Must Do for Wart Prevention

Warts can be unsightly, potentially painful, resistant to treatment, and reoccur even after various treatments.

The key is to not get warts in the first place. Prevent warts by following these tips.

No Shoes, No Shirt, No Service. Wear shoes everywhere, especially in public places like pools and gym showers. Warts are contracted through a virus that enters the body through small cuts in the feet.

Practice Good Hygiene. Change socks and shoes on a daily basis. If you are prone to sweaty feet, keep extra pairs of socks handy. Viruses thrive in warm moist environments. Keep feet clean and dry.

Self-Check. Evaluate your feet daily or at least weekly for any changes that may occur. At the first sign of a wart, growth, or skin change, make an appointment right away. If you have children, check their feet after yours. Make it a family routine.

Keep hands and feet to yourself. If someone you know has a wart, don’t touch it. Wart viruses can spread by contact.

Be selfish. Don’t share your towel, socks, shoes, or razor with anyone. Even though it may not look like someone has wart, they can still be carrying the virus, which can be passed onto you unknowingly.

Minimize feet irritation. Blisters, dry skin, and small cracks on the soles of the feet allow for wart viruses to be easily transferred into your body. Broken and injured skin is caused when the feet are irritated by rubbing from shoes.

Prevent spreading of warts. Keep warts covered with band-aids and don’t bite nails or cuticles.


Image by M.V. Jantzen. (2008). No Shirt No Shoes No Service. Flickr. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/mvjantzen/2349235973/

Patient Testimonial Re: Foot Fungus

I have the best patients. Thank you very much Debbie Nolte for writing this amazing testimonial!

 

"First of all, I’d like to say how pleased I am with the results of the laser treatment for the toe fungus on both my feet. I had never heard of it before and I had spent 3+ years trying everything to get rid of it. I had become so embarrassed with how badly my feet looked. But not anymore – they look just as good & healthy as before the fungus. There was nothing to having the laser treatment done – just a small amount of time. And I though the treatment was very affordable. I had the treatments done this winter. I can’t say enough good things about Dr. Vittori and his staff. The doctor was wonderful and all his staff is very friendly & helpful. The office is spotlessly clean and all my appointments were right on time. I have referred a couple people to Dr. Vittori & will happily continue to do so. I thank them all very much."

 

Many Causes of Heel Pain

Recently I was asked about persistent heel pain. This person wondered if shoe inserts purchased from the store would be the best course of action to treat the pain, or should an appointment be made to see a Podiatrist. I suggested making an appointment to be properly diagnosed. Purchasing shoe inserts might help with the pain, but it only masks the problem. Foot pain, of any kind, is not normal.

The reason why a check-up from a Podiatrist is so vital is that the pain could be caused by a number of different muscle or tendon problems. X-rays distinguish what and where the problem is in the foot. Heel pain can be caused from the heel bone, which is largest of the 26 bones in the foot. Just like all bones in the body, it can be fractured, chipped, or inflamed.

Heel pain can occur if the heel bone is enlarged, called Haglund’s Deformity. Treatment does include arch supports, shoe inserts, heel lifts, or custom orthotics. Anti-inflammatory medication can provide relief. Heel boots or a soft cast can be used if the heel is severely inflamed.

The most common cause of foot or ankle pain is caused by the inflammation for the Achilles tendon, called Tendinitis. Shoe inserts or a soft case to immobilize the foot is a common treatment to stop further injury.

Excessive pronation, heel spurs, and plantar fasciitis are also causes of heel pain. As you might be able to guess, each of these problems are treated differently.

I hope that by understanding some of the problems that cause heel pain, one understands the importance of diagnosing the root of the problem. Masking the problem does only one thing: hide the problem. If at any point feet hurt, make an appointment. Early treatment means less pain and continuation of one’s mobile life.


Image by Brave Heart. (2006). Foot and Heel. Flickr. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/brraveheart/777433872/

What to Expect Before, During & After Surgery

No one wants to hear the word surgery, especially when it pertains to the foot or ankle. But if the surgery is a must, the more information the patient knows and understands, the better the surgery and outcome will be. The procedure for surgery can be broken down into three categories; preoperative testing and care, the surgery itself, and postoperative care.

Preoperative testing and care is when all tests are performed in order to determine if surgery is necessary or if a different form of treatment is best. X-rays, MRI’s, blood tests, EKG’s, the patient’s medical history and medical conditions are all evaluated. This is the time to tell the Podiatrist about known allergies, specific illnesses one has had throughout their life, any diagnosed diseases, and current medications. Depending upon one’s medical condition, the Podiatrist may consult with the patient’s family physician.

If it is determined that surgery is necessary, the patient must consider if they will be able to drive themselves home. If not, make sure someone comes to the office with the patient. The Podiatrist will give further instruction prior to surgery about what the patient must do the day of surgery. Be sure to follow the instructions accordingly.

