When To Call A Doctor
Many foot and ankle conditions worsen with time, and minor problems can become major issues when left untreated. You should contact a doctor when:
- You have persistent pain in your feet or ankles.
- When things just don’t look and feel right with your feet, even if you are not experiencing pain.
- You have a noticeable change to your nails or skin.
- Your feet are severely cracking, scaling or peeling.
- There are blisters on your feet.
Bacterial infections can usually be treated easily by a doctor when diagnosed early. Signs of bacterial infection include:
- Increased pain, swelling, redness, tenderness or heat.
- Red streaks extending from the affected area.
- Discharge of pus.
- Fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.78 degrees Celsius) or higher with no other cause.
- Symptoms that do not improve after two weeks of treatment with a non-prescription product.
- Spreading of the infection to other areas, such as the nail bed, the skin under the nail, the nail itself or the surrounding skin.
- Your toenail gets thicker and causes you discomfort.
- You have heel pain accompanied by a fever, redness (sometimes warmth) or numbness or tingling in your heel, or persistent pain without putting any weight or pressure on your heel.
- The pain is not alleviated by ice, aspirin, ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
- You have diabetes or certain diseases associated with poor circulation and you develop Athlete’s foot. People with diabetes are at increased risk for a severe bacterial infection of the foot and leg if they have Athlete’s foot.
