What is General Chiropody and Podiatry?
General treatment of the feet is a core part of our podiatry clinic. Your feet are under stress all day; walking, running and being squashed into tight fitting shoes can cause foot issues. These issues include corns and calluses, ingrown toenails, verruca and fungal nails, some are often painful but they can be easily and painlessly treated with a general treatment appointment.
General treatment will vary from person to person but below is what you can expect from your appointment:
- If you are a new patient we will ask you to complete a New Patient Medical Form. We will discuss with you any general medical history and any problems you may be experiencing.
- Treatment will begin, and this will include toe nail cutting and filing, removing any hard skin (callus) and corns that may be present and smoothing out any rough skin.
- We will also work on any other issues you may have such as ingrown toenails.
- We will offer you relevant advice on how to keep your feet in good condition
We use modern equipment and sterile instruments. The appointment will be 30 minutes and we recommend people return every 6-10 weeks for regular treatment. Having regular treatment is important to maintain healthy feet and prevent future issues.
We are qualified to provide treatment to patients with Diabetes and Arthritis.
Toe Nail Cutting
It is important to cut toe nails regularly to keep them in good shape and to avoid them growing in the wrong way. Cutting too close or down the sides of the nail can result in soreness or infections. Toe nails become thicker and more difficult to cut as you get older, and sometimes it’s difficult to reach your feet.
Toe nail cutting is included in our routine treatment appointment.
Ingrown Toe Nail
These can be very painful and may cause infections. They happen when the side of the nail grows into the surrounding skin. It becomes red, swollen and tender and can make the toe feel painful when pressure is applied.
We can treat ingrown toe nails with conservative treatment. If the condition is chronic with it returning regularly then a minor surgical procedure, called a partial nail avulsion (toe nail surgery), may be required.
Corns and Calluses
Corns and calluses are hard or thick areas of skin that can be painful.
Corns are small areas of thickened skin that commonly develops at the tops or sides of the toes or on the sole of the foot. If left untreated it can cause a lot of pain. The pain can cause changes to the way people walk, which in turn can cause pain in the lower back, hip or knee.
Calluses are hard, rough areas of skin, often yellow in colour, developing over the heel or ball of the foot. They are larger than corns, have less well defined edges and are often less sensitive to touch. If left untreated the callus can crack and become painful.
It is our pleasure to care for paediatrics (the young) through to geriatrics (young at heart)!
We look forward to welcoming you!