Summertime Foot Hazards Going Barefoot

When the weather is hot, a lot of people tend to walk around barefoot. Although it feels good, going barefoot is generally not a good idea. Being barefoot increases your chance of injury or infection, and it can also cause achy muscles.

In the summer, the pavement absorbs a lot of heat. When the sun is shining, the ground can get hot enough to cause your skin to burn. This is particularly important for certain groups of people who have lost sensation of their feet. Thermal burns are very common in people with neuropathy (lack of sensation) and can lead to serious complications.

Wearing Unsupportive Shoes

One step up from going barefoot in the summer is wearing unsupportive flip-flops or sandals. These can contribute to serious foot pain for many people. Flip-flops are just too flat and make your toes to claw to grasp the ground. Over time, this can lead to toe deformities. In addition, unsupportive footwear can lead to conditions like plantar fasciitis, various tendinitis, and muscle ache. For better foot health, look for sandals that offer support and protection to your feet.

Sweaty Feet

Everyone gets sweaty feet in the summer, particularly if you must wear shoes and socks all day. Sweating can contribute to several issues such as:

• Athlete’s foot
• General fungal problems
• Bacterial infections
• Toenail fungus
• Discomfort
• Body Odour

As a podiatrist, my priority is to improve the condition of your feet and put a smile on your feet! So, if your feet feel hot and bothered…

– Wash your feet regularly. Using antibacterial soap on your feet can reduce excessive sweating.

– Use antiperspirant. Antiperspirant works by blocking pores from excessive sweating. You may also find surgical spirit useful as it is an astringent.

– Try foot powders. There loads of different foot powders out there that can help absorb excessive sweat. Some of them have anti-fungal properties as well.

– Wear the right socks. Make sure your socks are made of natural fibres and not synthetic ones. Replace nylon socks with bamboo socks or cotton.

Blisters, Corns & Calluses

Blisters are small pockets of clear fluid under a layer of skin. They can also contain blood or pus. They are mostly caused by friction, when your shoes rub the same spot on your foot, when you wear shoes that don’t fit properly, or when you wear shoes without socks. Depending on the cause, blistering may happen along with pain, redness, or itching.

Draining a blister is not recommended because of the risk of infection, but if you must “pop” it, use a sterile needle to allow the skin to re-attach. Try not to cut the skin away unless it is already torn and drying out. Keep the blister clean. Bathe your foot in salt water every day and cover the blister with a dressing or gauze. Change the dressing daily until the area is completely dry.

Corns are small lumps of hard skin. Corns are caused by pressure or friction from footwear and are more likely to develop if you have toe deformities. If you think you have a corn, do not use any medicated corn plasters. They contain salicylic acid and can burn the skin badly. Instead, use a non-medicated corn pad, to deflect the pressure. You can also use a pumice stone or a foot file to rub away the hard skin on top. Most importantly, book an appointment with a podiatrist to have your corns professionally treated.

Summertime Foot Hazards

Calluses are larger patches of rough, thick skin. They are caused by an uneven distribution of weight, generally at the ball of your foot or heel. Calluses also can be caused by ill-fitting shoes, pressure, and friction when you walk. Foot orthoses can help redistribute the pressure when you walk and help in general with your posture and alleviate discomfort. If you want to improve the condition of your feet, you can use a pumice stone or a foot file to rub away the hard skin and regularly use a urea-based cream. Also having professional treatment by a podiatrist can seriously improve your foot health! 

When it’s warm and your feet get hot and sweaty, they can feel uncomfortable and painful. Regular visit to your podiatrist can improve the health of your feet and offer you advice on how to best care for them.

At Medipod Clinics we take great care of your feet. Our experienced staff will treat your feet with the respect and attention they deserve. Give us a call today on 01455 246100 to chat through your needs.

We offer a very wide range of treatments such as verruca treatments, ingrown toenails management, fungal infections treatment, heel pain management, diabetic footcare and sports injuries management. I can assure you that we will do our best to exceed your expectations.

For more information and to get in touch, please contact us on 01455 246100. You are also welcomed to visit us at 45 Rugby Rd, Hinckley, LE10 0QA – we will be delighted to see you!

Thank you for reading – Summertime Foot Hazards. Let Your Feet Do The Talking This Summer!

Faye Vogiatzoglou
Clinical Director

http://medipodclinics.com/

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Like many microbes, there are helpful fungi and harmful fungi. When harmful fungi invade the body, they can be difficult to kill, as they can survive in the environment and re-infect the person trying to get better.

