What Does A Podiatrist Do?

Podiatrists are physicians and specialists who can treat the problems related to your ankle, lower legs and foot. They can also treat any kind of foot-related issues such as fractures & sprains, bunions & hammertoes, arthritis, heel pain etc. When you visit a podiatrist for the first time, he or she will ask about the medications that you take before and your medical history. She or her start treating your problem accordingly. Sometimes some tests are performed to examine the exact foot problem. You need to choose a good podiatry clinic in Perth that offers certified foot care services at a low cost. These are the major conditions related to your feet:

How Can Podiatrists Help You?
Podiatrists can treat any kind of foot and muscle-related problems such as Bunions, Plantar Fasciitis, Myofascial pain irrespective of your age.  They also offer orthotics to reduce your foot problems.

Treats Bunions: This condition usually affects the big toes. Bunions are generally caused usually by wearing improper shoes. Leg arthritics is another reason to occur bunions. Common symptoms of Bunions are pain, stiffness and bone deformity. Some of the helpful treatments for bunions & hammertoes are myofascial therapy and low-level laser therapy. Many podiatrists prescribe orthotics.

Provides Orthotics: It is a medical device that helps to reduce biochemical foot problems. Bone deformity, bunions or hammertoe can be treated effectively if you wear this device inside your shoes. This device also helps to treat other foot problems like plantar fasciitis, leg arthritis and bursitis. Orthotics may help to avoid surgery.

Treats Plantar Fasciitis: Plantar fasciitis is another common foot problem. This happens due to the accumulation of calcium at your heel’s bone. The main causes of Plantar fasciitis are wearing improper shoes, excessive weight gaining and running, dancing etc. Tight and sports shoes can also lead to plantar fasciitis. You will suffer from excessive heel paining. Consult with your nearest podiatry immediately, if you want to get rid of this pain.

Offers Myofascial Therapy: This therapy can heal the pain of your body’s fascial structures. There are various types of massage techniques that are involved to resolve adhesion, restriction and tightness, which generally trigger pain and dysfunction. During this treatment, a specialist performs visual analysis and palpatory movement for determining the barriers in your tissue.

If you want to get relieved from acute pain. Consult with a doctor. This is only because the foot is the most important support system of our body. It is always recommended to consult with a good podiatrist for the best result. They also use the right tool and examine nicely.

What Are The Main Causes Of Heel Pain?

Foot problems or heel pain generally caused by many reasons such as plantar fasciitis, heel bursitis, Achilles tendonitis, sprains and strains. These causes are common and mostly occur due to wearing improper footwear, improper physical exercise or activities, excessive weight lifting. 

Plantar Fasciitis: 

Plantar fasciitis is a common heel pain problem. It generally appears when excessive pressure is applied to the plantar fascia ligament of your feet. This is a weblike and thick ligament which can mainly connect the heel to your foot. It can help to work smoothly. This problem is mostly found in runners and many people who wear inadequate shoes. Generally, there are two types of anti-inflammatory and non-steroidal drugs are used to reduce Plantar fasciitis. The doctor also suggests wearing proper footwear. 

Sprains and Strains: 

Sprains and strains are other common foot problems. Generally, sprains are tearing or overstretching of the ligaments or ankle joints and the strains are the stretching of tendons or hamstring muscles. Some common symptoms of the sprains and strains are bruising joint paining, limited flexibility and swelling. People who mostly involve in athletic or exercise, running, jogging, heavy object lifting, they mostly suffer from these issues. 

Heel Bursitis: 

Heel pains also occur due to this back heel inflammation. Generally, the bursa is situated at the backside of the ankle. Retrocalcaneal bursitis or heel bursitis can be caused by excessive jumping, running, walking etc. Some common symptoms of this problem are swelling, stiffness, calf muscle paining etc. However, it can be easily treated. Wearing supportive shoes can reduce this problem.

