A foot specialist is a medical professional who is trained to treat conditions affecting the feet, such as bunions, heel spurs, and hammertoes.
Training for Foot Specialists
Foot specialists start their medical training in undergraduate medical studies. Once completed, they then move on to graduate school, where they will complete a doctorate program in podiatry, but that is not the end of their journey. Even once they have successfully attained those qualifications, specialists are still required to pass government-issued exams and gain licenses before they can practice in their chosen field.
What Do Foot Specialists Do?
A foot specialist like Northwest Surgery Center will focus on the lower extremities, such as the ankles and feet. Unfortunately, because the foot contains a range of complex anatomies, there is a lot that can go wrong, and it is why specialists are required to spend so much time in medical training.
The most common issues a specialist will provide care and treatment for include bunions, heel spurs, hammertoes, corns, and calluses. You may also receive treatment for external infections, such as those which can affect the toenails and skin.
Because they are fully licensed medical professionals, specialists can deliver the full range of care, including writing prescriptions for infection medicine, and pain relievers that may be necessary after surgery.
Internal Examination and Abnormalities
It’s not just external ailments that interest foot specialists, as they also focus on diagnosing internal ailments and can perform x-rays as part of the diagnostic procedure.
If you have a bunion or heel spur, then it’s highly likely you will undergo an x-ray so the foot specialist can explore the extent of the problem and develop an effective remedy. Should you require it, your foot specialist is also qualified to perform surgery on your foot.
As you can see, your local specialist is a highly qualified individual who is passionate about improving people’s lives via way of healthy feet. If you’re looking for bunion cures or remedies, and treatment for hammertoes and heel spurs, then check out Northwest Surgery Center and book yourself in for a consultation at your earliest convenience.