identified can be treated during the session. The treatment is usually painless and takes a short time, 30 to 60 minutes.
Avoid treating yourself even if the problem appears small because you may worsen your situation. First Coast Foot Clinic of Jacksonville, FL can do the work more efficiently.
