Call Us Today! (517) 788-8251
Email: louis@jacksonmipodiatry.com
PODIATRY SERVICES
CURING ONE FOOT OR ANKLE PROBLEM AT A TIME!
Louis White, DPM
has the knowledge to treat foot and ankle ailments
that include ingrown toenails, diabetic foot care, warts, and even calluses!
We Are Able To Treat:
Achilles Tendon
The strongest tendon in your body deserves appropriate care whenever you feel pain in this area. As it connects the lower leg muscles and calf to the heel of your foot, it controls movement that includes walking and running.
There are many types of preventative measures that can be taken to avoid injury of your Achilles tendon. Make sure that you stretch to help stimulate the tissue with leg raises, lunges or calf raises. When you overexert yourself while exercising without warming up, an injury may occur.
If you believe that you have an injury in the Achilles region, please give Louis White, DPM a call as soon as possible. Further damage could make way for more complications that would make moving more difficult than before.
Ankle Pain
If you are experiencing any pain in your ankle, this could result from multiple conditions. The most common cause is a sprain, however, other problems could also be existing like arthritis, gout, fracture, or tendinitis.
Louis White, DPM offers many treatments that may include rest, ice, elevation, and compression. It is important to avoid placing pressure on your ankle while you are experiencing pain. Be sure to use an ice pack several times a day and a compression bandage to reduce swelling. You may also be prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy, or even cortisone injections.
Our staff will help you determine the cause of your pain and recommend the best form of treatment. Recovery may take some time depending on the severity of your injury.
Ankle Sprains
Ankle sprains are very common, affecting more than 3 million people each year in the US! They occur when your ligaments are either severely stretched or tern. It is important to see Louis White, DPM to rule out a fracture or any other possibilities.
There are many types of ankle sprains including:
Lateral: A twisted ankle that has torn ligaments. This can result in a swollen, painful area.
Type 3: The ligaments in the ankle are torn completely.
Arthritic Foot & Ankle Care
As time goes on, your body starts to lose the flexibility and elasticity of your joints. Your foot's shock absorbers start to wear down as well. When you are dealing with arthritis, other foot complications can incite more pain. To avoid complications, buy well-fitting shoes with a lower heel and great support. Your shoes should also fit comfortably and properly. Exercise is another way to curb the pain caused by arthritis. Be sure to stretch your muscles and joints to avoid further injury.
It is recommended to visit Louis White, DPM if you are experiencing any arthritic pain so that he can determine the best method of care for you.
Athletes Foot
This is an extremely contagious injection that can cause burning, itching, and flaking feet. Tinea Pedis is the fungus that causes Athlete's Foot and thrives in moist, dark areas like gyms, socks, public changing areas, and public swimming pools. The most affected areas are typically the hands, scalp, groin, and feet.
Pay close attention to your body. Some people don't even know they have Athlete's foot until they experience the flaking, itching, redness, or burning. If you start to notice any of these symptoms, please call Louis White, DPM. Neglect could make way for more severe symptoms like bleeding skin, blistering, and pain while walking or standing.
Bunions
Bunions are large boney growth or swollen tissue surrounding the base of the big toe. This is caused by the shifting of bones in the big te going inward. Bunions are caused by being genetically predisposed to bone displacement or by wearing ill-fitting shoes, causing stress on the foot.
Louis White, DPM specializes in foot structure and biomechanics and can help diagnose whether you have bunions or not. He will also recommend methods of treatment that will help your bones respond in a way to make walking more comfortable. If treatment does not help, Dr. White will recommend a surgeon that will remove or rearrange your ligaments and tendons to keep your toe aligned.
Corns
Corns are made up of thickened areas on your foot's surface. They are often circular or corn-shaped and are caused by pressure or friction. Often confused with calluses, corns are raised bumps that are painful, consisting of rough, thick areas of the skin. they are typically smaller than calluses.
Dr. White can recommend orthotic inserts that can help treat corns. They help to adjust the way your feet fit into shoes, which help the way that you walk and reduce friction. Surgery is rarely needed, but if it occurs, the bone is shaved and abnormalities are corrected.
Diabetic Foot
With diabetes affecting millions of people a year, the blood vessels are damaged especially in the foot. This can even cause neuropathy, or nerve damage, from the slower blood flower in the legs and feet.
It is important to thoroughly wash and dry the feet and clean between the toes. If you have diabetes, have your doctor monitor your blood levels as the blood sugar plays a role in diabetes. Your feet should be inspected on a daily bases. Setting up regular visits with Dr. White helps to ensure proper diabetic foot care. If you find a wound on your foot, please notify Dr. White immediately. Failing to get care as soon as possible can result in problems like gangrene, sepsis, or even amputation.
Flat Feet
Flat feet occur when the arch of the foot is nonexistent. This makes the sole of the foot almost completely touch the ground. Flat feet make it difficult to talk because of the stress it places on the ankles. It also affects the knees as most people with flat feel also have arthritis in the knees.
Symptoms can include pain in the heel or arch area, swelling around the ankle, or even having trouble standing on your tip toes. There are many ways to treat flat feet. It is recommended to wear less closed-toe shoes or going barefoot to help increase the fullness of the arch. Dr. White can recommend great shoe inserts to help with daily walking and exercise. If you are experiencing severe pain, tendon surgery may be recommended.
