What is a Podiatrist?
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Posted by ocfeet ocfeet - Filed in Arts & Culture - 16 views
Podiatrists are doctors who specialize in diagnosing and treating problems in the feet, ankles, and lower legs. Podiatrist Irvine or doctors of podiatric medicine can prescribe medications, order lab tests, reset broken bones, refer a patient for physical therapy, and perform surgeries. They can also assist other health professionals in the diagnosis and treatment of certain health issues. In the U.S., podiatrists are licensed and regulated by state governments.
Are podiatrists doctors?
Podiatrists are doctors, but they have their own schools and professional associations. One can find "DPM” (doctor of podiatric medicine) after their names instead of "MD" (medical doctor). Podiatrists undergo extensive education and training, specifically on how to treat the feet.
In order to be fully-certified and practise in the U.S., a podiatrist must undertake the following:
- 4-year bachelor’s degree
- 4-year Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) degree
- 3-year residency training
- National Board Certification
- State License to practice
Podiatrists can also choose to specialize in specific types of Podiatrist Orange County, such as sports medicine, radiology, orthotics, general or reconstructive surgery, dermatology, pediatric care, geriatric care and more. Podiatrists who go on to specialize in both general foot health and foot surgery are called podiatric surgeons. They must be certified by the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery in order to practice in the state that they work in. And like all doctors, podiatrists must go through the rigamarole of having to renew their medical licenses every few years.
Conditions podiatrists treat
Podiatrists can diagnose and treat a range of conditions such as:
- Foot & ankle injuries (broken bones, sprains, strains, etc)
- Foot & ankle pain and inflammation due to arthritis and gout
- Diabetic foot infections ( foot ulcers, neuropathy, toenail fungus)
- Foot abnormalities (flat feet, high arches, hammertoe, etc)
- Skin conditions (corns, plantar dermatosis, athlete’s foot, etc)
- Nail conditions (ingrown nails, nail infections)
- Prolonged heel pain (plantar fasciitis)
- Diabetic foot care and corrective orthotics
- Smelly feet
- Bone inflammation in the foot (Sesamoiditis)
Advanced podiatric services
- Lower leg amputations
- Foot & ankle surgeries
- Diagnose tumors and at-birth deformities
- Lower leg amputation
- Treat conditions like cysts and bone disorders Make casts for the treatment of foot & ankle injuries
- Foot prosthetics
- Refer patients to other healthcare professionals if their diagnosis points to other bodily disorders
What to expect at the podiatrist?
Visiting a podiatrist will be a lot like visiting any other general physician. You’d be asked questions regarding your current symptoms, medical history, medications you’re currently on. They will then observe how you move, check the range of motion in your joints, conduct a physical examination of your feet, and check if your shoes fit. Based on their initial findings, podiatrists may recommend additional tests (nail swab, X-rays, ultrasound, MRI scan, blood tests, electromyography) to be taken before administering a variety of treatment options to help cure or relieve the pain.
Why visit a podiatrist?
Podiatrists are essential health professionals with years of training and sound educational qualifications. They are specialists in providing surgical and medical care for individuals with ankle, foot, and lower leg problems. Do let it sink in that the services of podiatrists aren’t just limited to patients with existing foot problems; anyone and everyone would greatly benefit from having their legs and feet examined on a regular basis. So, get your feet checked by a podiatrist even if you’re blessed with healthy feet.
Why choose Orange County Podiatry?
Orange County Foot & Ankle Group have some of the top podiatrists in Orange County. With three offices in Orange County, OCFA believes in the podiatrists and working together as a team. They have a team of doctors and staff who specialize in foot & ankle surgery, bunion surgery, diabetes foot & wound care, treatment of ingrown toenails and plantar fasciitis, prescribing diabetic shoes & orthotics, laser treatment for toenail fungus, and more! OCFA also takes great pride in housing the Erchonia Lunula Laser, the first and only non-thermal cold laser to receive FDA 510(k) market clearance for the treatment of Onychomycosis. OCFA is all about preventive services. Their friendly, professional staff follows up every step of the way to make sure that a patient is healthy and free of pain or worries. If you’re injured, have an infection, are in a lot of pain, then look no further and make a same day appointment with OCFA today!