You’ve Got to Listen to Your Feet!

Feet are complicated – with so many bones, we may not know there’s a problem until it begins to affect your daily activities. And many of us take our healthy feet for granted until symptoms start to pop up. Today Dr. Joel Segalman, Dr. Stephen Lazaroff, and Dr. Brittany Ciaramello at Performance Foot & Ankle Specialists, LLC, in New Haven County and Fairfield County, are explaining why it’s so important to listen to your feet.

Here are some foot problems that can be a sign of general health issues, some minor, and others that might require immediate medical attention.

• Cold feet can be a symptom of poor circulation, disorders of the nervous system, or a thyroid condition. Other conditions that can cause cold feet to include neuropathy, vascular disease, or diabetes.

• Foot drop is the inability to lift the front part of your foot that is caused by paralysis or muscle weakness. Possible underlying disorders are nerve or muscle conditions like neuropathy.

• Foot ulcers typically occur when uncontrolled glucose levels in your blood cause nerve damage in the feet, which reduces sensitivity, resulting in wounds that cause ulcers.

• Foot cramping is common and is an indication that you are dehydrated and might also have nutritional insufficiencies. Stretching with your toes pointing toward your nose can help.

• Pigmented patches of skin – A light patch of skin discoloration or a colored lesion on the upper surface of your foot might be a melanoma. Another sign of this potentially deadly form of skin cancer is a dark, vertical line underneath the toenail.

• Heel pain can be a consequence of plantar fasciitis. Calcium deposits build up, and sharp lumps develop that dig into the fatty pad of the heel. Heel pain can also signal that you have bursitis in the heel or tarsal tunnel syndrome.

• High arches can be a sign of a serious neurological disorder called Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, which damages the peripheral nerves and causes changes in gait, balance difficulties, muscle loss in the lower legs, and numbness in the feet.

• Peeling, itchy skin can indicate an allergy, a fungal infection, or a thyroid imbalance. Keep your feet cool and dry. A simple blood test will confirm whether or not you have a thyroid disorder.

See your podiatrist whenever you notice changes in the appearance or function of your feet. Contact the office of Dr. Joel Segalman, Dr. Stephen Lazaroff, and Dr. Brittany Ciaramello, at Performance Foot & Ankle Specialists, LLC today to schedule a consultation.

We serve both New Haven County and Fairfield County areas. Schedule an appointment by calling our Waterbury office at (203) 755-0489 or our Newtown location at (203) 270-6724. You can also request an appointment online.