Freaky Foot Problems
Halloween may be a time for scary decorations and costumes, but at Goldsmith Podiatry, we know one place our Manhattan patients don’t want to see anything spooky is on their feet. Below are some sights that might be a bit alarming and what could be behind them.
Black Toenails—a black spot or a black toenail can have one of several causes. The most common is a traumatic or repetitive injury. If you dropped a heavy object on your foot or recently stubbed your toe, that could explain a black toenail. Runners commonly wind up with a black toenail from the repetitive pounding of a toe up against the inside of the shoe. In some cases, however, a black toenail could have a more serious cause, such as:
Melanoma
Medical conditions such as diabetes, heart or kidney disease
Pus or Discharge—it is usually the sign of an advanced case of athlete’s foot or an infection. If the area is also red and hot or if you have a fever, you should seek medical treatment immediately.
Bumps and Lumps—discovering a lump in your foot can definitely be alarming but is not always the signal of something serious. Ganglion cysts—soft tissue masses that form near a joint or tendon and fibromas, which often form on the bottom of your foot in the arch, are nearly always benign. But they can be uncomfortable and make it painful to wear shoes and should be treated.
It’s always best to get anything scary looking in your feet checked out by our podiatrists, Dr. Howard Goldsmith, Dr. Rosanna Troia, and Dr. Kristina Ruff rule out a serious medical condition. The foot doctor will do a complete examination of your foot and get a medical history to track down the source of your symptoms. Make an appointment at our Upper West Side office by calling 212-877-1002 today.