Foot & Leg Dermatology
It is important to take care of the skin on your feet and legs. With skin being the largest organ on our bodies, it is often forgotten when it comes to making sure our feet and legs are being cared for properly. Dr. White is able to perform a skin evaluation to ensure that dryness, blisters, and other skin conditions are cured.
Foot Pain
Feet carry all of the body's weight and can experience discomfort and pain. If you are experiencing any pain, it is important to give Dr. White a call. The most common places to feel pain are in the feel and the ankle. There can be a variety of causes from tendinitis to heel spurs.
Depending on where the pain is, Dr. White may be able to prescribe treatments. They can include but aren't limited to over-the-counter drugs, cortisone injections, prescriptions, or surgery.
Fungus Toenails
Toenail fungus results in thickening or discoloration of the toenail. It can start as a small white or yellow growth beneath your nail and gets worse as time goes on. If you notice thick, distorted, or ragged nails without shine, this can be a sign of toenail fungus.
If you are noticing any of these symptoms, please call our office. If you wait too long, toenail fungus could become painful and cause other infections. The fungus can often be treated with over-the-counter creams and ointments, but laser treatment may also be recommended.
Geriatric Foot Care
Foot care is important, especially for senior citizens. Certain conditions are more susceptible to the elderly, and we work to make sure that we properly treat them.
Common problems include ingrown toenails, fallen arches, foot ulcers, and fungal infections. To avoid these conditions, feet should be inspected on a regular basis. Problems are typically identified before they become severe. It is also important to always wear clean, dry socks, using emollients, and wearing proper footwear.
There are medical conditions that can help increase the risk for foot ailments such as diabetes or poor blood circulation.
Hammertoes
This is categorized by having one or more toes bending in the middle joint due to weakening muscles. Hammertoes typically occur in the second, third, or fourth toe. This can be caused by ill-fitting shoes or could be an effect of how someone walks. Hammertoes can also be caused by complications from osteoarthritics, foot trauma, heredity, or rheumatoid arthritis.
If you have the symptoms of a hammertoe, call the office of Louis White, DPM, as we can help diagnose and treat the complications. If Dr. White discovers the toes are still flexible, he may simply recommend exercise, better-fitting shoes, or physical therapy. For more severe cases, surgery may be suggested.
Heel Pain
If you are experiencing sharp pain in your heel, call the office of Louis White, DPM. Heel pain can affect daily activities. Diagnosis and treatment are needed as soon as possible.
The most common causes of heel pain are plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, and heel spurs. All of these conditions cause inflammation of tissues in the foot, causing stress on the heel which takes on most of the weight of our bodies.
Heel Spurs
Heel spurs occur when the tissues in your heel are under great amounts of stress, leading to the entire separation of the ligament from the heel bone. Heel spurs are more common than people think, affecting people age forty or over or with people who have poor circulation and degenerative diseases. The most common symptom is a pain in the lower ankle.
Contact our office if you suspect that you have heel spurs. An X-ray may be recommended along with a physical to make sure there are no other conditions causing the pain. Night splints, exercise, and orthopedic shoes also work to treat these issues. If there are still problems, surgery may be the last resort.
Ingrown Toenails
Having a toenail grow into the bed of the nail is known as an ingrown toenail. Cutting nails too short, diabetes, being overweight, participating in sports, and fungal injections can play a factor in getting an ingrown toenail.
For prevention, allow your nails to grow longer. If you are still experiencing ingrown toenails, try soaking your toe in hot water and adding antibiotic soap to avoid infection. For further assistance, please give us a call.
Neuropathy
Peripheral Neuropathy can be caused by many different conditions including diabetes, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, strokes, kidney and liver problems, poor circulation, carpal tunnel syndrome as well as simple nerve entrapments from trauma. As these conditions progress, they can cause a shrinking of the blood vessels in the arms, hands legs or feet resulting in pain, numbness, burning and/or tingling. These are all symptoms of peripheral neuropathy.
The earlier the diagnosis is made and treatment are started, the greater the chance that nerve damage can be slowed or reversed, the better your prognosis will be.
Plantar Fasciitis
This is inflammation of the connective tissue that stretches across the bottom of your foot. It can be caused by many activities like excessive exercising and running or wearing improper fitting shoes.
There are many treatment options available. For the less severe cases, home remedies like anti-inflammatory drugs, stretching, and orthotic devices can help relieve the tension on the tissue. For more severe cases, Dr. White may recommend shockwave therapy or surgery as a final option. Give us a call as soon as you notice you may have plantar fasciitis.
Warts
Warts are only found on the feet, typically caused by HPV (human papillomavirus) or if by open wounds on the foot. Warts can cause discomfort and pain and can be unsightly. It is important to give us a call to remove them as soon as possible if you are experiencing lots of pain associated with the wart, especially if it affects your walking and daily activities.
Dr. White will be able to diagnose plantar warts, however, a biopsy may be needed if he is unable to diagnose simply by looking at them. To avoid getting warts, avoid walking barefoot in public places and direct contact with other people who may have warts as they are contagious.
Wound Care
All wounds should be treated for those with diabetes as they can be difficult to heal. Even the most minor wounds can cause infection with diabetics. Remove any dirt from wounds by running water only. To avoid infection, please only use antibiotic ointment and then cover the wound with a bandage. Change your bandage daily and clean the surrounding skin with soap.
Schedule Your Appointment Today
The more you allow the problem to last, the worse your foot can get! Give Louis White, DPM a call today at 517-788-8251
to schedule your next appointment. Our friendly staff will be ready to help you!