Achilles Tendonitis:

Achilles tendonitis is also called degenerative tendinosis or tendinopathy. Generally, the tendon can attach the calf muscles to the calcaneus or heel bone. The tendon is used while walking, running, jumping and other activities. Achilles tendonitis is mainly classified into 2 different types. They include noninsertional Achilles tendinopathy and insertional Achilles tendinopathy.

Noninsertional Achilles Tendinopathy:
This tendinopathy can be generally found in younger people. It can affect the middle part of your tendon.

Insertional Achilles Tendinopathy:
This tendonitis or tendinopathy can mainly affect the lower part of the tendon tissue. 

Achilles tendonitis most appear due to improper exercising, calf muscles straining, improper physical activities, wearing badly fitting shoes, etc. Podiatrist generally recommends to wear proper footwear, reduce physical activities, take different types of anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen, aspirin for minimising the tendonitis.

Heel problems are common. It can be easily reduced by proper heel pain treatment. Proper footwear and right exercise are the best ways to remove heel pains. If the pain is severe then you should consult with your doctor soon. 

3 Most Common Foot Related Problems That Need To Be Treated By A Podiatry Specialist

Our feet provide the much-needed support that our body needs. It is an integral part of our life and experiences a lot of tears and wear. A person is said to walk about 75,000 miles by the age of fifty. It is for this that you may develop chances of having foot-related problems in your life.

Some of the common foot problems are arthritis, bunions, mallet and claw toe, a disorder in the toenail and Morton’s neuroma, etc – all these hinder the mobility. If you experience any of these problems, you should see a podiatrist immediately.

The Three Most Common Foot Problems Include:

Bunions: When you experience a bony bump on the lateral side of your hallux, it is a bunion. In this condition, your hallux would bend towards the other toes thus making it painful for you to walk. It may also cause irritation and inflammation on your second toe and big toe. Bunions can be caused due to the inherited foot structure or ill- or tight-fitting shoes. Standing for too long can even aggravate the condition. Over-the-counter pain relievers and well-fitted shoes can be the solution to your bunions. Or else you can also take the advice of a podiatry specialist and get it treated.

Plantar fasciitis: It can cause pain in your heel and middle foot. This happens generally when the ligament of plantar fascia becomes strained due to weight gain, running long distance, the soft-soled footwear with poor support to the arch, frequent standing or other issues. The plantar fascia is a weblike, thick ligament that connects your foot’s front with your heel. You will experience more pain especially if you keep your feet on rest for a prolonged period. You can do some home-based treatment such as daily stretching of your foot, taking some anti-inflammatory medications and applying ice to get it treated. If these, however, don’t work then see a doctor who can ease your pain with orthotics, corticosteroid injections, physical therapy or surgery.

Gout: It mostly affects your big toe. It happens because too much uric acid is present inside your body. The area which is affected is very painful. You may feel like that your feet are being put on fire. It may occur in four stages and many forms. Gout may come & go or you may even develop chronic gout over time causing severe damage to your joints. Gout may be aggravated for a lot of reasons like eating some kinds of food, reaching a postmenopausal stage or the age factor in men (it occurs in men when they are between 40 to 50 years of age). Maintain healthy lifestyle habits to manage gout symptoms.

If you’re concerned about your foot problems, you should get it treated immediately. Your foot condition shouldn’t come in the way of your daily life. First, try out home-based treatments – if they don’t work out see a doctor. 

Treating Pelvis & Feet With The Help Of Myofascial Therapy

Our feet are an integral part of the body that help us to stay upright and walk properly. However, slips and fall can occur at any point of time. It has been seen even the slightest problem has caused a major issue in the long run. When your foot is subjected to high intensity workout it becomes prone to injuries and wrenches. These distresses are handled by fascia in our body. This is the reason fascia is also known as shock absorber.The process of receiving shock in the foot

In general, the vectors of the force should move throughout the body and toward the outer side. However, in most circumstances when your feet receive severe shock the fascia is restricted which creates areas of solidification. Thus, the force stops moving around the body without getting evenly distributed. Due to solidification it gets trapped in the fascia. Over time, this creates muscular strain and causes restrictions in the myofascial patterns. This is the reason we experience chronic pain and tightness in the feet in the cases of severe injuries.

