Question: Podiatrist Who Specializes In Back Issues And Foot Pain?

Should I see a podiatrist or orthopedist for foot pain?

As a general guideline, if you have an injury, condition, or symptoms affecting your foot or ankle health, it’s best to see a podiatrist. If you have an injury, condition, or symptoms affecting any other part of your musculoskeletal system, it’s best to see an orthopedic physician.

Can podiatrist help with foot pain?

If you have any issues that involve the foot and or ankle—a sports injury, arthritis/joint pain, skin problems, etc. —a visit to the podiatrist is your best bet. A podiatrist is a specialist who manages and treats almost all symptoms that involve the ankle and/or the foot.

What Doctor Treats Foot Pain?

A podiatrist is a foot doctor. They are also called a doctor of podiatric medicine or DPM. A podiatrist will have the letters DPM after their name. This kind of physician or surgeon treats the foot, ankle, and connecting parts of the leg.

Can a podiatrist treat back pain?

Q: Podiatrists often report that many of their patients experience relief of low back pain after receiving custom orthotics. What is the relationship? A: George Trachtenberg, DPM, believes the majority of lower back pain not caused by direct injury or congenital problems results from abnormal gait.

Should I see my primary doctor for foot pain?

If you regularly experience sore, tired, aching or swollen feet, it may be time to see a doctor. Foot pain may be caused by a variety of factors from arthritis to poorly fitting shoes to plantar fasciitis. Sometimes foot pain can indicate an underlying medical condition like diabetes that needs to be addressed.

What’s the difference between podiatrist and orthopedic?

Orthopedic surgeons and podiatrists work side by side in hospitals and in the same group practices. The main difference lies in the body systems they treat. Orthopedic surgeons are concerned with bones, muscles, ligaments and joints throughout the body. Podiatrists are foot and ankle doctors and surgeons.

When should I be concerned about foot pain?

Seek immediate medical attention if you: Have severe pain or swelling. Have an open wound or a wound that is oozing pus. Have signs of infection, such as redness, warmth and tenderness in the affected area or you have a fever over 100 F (37.8 C) Are unable to walk or put weight on your foot.

What is foot pain a sign of?

Injury, overuse or conditions causing inflammation involving any of the bones, ligaments or tendons in the foot can cause foot pain. Arthritis is a common cause of foot pain. Injury to the nerves of the feet may result in intense burning pain, numbness or tingling (peripheral neuropathy).

What foot conditions do Podiatrists treat?

Podiatrists treat people of any age for many foot -related conditions, including:

• Fractures and sprains. Podiatrists regularly treat these common injuries when they affect a foot or ankle.
• Bunions and hammertoes.
• Diabetes.
• Arthritis.
• Growing pains.
• Heel pain.
• Morton’s neuroma.

Do podiatrists treat plantar fasciitis?

The pain of plantar fasciitis can sometimes be confused with heel spurs or tarsal tunnel syndrome. Your podiatrist can provide the correct diagnosis for any foot pain you are suffering.

Can foot pain be neurological?

Peripheral neuropathy, a result of damage to the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord (peripheral nerves), often causes weakness, numbness and pain, usually in your hands and feet. It can also affect other areas of your body.

What is the difference between a podiatrist and a foot and ankle specialist?

The primary and most important difference is the level of training each completes. Altogether, a foot and ankle surgeon will have 10+ years of training. Podiatrists attend podiatry school for four years followed by a 2-3 year residency. Altogether, a podiatrist will have 6-7 years of training.

Can back problems affect your feet?

The sciatic nerves connect the spinal cord to many of the leg and foot muscles. When the sciatic nerves become irritated from any associated lower back problem which pinches on the never roots, instead of back pain it may cause leg and foot pain known as sciatica.

Can feet problems cause back pain?

Flat feet in particular can cause misalignment with the ankle, which causes joints to connect differently, which can cause misalignment in the knee joint. That can affect your hips, which also affects the way you walk. That affects the spine, especially your lower back. It makes sense that this could happen…

Can back issues cause foot pain?

Foot pain caused by a spinal problem Nerve root irritation or compression in the lumbar or sacral spine (lower back ) may cause sciatica pain to radiate down your leg and into the foot. Specifically, compression of the S1 nerve root, also called classic sciatica, can cause pain along the outer side of your foot.