Postoperative care refers to after surgery care. Depending upon what type of surgery the patient had performed dictates the recovery time. The length of time and kind of aftercare can differ. The Podiatrist will tell the patient at what point they can put weight on the foot. Do not try to do this prematurely as it can be painful and damage the recovery process. After surgery, it is imperative that the patient follows RICE; rest, ice, compression, and evalation. For mobility, the patient may have one or more of the following; bandages, splints, surgical shoes, casts, crutches, or a cane.

For some, surgery can be stressful. To minimize anxiety, ask your Podiatrist questions and be familiar with preoperative care, the surgery procedure, and postoperative care.

Image by Mary Hodder. (2011). My new bandages.. post first *foot* showering.. love having clean feet!!!!! Flickr. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/maryhodder/6402595829/

Feet As Temperature Controllers?

Do your feet have an impact on your body’s temperature?

At night sleeping, do you get hot at times and push the covers off your feet in order to cool down? Or does the opposite occur; your feet are freezing and suddenly become warm when you put on socks? It can seem like the feet are one of the body’s temperature regulators.

Feet do indeed have a big impact on keeping a stable body temperature. The feet have a large amount of blood vessels and surface area, which enables high volumes of blood to flow through the vessels causing heat to be quickly expelled.

Feet also don’t have a lot of muscle, which produces heat. There are 19 muscles in the foot, and considering there are about 650 muscles in the human body, the foot has a low amount of muscle compared to the rest of the body. The foot actually consists of 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments, and many nerves and blood vessels. The low muscle volume means that the feet cool quickly compared to other parts of the body.


Image by BBQ Junkie. (2008). thermometer 2. Flickr. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/bbqjunkie/2473850888/

Fretting Over Fungus?

After the long winter months, Chicagoans long to break free from the confines of their boots and slip into their favorite open toed shoe or flip flop. Toenail fungus on the other hand may have some people unwilling to show off their toes. 

Those that have toenail fungus know they have this condition. It’s characterized by a thickened, discolored, loose, or deformed toenail. 

Dr. Christopher Vittori, DPM, of Vittori Foot and Ankle Specialist perform a revolutionary new procedure that eliminates nail fungus without anesthesia or medication over the course of two to four fifteen minute treatments. Until now, approaches to treating toenail fungus have been a regimen of ointments, assorted prescription medications, and minor surgical procedures.

“In my experience, the only way to really get rid of toenail fungus is to use a treatment that truly addresses the fungus beneath the toenail to destroy the fungal cells within the nail plate,” says Dr. Christopher Vittori. 

This revolutionary procedure is effective in 95% because it reaches the fungal at its core, underneath the nail bed. The fungal infection does not just sit on top of the nail, so one cannot expect a treatment to work if it does not penetrate below the surface of the nail. The nail grows back, free of fungus. The procedure sounds like it could be painful, but it is quite the opposite. It is virtually pain free with patients feeling a slight warm sensation at times. 

Denise Holub, toenail fungus patient, states, “Over 2 years ago I was treated with a nail polish type of medicine to help get rid of a nail fungus. Unfortunately after 8 months of applying it, all the new nail growth still had a fungus! That is when Dr. Vittori told me about the new laser treatment. I was willing to give it a try. After the first treatment you could actually start seeing some improvement.  I have not had a problem with toenail fungus since then. I would recommend this noninvasive laser treatment to everyone. Dr. Vittori’s staff made the whole experience so easy. They were very accommodating when making my appointments. My visits were very prompt and worked well with my busy schedule.”

Get back to wearing open toed shoes in public again and stop worrying about toenail fungus. When feet and ankle problems occur, turn to an experienced Podiatrist who listens and responds to patient’s concerns to effectively diagnose all lower extremity problems. Vittori Foot and Ankle Specialist have offices conveniently located in Homer Glen, IL and New Lenox, IL. They are currently accepting new patients by appointment at 708.301.4443.

Sprain vs Fracture

Kids wait all year for summer to run outside, play sports, and go to the playground. One of the hot trends in summer birthday and graduation parties is bouncy houses. While tons of fun, they can be quite dangerous. As children jump up and down around other children, it is very easy to sprain, fracture, or break any one of the 33 bones in the foot. Accidents can happen anywhere, and there can be confusion about what constitutes a sprain, fracture, or break.

Sprains = ligaments tear, pull, or stretch
Fracture = break in the bone

If the worst happens, have your child or loved one checked by a podiatrist. The first thing that will happen will be an examination of the feet and ankles, and an X-ray of the foot. Depending upon the outcome of an initial X-ray, other tests may need to be ordered; MRI or ultrasound. The additional tests are great for finding torn ligaments and stress fractures.

Broken bones, or fractures, need to be set prior to casting. If the bones don’t line up correctly or stay in place, then surgery may be required by using pins and metal plates. Stress fractures require the R & I out of RICE; rest and immobilization. Boots, casts, or crutches can be used until healing is finished.

Sprains also require the R & I and heal faster than a broken bone. Soft casts, boots, and crutches help the patient remain mobile. Torn ligaments may also require surgery.


Image by Joe Shlabotnik. (2012). Bouncy Castle. Flickr. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/joeshlabotnik/6984052944/