At Superior Foot & Ankle Center we find that many patients do not fully realize the role the podiatrist can play in your foot and overall health. Our purpose is to provide acute and preventive care to your entire lower extremity (from the tips of your toes up to your knees). We have a wealth of treatment options available including pain relief, multiple therapies, custom orthotics, exercise and surgery to correct and improve foot discomfort associated with both age and activities, including sports injuries. In addition, in many cases the foot doctor is able to diagnose a larger, systemic issue from symptoms in your feet and can then collaborate with other health care professionals to care for the disorder.

Use the following as a guideline if you’re trying to decide if you should call the podiatrist:

1. You experience sudden or increasing pain; chronic pain seems to be getting more severe or more frequent
2. You notice abnormalities in your feet: swelling, changes in shape or size, bruising, lumps,
3. Other non-painful symptoms: tingling, burning, itching, pins and needles, numbness
4. Changes in skin (color, redness, scaling, flaking, sores, blisters, cracking) or toenails (discoloration, thickening, crumbling, peeling)
5. Possible signs of infection: pus or discharge, redness or red streaks, tenderness, heat, fever
6. You have any symptoms and have diabetes or other conditions that suppress the immune or circulatory systems—even the most minor symptoms can become major medical threats to these patients

If you said yes to any of the above symptoms or signs, contact our Long Beach office for an appointment by calling: 562-420-9800. Our foot and ankle surgeons, Dr. Victoria Foley and Dr. Constance Omelas will do a complete examination and help get to the bottom of your foot pain so that you can get back to the active lifestyle you love. Regardless of whether your foot disorder is common, such as athlete’s foot or an ingrown toenail or a more complex condition, starting treatment sooner rather than later will enable the foot doctor to use the least invasive methods and ensure the quickest cure.