Find out what might be causing your heel pain.

With Americans spending so much of their lives on their feet, it’s no surprise that heel pain is a common complaint. From wearing worn or improperly fitted shoes to suddenly increasing the length of a run, there are many reasons why heel pain may develop. From the office of our Phoenix podiatrist Dr. Michael Dershowitz, here are some common symptoms you may be dealing with plantar fasciitis related heel pain.
 

What is plantar fasciitis?

The plantar fascia is a thick ligament that runs the soles of the feet from the toes to the heel bone. This ligament is responsible for providing the arches with support. If the fascia is overstretched or strained this can lead to inflammation or plantar fasciitis.
 

What are the symptoms of plantar fasciitis?

The classic symptom of plantar fasciitis is a stabbing heel pain that is often worse in the morning or after bouts of inactivity. Whenever you rest, the ligament relaxes but when you stand up or move around this can stretch the inflamed ligament, which results in severe pain at the bottom of the heel that may extend to the arches. You may also notice swelling and stiffness around the heel.
 

How should I treat plantar fasciitis?

Even though this is a common condition it’s important that you get the proper care you need and to not ignore your heel pain. Rest is crucial to proper healing. Avoid any high-impact exercises or activities that might exacerbate the inflamed heel.

Conservative care is sometimes all that’s needed to treat plantar fasciitis. If you’ve dealt with this problem before then chances are you recognize your symptoms; however, if you are dealing with heel pain for the first time it’s a good idea to see your Phoenix foot doctor to find out if you are dealing with plantar fasciitis. After all, there are several causes of heel pain and it’s important to know the best way to treat the problem.

Options for treating plantar fasciitis-related heel pain include,

• Stretching exercises
• Wearing proper footwear that provides support
• Resting and elevating the foot
• Splinting or bracing the foot, especially during the night
• Wearing custom orthotics
• MLS laser treatment
• Injection therapy

If you are dealing with persistent or recurring heel pain in Phoenix or Glendale, AZ, it may be time to turn to our foot specialists for some answers. Call Southwest Foot Institute today to get your heel pain under control.

Have you noticed that your feet have been changing over the years? Are they wider than they once were, primarily around the big toe area? If so, you may be dealing with the presence of a bunion, an often painful foot deformity that arises from overuse and pressure from too tight of shoes. Fortunately, your Phoenix podiatrist, Dr. Michael Dershowitz, can be your local resource for bunion treatment!

How bunions can impact you

If you have noticed that your big toe is just now pointing closer to your other toes, and that bony bump now exists on the inside of your foot by the base of your big toe, you probably have a bunion. This means that your first metatarsal foot bone has shifted sideways, causing your toes to move and the bones at the big toe joint to bulge. Bunions are one of the most common foot deformities that people experience, particularly as they age.

Sometimes, bunions just change the look of your foot and how your shoes fit, but refrain from causing any painful symptoms. Other times, bunions will change the look of your foot, and also cause a great deal of pain in the bones of your big toe and foot. In these cases, the pain is often the sharpest in the bulging toe joint.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the most common bunion symptoms are:

• Pain in the bulging toe joint, especially when wearing tight shoes.
• Thick, hardened skin on the ball of the foot.
• Redness, swelling, and inflammation of the big toe joint.
• Difficulty moving the big toe.
• Corns developing on the bunion or on other toes.

Seeking bunion treatment

Bunion pain can be unbearable, and even become chronic, if left untreated. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, it may be time to seek bunion treatment. The type of treatment offered depends on several factors, including the severity of the deformity and any other medical conditions a patient may have.

Some possible treatments include:

• Wearing properly fitted shoes. You always want to wear shoes that are wide enough and support your foot properly.
• Using toe splints. These serve as spacers between your toes and are designed to help maintain proper joint alignment while slowing the progression of the bunion.
• Taking over-the-counter pain medication. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), both pills and creams, can help ease bunion pain and inflammation.

For very severe, unrelenting bunion symptoms, surgery from our Phoenix podiatrist may be the best bunion treatment. Bunion surgery corrects the bone/joint alignment in the foot and can relieve symptoms.

Need relief? Give us a call

The only way to determine which bunion treatment will suit your needs is to consult a professional. Call our Phoenix office today at (602) 340-8686 to schedule a consultation with your podiatrist, Dr. Dershowitz!

Have you been ignoring your ingrown toenail, hoping that it will get better on its own? Unfortunately, ingrown toenails only become worse if you don't treat them. Luckily, your podiatrist in Glendale and Phoenix, AZ, Dr. Michael Dershowitz, offers treatments that will ease your pain!

Can I treat an ingrown toenail at home?

If your nail has just begun to grow into the skin, you may be able to free it at home. Soak your toe in warm water for 20 minutes to soften the skin. Dry your foot thoroughly, then place a small piece of dental floss or cotton under the nail. Keep cotton or floss under the nail until it no longer grows into the skin (be sure to change the floss or cotton every day).

Don't try this at home if you have diabetes, however. If you have the disease, any foot problem, even if it seems minor, can quickly turn into a serious infection. If this applies to you, immediately turn to your foot doctor in Glendale or Phoenix, AZ, to free your nail and help you avoid an infection.

