Did you know that many health conditions can manifest themselves within our feet? Our feet often give clues that something is not quite right within our bodies. In ancient times, examining the toes was as important as having patients stick out their tongue to diagnose an illness. Chiropodists and Podiatrists are often the first to diagnose certain illnesses.
Often we do not take give our feet a second glance, until that is, something starts to cause us pain or discomfort.
Diabetes is one of the conditions that will always give us problems with our feet. You may not have had any other symptoms but perhaps youve had a blemish or a spot that has developed into an ulcer. This is a tell tale sign that you may be suffering from diabetes. Also, numbness of the feet, a typical symptom of diabetes, can mean that you dont feel any pain or discomfort in your feet. An ulcer can go unnoticed if you do not check your feet on a daily basis.
Problems with circulation can also be identified in the feet. If your feet have a blue tinge this could indicate a circulation problem. Cold feet can also define a circulation problem. Women in particular can suffer from cold feet. Generally this is nothing to worry about but on some occasions it can indicate an under functioning thyroid.
Swelling of the feet can be a tell tale sign of high blood pressure or heart disease.
Specific types of nail discoloration and changes in growth rate can signal various lung, heart, kidney and liver diseases, as well as diabetes and anemia. Healthy nails are smooth and consistent in colour. If your nails develop ridges or change colour you need to see a Podiatrist or your GP to rule out any underlying health issues. Changes in nail colour can also be the sign of a bacterial or fungal infection which can be treated by a Podiatrist.
So now that youre aware of what you need to look out for, check your feet when you take your shoes off today and see if there is anything that doesnt seem quite right. Our feet need some tlc every once in a while and a trip to the Podiatrist might be just what the doctor ordered.