Q: I had a toe fungus for a year. How to get rid of it?
A: Toenail fungus can be a very difficult thing to alleviate. Typically, we want to put the patient on an oral or topical medication. A popular medication is Lamisil, however there are side effects associated with this medication and a liver screening is recommended every 4-6 weeks while on the medication. There is also manually removing the nail. However, there is a chance of recurrence of the nail growing back deformed and thickened because the fungus can still reside in the skin itself.
Q: I have an issue with my pinky toe on my right foot with a constant regrowing corn. What can I do. Is a surgery avail to correct this?
A: The constantly regrowing corn may be due to what’s causing a hammertoe deformity. The area of the scan that rubs against the shoe is receiving constant pressure from the middle knuckle bone of the toe. If corn pads and toe sleeves do not work, then surgery would be recommended to correct the hammertoe deformity and straighten out the toe.
Q: How much is bunion surgery? How long before going back to work?
A: The cause for bunion surgery can vary depending on insurance or if the patient is a cash pay patient. For the patient’s that choose to pay cash, the hospital and the surgeon may offer a discount. The severity of the bunion dictates the type of surgery that may be necessary. Some surgeons may weight-bear the patient within 1-2 weeks after surgery depending on the procedure, and some may choose to keep the patient off their foot for 4-6 weeks. The best way to get a definitive answer would be to see your podiatrist and have x-rays done.
There is also the occupation. If you have a job where you sit at a cubicle all day, you can return to work sooner as longer shoe can keep that foot elevated. If you have a more manual job, then you will probably need to take off more time.
Q: Dark and thick toenails – what’s with that?
A: Dark and thick toenails may be caused from a fungal infestation. This can be treated with topical or oral prescription medications. The nails may be dark and thick and from previous damage to the nail matrix which sits under the skin/nail border. The best way to assess to see if it is a fungus is to see your podiatrist and have them take a sample of the nail to be tested.
Q: What do you do for ingrown toenails?
A: Ingrown toenails can be treated in a multitude of ways. Depending on the severity of the ingrown toenail, it may be necessary to do an in-office procedure to either partially remove some of the nail or remove the nail in total. If it is a recurrent ingrown toenail and the in office procedures have been done before, then it may be necessary to do a surgical procedure called a matricectomy in which the nail is removed and the nail matrix from which the nail grows is removed as well.
Q: How bad are flat or sandals or the ballet shoes that have no arch support?
A: If these type of shoes are worn recreationally and not on a consistent basis, then the damage to the feet is minimal. However, if flats, sandals, or ballet shoes are worn consistently over time, this can significantly affect the integrity of the arch of the foot and cause pain and expedite arthritic changes in the midfoot area.
Q: Is there anything you can do about corns?
A: Corns are caused by pressure – typically from the bone rubbing on one side of the skin and an outside force such as a shoe or sandal rubbing on the other side of the skin, causing the skin to change in order for the body to protect itself. Conservatively, you can always try corn pads to help alleviate the corn as well as silicone toe sleeves to help protect the area with the corn exist. If those do not work, then the last alternative is surgery to remove the bony prominence causing the irritation under the skin.
Q: Is there a podiatrist in Houston that you would recommend me seeing? I was told I had bone spurs but I want to go for a second opinion.
A: There are many fine podiatrist in the Houston area. Coincidentally, I actually did my residency in Houston. I would recommend Dr. Jorge Matuk, Dr. Sam Mendocino, or Dr. David Blumfield.
Q: Is there a natural non-medicinal cure for foot neuropathy?
A: Yes. You can always try vitamin B12 which is shown to have results in helping with foot neuropathy. However, before getting on this regimen I would recommend screening by podiatrist or neurologist.
Q: Could corns be surgically removed without damaging nerves?
A: No. You are going to have some form of minimal nerve damage that occurs with surgery because you are cutting through the skin and the small nerves in the skin that allow you to feel something touching you are going to be affected. However, in most cases the sensation should come back over time as long as there are no other external factors that would affect the nerves.
Q: I had plantars fasciitis and I took some pills for several days. Can I ask the doctor about that?
A: The only pills I can think of that you may have taken for plantar fasciitis are anti-inflammatory pills since it is an inflammatory condition. There are other treatments for plantar fasciitis especially if it is severe to include physical therapy, corticosteroid injection therapy, and an oral regimen of anti-inflammatory medication. However, it is recommended that the oral anti-inflammatory medication not be taken for an extended period of time due to the fact that it may affect the stomach lining.
Q: Injections were mentioned as an option to relieve plantar fasciitis. Are there other noninvasive options to address this issue?
A: Yes. There are noninvasive options to address plantar fasciitis. There is physical therapy. There is insert therapy, shoe modifications, or a regimen of at home icing and stretching.
Q: Are feet detox methods safe?
A: There are only 2 foot detox methods that I am aware of. The first is soaking the feet and Epsoml salts and the second is soaking the feet in apple cider vinegar. Both of these are safe and do not present any long lasting negative affects to the feet.
Q: Does wearing heels worsen back issues?
A: Yes. Heels can affect back issues. Heels, depending on the height, do not provide good stability for a person to weight-bear. Because of this, you’re calling on more effort from your back muscles, and your thigh muscles, and your calf muscles to stabilize the body, which over time can cause those muscles to become sore and painful.
Q: Foot inserts hurt my feet and I took them out, but I’m thinking about putting them back in cause my foot problem has not gone away!
A: When it comes to wearing inserts in shoes, the thing we have to remember is that it is going to take time for your feet to get used to the inserts. Depending on the type of insert and the goal that you’re trying to achieve, it may take weeks or months to correct the deformity. You have to be patient.
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