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Don’t self-diagnose podiatry problems!

Posted on November 6, 2014

And definitely don’t self-treat them…

Podiatry, BendigoBased in Bendigo, we provide a variety of podiatry services for a range of conditions, some as a result of injury and others as a result of ongoing medical conditions. Your feet are incredibly important, yet they are often under-appreciated or cared for. People cut and colour their hair multiple times a year but some never book an appointment to check and care for their feet – ever!

But your feet affect your whole body, from the bottom up! If you have toe or foot pain it can affect the way you walk and prevent you from enjoying regular activities. With the Internet it’s tempting to “Google” the source of your pain or how to treat a range of podiatry problems. But self-diagnosing is fraught with danger for a number of reasons. One being that what you think is the source of your pain often is not. For example, patients quite often tell us a “bone” in their foot is sore but often it is a muscle or tendon and vice versa. If you are not a trained professional it is difficult to determine whether your pain is where you think it is or is referred pain or a different issue altogether!

Self-diagnosing is bad but self-treating is worse! Things like choosing your own orthotics, attempting to remove an ingrown toenail or “filing” a fungal nail infection away can make matters so much worse. You put yourself at risk of infection and permanent damage, whereas we can quite often fix the problem without ongoing repercussions.

If you are experiencing an unusual foot condition don’t hesitate to contact us for podiatry services in Bendigo.