A heel spur is a painful bone growth on the heel. An Achilles heel spur is a bone spur on the back of the heel. This condition develops from the tugging of the heel bone due to a tight Achilles tendon. It can result from calf muscles that are not stretched properly, excess weight, shoes that stress the foot (such as high heels) – anything that strains the foot bone and allows calcium deposits to build. The spur can present as pain at the back of the heel, particularly intense after prolonged periods of rest. Walking, running, and lifting heavy objects can aggravate this condition. Patients who are struggling with heel pain that may be a heel spur should see a qualified podiatrist when this or any unusual symptoms of the feet occur.

Heel spurs can be incredibly painful and sometimes may make you unable to participate in physical activities. To get medical care for your heel spurs, contact the podiatrists from Dr. Siegerman & Associates. Our doctors will do everything possible to treat your condition.

Heels Spurs

Heel spurs are formed by calcium deposits on the back of the foot where the heel is. This can also be caused by small fragments of bone breaking off one section of the foot, attaching onto the back of the foot. Heel spurs can also be bone growth on the back of the foot and may grow in the direction of the arch of the foot.

Older individuals usually suffer from heel spurs and pain sometimes intensifies with age. One of the main condition's spurs are related to is plantar fasciitis.

Pain

The pain associated with spurs is often because of weight placed on the feet. When someone is walking, their entire weight is concentrated on the feet. Bone spurs then have the tendency to affect other bones and tissues around the foot. As the pain continues, the feet will become tender and sensitive over time.

Treatments

There are many ways to treat heel spurs. If one is suffering from heel spurs in conjunction with pain, there are several methods for healing. Medication, surgery, and herbal care are some options.

If you have any questions feel free to contact one of our offices located in Drexel Hill and West Chester, PA . We offer the latest in diagnostic and treatment technology to meet your needs.

An ingrown toenail occurs when the outer edge of a toenail grows into the surrounding skin, rather than over it. This causes redness, swelling, pain, and inflammation around the ingrown toenail. The area is also at an increased risk of infection. Several factors make an ingrown toenail more likely to develop. Trimming the toenails improperly, by cutting them too short or into a rounded shape, makes the skin more likely to fold over the nail. Wearing shoes that are too tight or narrow in the toe area can squish the nails into the skin. Having excessively sweaty feet can make the skin surrounding the nails too soft, allowing the nail to pierce through the skin more easily. Sometimes an injury to the toenail can cause an ingrown nail to develop. Some people also have nails that naturally grow in a curved or fan-like shape that can make ingrown nails more likely. If you have a painful or infected ingrown toenail, or if you are prone to ingrown toenails, it is suggested that you seek the care of a podiatrist.  

Ingrown toenails may initially present themselves as a minor discomfort, but they may progress into an infection in the skin without proper treatment. For more information about ingrown toenails, contact the podiatrists of Dr. Siegerman & Associates. Our doctors can provide the care you need to keep you pain-free and on your feet.

Ingrown Toenails

Ingrown toenails are caused when the corner or side of a toenail grows into the soft flesh surrounding it. They often result in redness, swelling, pain, and in some cases, infection. This condition typically affects the big toe and may recur if it is not treated properly.

Causes

• Improper toenail trimming
• Genetics
• Improper shoe fitting
• Injury from pedicures or nail picking
• Abnormal gait
• Poor hygiene

You are more likely to develop an ingrown toenail if you are obese, have diabetes, arthritis, or have any fungal infection in your nails. Additionally, people who have foot or toe deformities are at a higher risk of developing an ingrown toenail.

Symptoms

Some symptoms of ingrown toenails are redness, swelling, and pain. In rare cases, there may be a yellowish drainage coming from the nail.

Treatment

Ignoring an ingrown toenail can have serious complications. Infections of the nail border can progress to a deeper soft-tissue infection, which can then turn into a bone infection. You should always speak with your podiatrist if you suspect you have an ingrown toenail, especially if you have diabetes or poor circulation.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact one of our offices located in Drexel Hill and West Chester, PA . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.

One of the foot’s 26 bones is called the navicular bone, which sits just in front of the ankle on the top of your foot. A stress fracture of the navicular bone is commonly the result of explosive and repetitive action of the feet, especially during running fast or jumping. During activity, the navicular bone may be squeezed between the two bones in front of and in back of it, causing stress. Symptoms of a navicular stress fracture are an ache in the midfoot area, including the inside of the arch, and pain if you press on the bone. This discomfort may subside once activity is stopped and the foot rests, but is likely to recur when the action starts again. If you have pain when flexing your foot upward, you may have a navicular fracture. A visit to a podiatrist for diagnostic imaging tests is a good idea. Treatment options, depending on the severity of the injury, include a walking splint, a full cast, or surgery. 