When should I see a podiatrist?

Call your foot doctor if:

• Your nail won't budge when you try the cotton or dental floss method.
• You think that your toe might be infected (signs include your toe being red and warm to the touch, pus being present, and acute pain occurring)
• Walking, standing or even moving your toe is very painful.

During an appointment, your podiatrist can remove the trapped portion of the nail during a quick, minor surgical procedure. Your toe will be numbed thoroughly before the procedure begins. In fact, you won't feel a thing when the problem section of the nail is removed. You may also receive a prescription for antibiotics to treat or prevent an infection.

What can I do to prevent ingrown toenails in the future?

Your toenail cutting technique may be to blame for your ingrown toenail. In the future, cut the nail straight across, rather than rounding the edges, to prevent it from growing into your skin. Avoid tight shoes and socks too—they can press against the nail and force it into the skin.

Need care? Give us a call!

Do you have an ingrown toenail? Call one of Dr. Michael Dershowitz's offices in either Glendale or Phoenix, AZ, at (602) 340-8686 to schedule an appointment!

Approximately 30 million Americans struggle with the symptoms and effects of diabetes according to the American Diabetes Association—some diagnosed, some undiagnosed. Because diabetes is a condition that affects the levels of glucose in the blood, diabetic patients may experience problems getting proper circulation to their feet. At Southwest Foot Institute in Phoenix, AZ Dr. Michael Dershowitz provides diabetic foot care, helping patients to keep their feet healthy and free from wounds, ulcers, and nerve damage.

How Can Diabetes Affect the Feet?
Diabetes is a common general medical condition that causes glucose to build up in the bloodstream. It’s caused the body’s inability to naturally create a hormone called insulin. When it’s not controlled, the feet are vulnerable to nerve damage and wounds that don’t heal normally. When a diabetic patient loses feeling in the foot or develops an infected ulcer, that is an emergency that must be addressed and treated immediately to avoid the possibility of permanent tissue damage.

Diabetic Foot Care Treatments
The goal of diabetic foot care is to keep the feet in good condition and catch potential problems before they become serious. Treatments offered at the Southwest Foot Institute in Phoenix, AZ include:

- Toenail clipping and removal of ingrown toenails.
- Regular foot examinations.
- Cleaning and aggressively treating injuries and sores on the feet.
- Surgical removal of infected tissue and wound care.
- Treatment of foot deformities, like bunions.
- Prescription orthotics to provide your feet with support to minimize the risk of injuries.

Keeping Your Feet Healthy
When you’re managing diabetes, it is extremely important to keep a close eye on your feet and go the extra mile to keep them healthy. Here are a few tips to follow:

- Don’t walk barefoot (indoors or outdoors)—always wear a pair of thick socks or slippers.
- Use lotion on the feet in moderation.
- When clipping your toenails, cut straight across to avoid ingrown nails.
- Spend extra on comfortable shoes that are designed to protect and support your feet.

Get Help for Your Feet Today
If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes and are currently having trouble with your feet, make an appointment to have podiatrist Dr. Michael Dershowitz look at them. Call 602.340.8686 today to schedule a visit to Southwest Foot Institute in Phoenix and Glendale, AZ.

Our Phoenix podiatry treatments can help you get your neuropathy-related foot problems under control.

Peripheral neuropathy is a condition characterized by damage to the nerves, which leads to tingling, numbness and pain. While nerve damage can occur anywhere in the body, it most commonly affects the extremities (hands and feet). To manage your symptoms and to prevent this problem from getting worse, our Phoenix podiatrist Dr. Michael Dershowitz offers up a variety of treatment options to improve your health and quality of life.

Treatment Options

First and foremost, it is important to figure out the cause of your neuropathy so we know how to treat the underlying problem. For example, many cases of peripheral neuropathy are due to diabetes. Therefore, your doctor may recommend medications to manage blood sugar as well as lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking and maintaining a healthy weight.

In many cases, prescription medications may help you manage your neuropathy symptoms. To reduce inflammation your doctor may prescribe corticosteroids or immunosuppressants.

Turning to Our Podiatrist

Since many people with neuropathy complain of pain, weakness, numbness or tingling in their feet, it’s important that you also have a foot doctor in Phoenix that you can turn to regularly for care. Here at Southwest Foot Institute, we offer several treatment options to help you better manage your symptoms. After all, our goal is to provide you with a variety of choices to improve your quality of life.

We offer surgical decompression, which can help take unnecessary pressure off compressed or affected nerves to improve how your body functions as a whole. This can also reduce inflammation and pain while promoting the body’s natural healing response.

We also offer MLS therapy, a special non-invasive and completely painless laser treatment that is known to reduce inflammation, stimulate blood flow and improve circulation. It is also known to reduce pain. It’s a great option for many of our patients who are dealing with peripheral neuropathy.

Here at Southwest Foot Institute in Phoenix and Glendale, AZ we are dedicated to providing you with comprehensive foot and ankle care whenever you need it. No matter if you are looking for treatments to manage your neuropathy or you are experiencing early symptoms of neuropathy, our podiatric team is here to help.