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08th March 2024

Foot Doctors: What Conditions Can Podiatrists Help With?

Dr. Jill Barat, PharmD
Foot Doctors: What Conditions Can Podiatrists Help With?

What is a foot doctor?

A doctor that works only with feet is called a Podiatrist, or sometimes a doctor of podiatry medicine.

These doctors will have a DPM after their names instead of an MD or DO that you see after a medical doctor’s name.

To become a Podiatrist, you need to enroll in a 4-year Podiatry school, which is a strenuous medical school that focuses only on foot issues.

After the 4 years of Podiatry school, students then need to complete a multiple-year residency to finalize their training.

As you can see, these practitioners have had some pretty intense training focused solely on your feet.


What can a Podiatrist help with?

Podiatrists are trained to handle nearly any affliction that is happening with your feet.

These issues can range from general pain when walking, to nail fungal infections, or even situations that require foot surgery (if the podiatrist has received additional surgery training).


These are just some of the conditions that a Podiatrist can help with:

  • Heel pain
  • Bottom of the foot pain
  • Pain when walking
  • Flat feet
  • Toenail infections
  • Plantar warts
  • Foot and leg nerve pain
  • Fractures
  • Sprains
  • Hammertoes
  • Bunions
  • Diabetic foot issues
  • Arthritis
  • Ingrown toenails
  • Gait issues
  • Dry cracked skin on your feet

When should you see a Podiatrist?

You should seek out a Podiatrist if you have any ongoing feet issues that are causing you pain or discomfort, or that you just feel are unsightly.

Any pain in your feet lasting for more than a few days may warrant a visit to a podiatrist.

If you are a diabetic, it is crucial that you add a Podiatrist to your group of general medical providers, as diabetics tend to have more severe and more potentially damaging foot issues than non-diabetics.

It is recommended that people with diabetes have a foot exam with a Podiatrist at least once a year, or more than that if foot issues arise.


How do you get a Podiatrist?

You can look into your insurance plan to find a local podiatrist that fits with your current plan.

Then, you will likely need to contact the office and schedule an in-person visit with a podiatrist.

Depending on the availability of the practitioner and the severity of your issue, this may take anywhere from a day to a few weeks to get in with the Podiatrist.

Sometimes your general practitioner will be able to recommend or refer you to a Podiatrist when you bring up foot-related issues during your general exam.


PodiVite foot health support supplement

If you seem to have ongoing issues with your feet, especially if it is chronic inflammation, poor blood flow, or nerve issues, you may want to consider a supplement meant specifically for foot health.*


At Zen Nutrients, our doctors and pharmacists have created a general foot health supplement for nerve, joint, ligament, foot pain, and inflammation.* PodiVite contains Glucosamine, Collagen, Turmeric, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Boswellia, Benfotiamine, and White Willow Bark extract for overall foot health support.*


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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.