Activities where too much pressure is put on the feet can cause stress fractures. To learn more, contact the podiatrists from Dr. Siegerman & Associates. Our doctors can provide the care you need to keep your pain free and on your feet.

Dealing with Stress Fractures of the Foot and Ankle

Stress fractures occur in the foot and ankle when muscles in these areas weaken from too much or too little use.  The feet and ankles then lose support when walking or running from the impact of the ground. Since there is no protection, the bones receive the full impact of each step. Stress on the feet can cause cracks to form in the bones, thus creating stress fractures.

What Are Stress Fractures?

Stress fractures occur frequently in individuals whose daily activities cause great impact on the feet and ankles. Stress factors are most common among:

• Runners                                  
• People affected with Osteoporosis
• Tennis or basketball players
• Gymnasts
• High impact workouts

Symptoms

Pain from the fractures occur in the area of the fractures and can be constant or intermittent. It will often cause sharp or dull pain with swelling and tenderness. Engaging in any kind of activity which involves high impact will aggravate pain.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact one of our offices located in Drexel Hill and West Chester, PA . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle needs.

Chronic venous insufficiency is a condition in which the walls and valves of veins in the lower limbs do not function properly. This causes excessive pooling of blood in the lower limbs, resulting in heaviness, tension, swelling, aching, and cramping in the lower legs. One way to diagnose chronic venous insufficiency is through a venous Doppler ultrasound, which uses sound waves to show what the blood flow in the lower legs looks like. Ultrasounds are fast, safe, painless, and provide a great deal of data to help your doctor determine the correct diagnosis and monitor the health of your lower limbs. For more information about chronic venous insufficiency, please consult with a podiatrist. 

Vascular testing plays an important part in diagnosing disease like peripheral artery disease. If you have symptoms of peripheral artery disease, or diabetes, consult with the podiatrists from Dr. Siegerman & Associates. Our doctors will assess your condition and provide you with quality foot and ankle treatment.

What Is Vascular Testing?

Vascular testing checks for how well blood circulation is in the veins and arteries. This is most often done to determine and treat a patient for peripheral artery disease (PAD), stroke, and aneurysms. Podiatrists utilize vascular testing when a patient has symptoms of PAD or if they believe they might. If a patient has diabetes, a podiatrist may determine a vascular test to be prudent to check for poor blood circulation.

How Is it Conducted?

Most forms of vascular testing are non-invasive. Podiatrists will first conduct a visual inspection for any wounds, discoloration, and any abnormal signs prior to a vascular test.

 The most common tests include:

• Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) examination
• Doppler examination
• Pedal pulses

These tests are safe, painless, and easy to do. Once finished, the podiatrist can then provide a diagnosis and the best course for treatment.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact one of our offices located in Drexel Hill and West Chester, PA . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.

Fungal infections of the toenail (onychomycosis) can cause nails to thicken, turn yellow, and possibly separate from the nail bed. Onychomycosis can be very stubborn and difficult to treat. This is because the nail grows so slowly, and fungus gets in between the multiple layers making up the nail, under the nail, or even in the nail matrix. Laser treatment for fungal nails is believed to be an effective and safe treatment for the eradication of onychomycosis. This is because the laser can penetrate the nail and be precisely targeted to attack the fungus without damaging surrounding skin or tissue. Laser treatment for fungal nails can take as little as one treatment and prevent the infection from spreading or returning. If you have developed a fungal toenail infection, ask your podiatrist if laser treatment is right for you.

Laser treatment can be an effective way to get rid of toenail fungus. If you have any questions about laser treatment, consult with the podiatrists from Dr. Siegerman & Associates. Our doctors will assess your condition and provide you with quality treatment for fungal nails.

What Are Toenail Fungal Infections?

Onychomycosis, or fungal infection of the nail, is a relatively common and non-serious condition. Around 10 percent of U.S. citizens are afflicted with fungal nails. Common forms of fungus that infect the nail include dermatophytes, yeasts, and molds.

Symptoms of Toenail Fungal Infections Include:

• Nail thickening
• Brittleness of the nail
• Discoloration of the nail

Diagnosis for Fungal Nails

Fungal infections are diagnosed by fungal culture and microscopy. This will rule out any other conditions such as nail trauma, psoriasis, lichen planus, and onychogryphosis.

What Is Laser Treatment?

Laser treatment is a non-invasive, safe, quick, and painless procedure that uses the heat from a laser to kill fungus in the nail. Each infected nail is targeted with a laser for several minutes. The treatment is usually utilized several different times over a select period. During this time, a podiatrist will keep an eye on the infection.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact one of our offices located in Drexel Hill and West Chester, PA . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.