Items filtered by date: April 2017

Neuropathy refers to nerve damage. One source of neuropathy in the feet is alcoholism. It’s important for patients to be forthcoming with the foot doctor about alcohol intake. In honor of National Alcohol Awareness Month we at Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center would like to offer the following facts about alcoholic neuropathy:

• The ethanol found in alcohol damages nerve tissue.
• In addition, poor diet and lack of certain vitamins (also common in alcoholics) can contribute to nerve damage.
• Symptoms of alcoholic neuropathy include: loss of sensation and numbness, tingling, pain, burning, muscle spasms and muscle weakness.
• Nerve damage caused by overuse of alcohol is usually permanent.
• There are other possible causes of neuropathy that our podiatrists, Dr. Victoria Foley and Dr. Constance Omelas will need to rule out. They will start by examining your feet and may order blood or other tests such as nerve conduction and nerve biopsy.
• Potential dangers of alcoholic neuropathy include greater likelihood of injury due to lack of sensation. Similarly, conditions such as athlete’s foot can progress to the point of open sores because the patient does not perceive the symptoms in their earlier stages. Infections are more likely to develop in these scenarios. Muscle dysfunction can increase the chance of falls.
• There are treatment options available to lessen the symptoms of alcoholic neuropathy such as B vitamins, prescription medications for pain, galvanic stimulation, magnetic therapy and orthotic inserts.
• To prevent further nerve damage from occurring, patients with alcoholic neuropathy must stop drinking. If you want information on treatment for alcoholism you can ask the foot doctor for a referral or visit ncadd.org.

If you have noticed signs of neuropathy in your feet or have other questions about this condition contact our Long Beach office to schedule an appointment by calling: 562-420-9800.

Would you believe that the National Safety Council reports that there is an average of 180,000 foot injuries on the job each year? At Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center we want our patients to be proactive about the health of their feet at all times. Most patients spend a large percentage of their waking hours at work yet don’t give much thought to the health and safety of their feet in the workplace setting. Preventive health care for your feet at work falls into two categories: injury and overuse.

Injury

Injury to your feet on the job can come about as a result of the materials you are working with or the site of your work. Construction workers and those who work at sites where there is much debris and loose rock or other material on the ground need properly fitting shoes or work boots to support feet and ankles and minimize the risk of falls and ankle sprains. Another statistic from the National Safety Council showed that of the workers who suffered a job-related foot injury only about 25% were wearing protective footwear. Work boots with hard toe boxes protect against tools and heavy items being dropped on them. If you work with hazardous materials, chemicals or liquids at high temperatures you will want to take the proper precautions to protect your feet as well as the rest of your body.

If you wear work boots every day you may find it beneficial to have a second pair to trade off with to prevent repetitive stress to the same areas of your feet and to minimize the risk of athlete’s foot and other fungal infections that can breed in dark, sweaty boots. A day to air out between airings can reduce this risk significantly.

Overuse

The second source of workplace stress on the feet is overuse. Jobs that require long hours of standing or a significant amount of bending or climbing put stress on your feet. Be sure to take breaks throughout the day and elevate your feet (if you can’t do at work be sure to do when you get home) to reduce swelling. Many conditions are caused or made worse by standing for long periods of time. You will want to take the time to have the shoes you wear for work professionally fitted and be sure they are of high quality and provide good arch support and cushioning where needed.

Our podiatrists, Dr. Victoria Foley and Dr. Constance Omelas can make specific recommendations for appropriate footwear for you based on your foot condition and the work you do. Don’t hesitate to contact us for a consultation with the podiatrist at our Long Beach office by calling: (562) 420-9800. After a hard day’s work, your feet will thank you!

Our feet are pretty forgiving. They take us where we need to go and help us stay fit by enabling us to participate in sports and exercise activities. They even accept being crammed into uncomfortable shoes now and then for the sake of fashion. However, we can push it too far. When an excessive amount of pressure is put on our feet we are susceptible to many foot disorders. One of them is metatarsalgia. This condition’s telltale sign is pain in the ball of the foot where the five long metatarsal bones end. At Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center we find that there are many ways that patients put too much pressure or uneven pressure on this part of the foot, including:

• Standing or walking for long periods of time on very hard floors or ground
• Frequently participating in weight-bearing activities such as running, dancing or basketball
• Wearing shoes that fit improperly or spending too much time in shoes with very rigid soles such as work boots or hiking shoes
• Gaining weight

Sometimes, metatarsalgia is caused by conditions that are beyond a patient’s control such as arthritis, flatfeet (overpronation), an injury or foot deformity. This condition is also more likely to occur with age as the fat pads on the bottom of our feet naturally begin to wear down.

Treating Metatarsalgia

If our podiatrists, Dr. Victoria Foley and Dr. Constance Omelas, diagnose metatarsalgia the first step will be to reduce the pain and discomfort that you are experiencing. This can usually be accomplished with rest, icing and anti-inflammatory medications. The next step will be to deal with the root cause of the condition. Depending on what the source of foot pressure is, the foot doctor may recommend changing the types of shoes you wear, losing weight, treating an existing condition or using a custom orthotic device to alleviate inflammation to the affected area.

Be good to your feet by not waiting to seek medical treatment if you are experiencing pain, discomfort or other unusual symptoms. Contact our Long Beach office for an appointment by calling: (562) 420-9800.

Many patients think that varicose veins are just a cosmetic issue but at Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center we know that they can be much more serious. The twisted and swollen veins that appear dark bluish in color occur when the valves inside the veins become stretched or weakened and blood pools in the veins which causes them to become enlarged. These veins are more likely to appear in your feet and lower legs because these veins are farthest from the heart and have to do the most work fighting against gravity to get the blood back to your heart. Varicose veins can be very painful and may also indicate a circulation issue. That’s why it’s important to have your varicose veins evaluated.

Treatment and Prevention

Our podiatrists, Dr. Victoria Foley and Dr. Constance Omelas will do a complete examination of your feet and lower legs and will want to get a medical history as well as information about your current lifestyle. If you have a history of blood clots or have had an injury to your leg, for example, you have a higher risk for varicose veins. For most patients, the risk of varicose veins increases with age and also if you are overweight and are not very active.

The treatment for varicose veins will depend on the cause and the severity of the discomfort you are experiencing. In many cases, losing weight and exercise can help reduced symptoms or prevent pain. The foot doctor may also suggest that you wear compression stockings, elevate your feet for some time each day and avoid long periods of standing or sitting. There are also surgical treatment options available.

If you have varicose veins, regardless of whether they are painful or not, make an appointment at our Long Beach office by calling: (562) 420-9800 and to discuss the best options for caring for them.