What is the solution to treat malfunctioning fascia?

Myofascial Therapy is a process that cure severe injuries and pain right from the root of the cause. It primarily focuses on the pelvis which is the base of correction. An unbalanced pelvis can lead to improper handling of the injuries or trauma. Well, this can be handled easily with the help of Myofascial therapy. Simply, it is a kind of massage therapy technique is not only used to treat problems related to feet but also, to cure many other conditions that result in pain. This type of unique treatment can be achieved from a professional and expert podiatry service in Perth.

The process of Myofascial treatment

Myofascial therapy is release treatment which is performed directly on the skin without any kind of cream, oil, or medical devices. Through careful palpation, the therapist looks for restrictions in the fascia to treat the underlying tissue. Once the area is identified, the expert podiatrist applies moderate and sustained pressure or stretch, to help, release the restriction of fascia.

Myofascial therapy is really helpful in treating feet and ankles problems that includes gait analysis, plantar flexion and many.

Remember to hire a skilled professional in Perth to achieve the appropriate treatment of your ailment. Determining the complex restriction of fascia can be troublesome for inexperienced therapists.

How to Get Relief from Back Pain during Pregnancy?

Pregnancy is one of delightful feelings that a women can have in her entire life. But pregnancy can sometimes get troublesome. The common phenomenon that’s faced by majority of the pregnant women is back pain.

Let’s see what the factors are that cause back pain in women during pregnancy period:

• Due to the secretion of hormones, ligaments of the pelvic area get softened and the joints become soft.
• Posture of the body also gets changed as women leans forward due to the growth of the baby.
• As the weight of the baby increases it adds pressure on the lower back too.

How it Can be Minimized?

• Workout a little bit every day after taking approval from the doctors.
  
• Avoid using high heels or shoes that does not give full support of the body posture.
  
• It is advisable to wear high quality support belts. These belts can provide good lift.
  
• Take rest as much as possible. Try to place your legs on a pillow or a cushion to elevate it during night.
  
• Put a bag of ice on the back while sleeping at night to reduce the inflammation.
  
• Try to sleep on your side placing a pillow in between your legs. You can try pregnancy pillow-they are a good option for this.
  
• Hire a massage therapist (licensed) to reduce back pain.
  
• Acupuncture is also a good way to reduce back pain during pregnancy. There are some clinics offering good pregnancy support treatments in Northern Beaches. Consult with a doctor for the best acupuncture treatment.

These are the ways to reduce back pain. But there are some occasions when you need to visit a doctor or a health care specialist. If you see severe pain, rhythmic cramping you need to call your doctor, as this could be the sign of preterm labor.

Know Everything About Low-Level Laser Therapy

Low-level laser therapy is a cost-effective and painless treatment that is used to recover any pain and edema. Here, you will know everything about this therapy.

 Low-Level Laser Therapy or LLLT is an alternative medicine that uses low-level laser light or near-infrared light to recover soft tissue and wound. This therapy is also called Cold laser treatment. Generally, the low-level laser is applied to the skin surface of the body to reduce any kind of inflammation or pain and also heal tissues, wounds, and nerves. This therapy is very much different from HLLT or high-level laser therapy. Low-Level Laser Therapy is very cost-effective, safe and painless than HLLT. Moreover, LLLT is highly recommended by doctors, dentists, physiotherapist, and other specialists. Also, low-level laser treatment is highly effective on muscle spasm, muscle pain, burns, morning stiffness, fibromyalgia and carpal tunnel. Low-level laser light generally passes through the skin of the body and starts stimulating the cells' energy production center which is also known as mitochondria and enhances cell nutrition & cell life. LLLT is generally used in the treatment of recurrent aphthous ulcers (RAU); Oral lichen planus (OLP) and Herpes simplex infections. It is also used to recover from Xerostomia; Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) and Mucositis.