Fungus quite often affects the nails and can cause significant discoloration. Nails that have been damaged are particularly susceptible to fungal invasion. It can also affect the skin causing visible skin changes, redness, and itching.

DIAGNOSIS OF FUNGAL FOOT INFECTION

There are a few ways to test for presence of fungal spores. At Medipod Clinics, we use the Dermatophyte Test Strip (DTS). It is simple, accurate and shows results in just 5 minutes. It can be performed as part of your podiatry treatment and offers a very reliable diagnosis. This will enable your podiatrist to start the right antifungal treatment immediately without having to send clippings to an external laboratory. Your GP will also be informed of the results, as systemic medication may be needed.

TREATMENTS IN FUNGAL FOOT INFECTION

Treatment for fungal foot infections will depend on the type, severity, medical history of the patient and age. Anyone with a weakened immune system may be more likely to contract a fungal infection, as well as anyone who is taking antibiotics. Cancer treatment and Diabetes can also make a person more prone to fungal infections.

Most fungal skin infections can be treated with over-the-counter or prescription creams. Severe infections may require additional methods.

Topical agents for Tinea Pedis (skin infection)
Tinea pedis is a condition that is generally responds to topical antifungal agents.
Most formulations are available in the clinic as well as in the chemist.

These include Canesten, Dactarin, Dactarin Gold, Grisol, Mycota, Lamisil and Mycil.

KEY POINT

Topical Terbinafine (Lamisil) has been shown to be equally effective for treating tinea pedis in all its forms, such as a spray, cream and film-forming solution.

Based on the available evidence to date, older preparations such as Whitfield’s ointment (benzoic and salicylic acid) are probably less effective than azoles and terbinafine. Tea tree oil (Melaleuca) and Vicks remain a popular over-the-counter treatment but can cause skin irritation.

KEY POINT

The use of tea tree oil and Vicks in the treatment of onychomycosis is not recommended by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.

Onychomycosis – Nail Fungal Infection

When onychomycosis is considered to be mild to moderate, topical agents can be considered. Treatment requires good compliance as it can take 12-18 months. Studies have proven that the delivery of topical drugs to the infected nail can be enhanced by reducing the nail on a regular basis.

Amorolfine 5%, Curanail 3% are nail lacquers that inhibit the growth on fungus.

Mykored , Excilor and Emtrix create a nail environment in which the fungus finds it difficult to grow, therefore they help the appearance of the nail.

KEY POINT

Nail reduction prior to antifungal treatment in onychomycosis improves the cure rate.

Systemic Medication

If the infection is severe, affecting majority of the surface of the nail and the nail root, oral medication can be prescribed by your G.P.

KEY POINT

Any patient receiving systemic antifungal agents should first have the infection confirmed to prevent prescribing errors.

Fenestration of the nail (Lacuna Method)

Most topical agents are ineffective at penetrating the nail plate to reach the active infection on the nail bed (the skin under the nail).

By making micro holes in the nail plate your podiatrist can enable you to apply the anti-fungal agent, such as Lamisil spray, directly to the infected nail bed.

The Lamisil Spray will spread under the nail as you walk and with daily application the fungus is stopped from spreading and the damaged nail grows out.

KEY POINT

Current evidence has shown many significant benefits of fenestration in the treatment of onychomycosis.

Laser devices emit pulses of energy that impart heat to tissues that it contacts. The effect of the laser on fungal nails relies on the fungal cells absorbing this heat, which kills the microbe.
The laser energy penetrates through the toenail, to the nail bed beneath where the fungus is likely also present. This ability to penetrate the full thickness of the toenail is probably what leads to the promising results seen thus far with laser treatment. However, current evidence is very limited as this is a new management method.

KEY POINT

The cost of receiving laser treatment for onychomycosis as well as the limited evidence of its effectiveness make it less favourable amongst patients.

Podiatrists at Medipod Clinics are trained to diagnose, test and treat fungal foot infections. We understand how your foot works and we tailor a treatment plan to your needs. If you are already concerned about your feet, we are more than happy to help. With our expertise and experience, you will have full peace of mind when it comes to your foot health.

We also offer other podiatry services, counselling , audiology and physiotherapy services.

For more information about our podiatry services, please contact us on 01455 246100. We would love to help you with any foot related questions.

Thank you for reading,

Faye Vogiatzoglou
http://medipodclinics.com

The post What You Need To Know About Fungal Foot Infections appeared first on Medipod Clinics.