When should I turn to a specialist with a foot problem?

Generally, feet are an embarrassing topic to talk about in public and is perceived as a taboo subject in most cases. Normally we don’t talk about them with a friend over coffee, as we usually do when we talk about other body parts such as legs, breasts, or stomach.

When we have a problem with any of them, we eventually go to the doctor, but we are unlikely to boast about it. Increasingly, people having big problems with their feet want to get rid of this difficult problem. Podiatrists, or specialists who specialize in treating foot diseases, are becoming more and more popular.

Who is a podiatrist?

A podiatrist (a combination of the words “podos” and “logos”–  the study of feet) is an expert who specializes in treating foot diseases. Despite its extensive expertise, it hasn’t been treated as the official medical profession so far. According to the law: “Podiatrist profession No. 323014 – practitioner of unconventional or complementary therapies.” To become one, it’s necessary to complete special courses. 

A podiatrist both has a broad knowledge of various fields of medicine and works with other doctors – dermatologists or diabetologists. By saying that a podiatrist specializes in feet problems, I have in mind a holistic treatment concerning the skin, the nails and muscles. 

What does a podiatrist do?

Going to specialist is a common phenomenon especially for people who still have unsolved problems with foot despite attempts to take care of them with creams, foot tiles, pumice stones or visits to a beautician. Doing some research on podiatrists in Poland, I recommended my mother going to such a specialist. She has suffered from cracked heels, corns and dry feet for years. Interestingly, she has tried all sorts of ways and only a podiatrist was able to help her. There are also other indications to go to this expert. For example, these include ingrown toenails, bunions, sweating feet, various types of calloused skin, corns, calluses, athlete’s foot or even diabetic foot. As the name suggests, diabetic foot occurs as a result of diabetic complication. Symptoms range from pain and open wounds to ulcers. To sum up – you can go to a podiatrist if you notice anything worrying on your feet. 

In addition, the podiatrist can make a pedicure to strengthen the nails in order to eliminate the problem of broken nails and to do nail reconstruction, if necessary.

What does a visit to the podiatrist look like?

The cost of a visit ranges between 100 and 200 zlotys. Because of the fact that it’s not an official medical profession, only a private visit is possible. Consequently, there is no reimbursement from the National Health Fund.

The first stage of the visit is based on an interview concerning diseases and injuries. Then, he examines the feet manually.  If necessary, the specialist may do a test called pedobarography. This computer foot examination is completely painless. After removing your shoes and socks, you have to stand with bare feet on a pedobaroscope (a mat equipped with sensors and detectors connected to the computer). 

Interestingly, the device generates an image of the foot, which is then displayed on a monitor. The pedobaroscope measures the pressure of maximum and average on the sole – both while standing (static examination) and walking (dynamic examination).

If you have problem with hard heels, calloused skin and calluses – I recommend using Clevebe for foot scrub and foot massage. It won’t replace a visit at the podiatrist, but it will be the perfect treatment to use between maintaining the effect and removing the growing epidermis. It’s excellent for people having back problems and having no ability to bend down. 

For more articles, feel free to visit our blog. If you’re curious about how to use the Clevebe product, please go to the ”Instructions” section.