Heel pain is an exceedingly common issue, particularly among runners and athletes. While systemic illnesses such as arthritis can sometimes be to blame for heel pain, more often than not our Wesley Chapel, FL, podiatrists Drs. George and Kathy Tjamaloukas can pinpoint a localized injury or condition that is causing the cause. Some of the most common causes of heel pain include:

Plantar fasciitis

This is the most common cause of heel pain, and it results from microtears in the fibers of the plantar fascia, a thick ligament that stretches from the toes to the heel bone. Plantar fasciitis can occur in anyone but it’s more common in,

• Runners
• Athletes who play high-impact sports
• People with diabetes
• People who have to stand for long periods of time throughout the day
• Pregnant women

The classic sign of plantar fasciitis is pain that occurs at the bottom of the heel. This pain may also radiate to the arches, as the plantar fascia is responsible for arch support. Along with pain, you may notice stiffness, as well. These symptoms are often worse in the morning or after extended periods of rest.

Achilles tendonitis

A term referring to inflammation of the Achilles tendon, this condition is caused by overstressing the feet. Although Achilles tendonitis will also cause heel pain and stiffness, the pain won’t originate at the bottom of the heel, but above the heel bone instead. You may notice that that pain gets worse with activity, and swelling around the heel bone may also be present.

Heel spur

A heel spur is a calcium deposit that results in the development of a hard protrusion around heel bone. Some people who have plantar fasciitis may also deal with a heel spur. Like plantar fasciitis, the pain may be sharp and painful in the morning or after rest. You may notice a dull, persistent ache throughout the day, as well as inflammation and swelling. Sometimes you may even see a bony bump sticking out from the bottom of the heel.

Need relief? Give our Wesley Chapel office a call!

If heel pain is making it difficult to get around, it’s important that you get the care you need. Call Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Center in Wesley Chapel, FL, today at(586) 771-1460 to schedule an evaluation for your heel pain!

When more conservative treatment methods aren't helpful, surgery may be the answer to your foot or ankle pain! Surgery from our Wesley Chapel podiatrists, Drs. George and Kathy Tjamaloukas, may be recommended for a variety of conditions, ranging from ingrown toenails to bunions to arthritis.

Is foot and ankle surgery a good option for me?

Your Wesley Chapel foot doctors will consider several factors before suggesting surgery, including:

• Pain: Surgery may be recommended if you have severe or chronic pain. Your podiatrist will ask you questions about the severity of your pain, its duration, and how often it occurs. We will also want to hear about the effect of the pain on the quality of your life. For instance, have you stopped doing the things you enjoy because of your hammertoe? Does plantar fasciitis or bunions keep you from exercising?
• Your Gait: Walking normally can be difficult if you have a foot or ankle condition, injury, or abnormality. Unfortunately, changes to your gait don't just affect your feet and ankles—they may also have a larger impact on your entire body. Altering the way you walk can lead to hip, knee, or back pain. Luckily, surgery can improve your foot and ankle condition and restore your normal gait.
• Infection: Surgery may be needed to remove all or part of an infected ingrown toenail, for clearing out infected or dead skin tissue can help facilitate healing if you have a diabetic ulcer or other infected sore/wound. Signs and symptoms of an infection can include inflamed tissue, pus, warmth, pain, foul odor, and fever. Call your foot doctor immediately if you notice any of these signs and symptoms.
• Walking and Standing: Walking, running, or even standing can be painful or difficult if you have bunions, hammertoes, a torn Achilles tendon, an ankle instability, arthritis in your feet/ankles, or a fracture. During surgery, your podiatrist can fix all of these issues!

Could foot and ankle surgery help you? Call your podiatrists in Wesley Chapel, FL, today at (813) 909-0865 to schedule an appointment and find out!

Find out what might be causing your pain and how a podiatrist can help you.

Your feet take on an insane amount of force throughout the day, even on days when you don’t work out. Therefore, foot pain is a common complaint that most people will deal with at some point during their lifetime. Even though not all foot pain is a cause for concern, it’s important to understand when it’s time to turn to our Wesley Chapel, FL, podiatrists Drs. George and Kathy Tjamaloukas for help.

More about Foot Pain

Foot pain can be categorized into these common causes:

• Injuries
• Overuse
• Health conditions/disorders

There is almost a never-ending list of issues that could be causing your foot pain. In order to narrow down what might be going on ask yourself these questions:

• Where is the pain? Does the pain radiate to other areas of the foot?
• Did the pain come about gradually or suddenly?
• Did the pain appear after an injury or accident?
• Does the pain get worse after resting or when first getting up in the morning?
• Does walking or standing for long periods of time make the pain worse?
• Can you describe your pain? Is the pain burning, or sharp and stabbing?

Write down your answers to these questions before visiting our Wesley Chapel, FL, foot doctor. Having this information will also help your doctor determine the cause of your foot pain. Common causes of foot pain include,

Heel Pain

The two most common causes of heel pain are plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis, which respectively either cause inflammation in the plantar fascia or the Achilles tendon. Heel pain will often go away on its own with rest, however, if the pain is severe or doesn’t respond to at-home care, then it’s time to see a podiatrist.

Arch Pain

If you are dealing with arch pain that is accompanied by heel pain then you could be dealing with plantar fasciitis. Even though this condition results in heel pain, the pain can radiate to the arches of the feet. Those with flat feet are also prone to sore, aching arches. If you have flat feet talk to our podiatrist about custom orthotics and how they can provide your feet with support.