When the Low-Level Laser Therapy is Required?

• Tendinitis or Tendinopathy.
• Post-operative healing.
• Neuropathic pain.
• Arthritis pain.
• Wound healing.
• Joint problems.

Benefits of Low-Level Laser Therapy

• Growth-factors response within tissues or cells due to maximized protein synthesis and ATP.
• It helps to remove inflammation.
• Control immune response and enhance LDA or lymphatic drainage activity.
• Repair tissues effectively.
• LLLT is a faster bone repairing method. It can repair bones by osteoblastic proliferation and stimulating fibroblastic.
• Low-Level Laser Therapy is a very much cost-effective method and safe.
• Simpler then surgical laser therapy.
• It doesn’t cause any major pain.
• LLLT is a non-obtrusive method.
• Faster treatment process.
•  Improves cell growth stimulation
• Maximizes cell metabolism.
• LLLT enhances cell regeneration.
• Reduces tissue formation.
• It controls nerve function.
• Reduces the substance P production rate.
• LLLT therapy always stimulates the production of nitric oxide.
• The bradykinin formation, acetylcholine, and histamine can be reduced by Low-Level Laser Therapy.
• Stimulates endorphins production rates.

 Hence it can be concluded that Low-Level Laser Therapy can be used to provide quality treatment to patients. Nowadays, this cost-effective therapy has grown its importance to relieve pain through a painless technique. Hence, if you are suffering from any kind of inflammation or edema then you should consult with your doctor for this painless therapy.

FOODS TO EAT FOR IMPROVING DIGESTION

Many people due to their unhealthy lifestyle suffer from several health issues. Late night parties, hectic work schedules, etc are some of the common reasons behind people leading an indisciplined lifestyle. Though this kind of lifestyle can be fun and entertaining in certain cases, at a certain point of time, you would feel your health starting to deteriorate, and the damage to your well-being will become conspicuous through various signs. Digestion problem is one of those signs.

However if taken good care, then digestion problems can be cured naturally as well. According to many an expert in Northern Beaches, practicing certain healthy habits and consuming healthy fruits and vegetables can cure issues with digestion. Some of the important foods that can be consumed for good digestion are as follows –

Red Beet Roots
Beet roots are one of the key food items that help to deal with several digestive issues, including abdominal and constipation problems. They are rich in magnesium, fibre and potassium, all of which aid in removing waste from the body. Besides that, every single nutrient present in beet root also improves the overall digestive system.

Apple

As the saying goes – “an apple a day, keeps the doctor away”, without any doubt, apples provide a human body with numerous health benefits. They are rich in minerals, folate, phosphorous, potassium, vitamin C and vitamin A, that provide multiple digestive perks including relief from constipation issues.

Banana

If you ever suffer from health problems such as diarrhea, then consuming this yellow fresh fruit is definitely a must. Banana helps to restore and improve the level of potassium and electrolytes that are lost due to diarrhea. This fruit is loaded with numerous nutrients as well.

Sweet Potatoes

In order to ensure proper digestion, it is suggested to consume sweet potatoes along with their skin. They provide various nutrients and minerals like manganese, dietary fibre and complex carbohydrates.

Oats

Oats are rich in thiamine, copper, fibre, vitamin E, zinc, selenium and phosphorus. Each of these nutrients can help a human body to cope with digestion issues by eliminating waste from the body.

Blueberries

Beside protecting a human body against various digestive issues, blueberries provide cancer-fighting antioxidants as well. You can even have a glass of blueberry juice every day.

Thus, all the aforementioned fruits and vegetables can be consumed to tackle and prevent different digestion problems. However, beside intaking these foods, it is also suggested to appoint a nutritionist who can guide you with useful advice and recommend a healthy balanced diet.