Toe Pain

When it comes to toe pain, certain foot deformities can be to blame. This includes,

• Hammertoes: a deformity that affects the middle joint of a toe, causing the toe to bend downwards
• Bunion: A deformity that often affects the joint at the base of the big toe, causing the joint to stick out

Toe pain can also be the result of a very painful arthritic condition known as gout, which causes severe pain and swelling, often in the big toe. This arthritic attack will usually go away on its own with rest and specific lifestyle modifications.

Ball-of-the-Foot Pain

If the ball of your foot is causing you trouble, you could be dealing with,

• Morton’s neuroma: thickening of the tissue around the nerves of the toes
• Metatarsalgia: inflammation in the ball of the foot

Need Relief? Give Us a Call!

If you are dealing with foot pain in Wesley Chapel, FL, and aren’t sure what’s going on, it’s time you got some answers. Call Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Center today at (813) 909-0865 to schedule an appointment with one of our podiatrists. Don’t let foot pain keep you from living your life!

Find out when it’s time to turn to a podiatrist to treat your toenail fungus.

Are you dealing with a toenail that is yellow, brittle, or looks thicker than the rest of your toenails? If so, you may be dealing with a toenail fungus. While a toenail fungus may not seem serious, it’s still important to treat the problem so that it doesn’t continue to spread or cause permanent damage to the toenail. From the office of our Wesley Chapel, FL, podiatrists Drs. George and Kathy Tjamaloukas, find out how to treat a toenail fungal infection.

Treating a Toenail Fungus

Most of the time, someone with a fungal infection will try to treat the problem on their own. This often means heading to the local drugstore to pick up a topical anti-fungal treatment, which is applied to the nail. Of course, it’s important to understand that this can take a rather long time to work.

Topical treatments also cannot penetrate through the nail, which means that it may not be able to fully target and eliminate the infection lying underneath. Furthermore, it can take up to one year for the nail to grow out clear again, so patience is key when it comes to this treatment option.

Turning to a Podiatrist

If you want to tackle this issue right away, it might be time to turn to our Wesley Chapel foot doctor. Those with diabetes should always seek treatment right away if they suspect that they are dealing with a fungal infection or are experiencing any changes in their feet.

The first line of defense is usually an oral treatment that can work throughout the body to eliminate the infection. It can take up to three months for the medication to work and, as with any medication, it can cause side effects. Not everyone is right for oral anti-fungal treatment so it’s important to be upfront about your medical history so we can make sure this is the safest option for you.

Another method we use to effectively eliminate recurring, persistent, or severe fungal nail infections is laser therapy. A PinPointe™ FootLaser™ is directed over the infected nail to safely penetrate through the fungus to heat up and destroy the infection.

This laser treatment is non-invasive, painless, and usually takes no longer than 30 minutes. One session is often all that’s needed, and it can be a great alternative for patients who cannot or do not want to turn to oral medication to treat their fungal infection.

Interested? Give us a Call!

If you are dealing with a persistent or recurring toenail fungal infection that you can’t seem to treat on your own, then it’s time to turn to our foot specialists at Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Center in Wesley Chapel, FL. Call (813) 909-0865 today!

Are you experiencing symptoms of an ankle sprain?

You were out on the field. You caught the football and were about to score when out of nowhere someone tackles you to the ground. Perhaps your foot went one way but your ankle went another and you found yourself dealing with sudden ankle pain. Perhaps you even had trouble putting weight on the injured ankle. If so, you might be dealing with a sprained ankle. From the office of our Wesley Chapel, FL, podiatrists Drs. George and Kathy Tjamaloukas, find out how a sprained ankle is treated.

First and foremost is it important that you seek proper medical attention. While it might be a minor sprain or just a strain it could also be something worse than a sprained ankle, in which case certain measures will need to be taken right away.

If a sprained ankle isn’t treated this can lead to more sprains in the future and chronic ankle instability. To prevent this, it’s important that our Wesley Chapel foot doctor evaluates your ankle as soon as possible.

How to Care for a Sprained Ankle

The most important thing you can do is rest and to stay off the ankle as much as possible. By resting the foot you are allowing it time to heal properly without exacerbating it. If you have a minor sprain you may be able to manage your symptoms with the simple RICE method: rest, ice, compression and elevation.

If the sprain is serious enough, we may recommend wearing a boot or using crutches to take some weight off the injured ankle. Sometimes a brace can reduce swelling and improve stability while the sprain heals.

If you are noticing swelling or discomfort there are several ways to tackle the problem. You can choose to take an over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen, which can temporarily alleviate your symptoms when they flare-up. You should also ice the injury 2-3 times a day for up to 15 minutes at a time (do not apply ice for longer than 20 minutes). Wearing compression socks can also reduce swelling and provide support to the ankle.

With the proper care, you should notice a reduction in swelling within a few days. In some cases, our podiatrists may recommend physical therapy or rehab to retrain and strengthen the muscles, ligaments and tendons in the ankle. We will also give you a time frame in which you can begin to incorporate your daily athletic routine back into your schedule.

Are you or a loved one experiencing symptoms of a sprained ankle? If so, it’s important that you schedule an appointment with one of our foot and ankle specialists in Wesley Chapel, FL. Call Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Center today.