You might not look at your feet very often.
Every day you pull on your socks and shoes and off you go.
But your feet can tell you a lot about the rest of your body.
Tony Gavin, a leading UK Podiatrist and CEO of osgo Healthcare, the member organisation for UK podiatrists, explains: ‘Our feet often give clues that something is not quite right within our bodies.
‘In ancient times, examining the toes was as important as having patients stick out their tongue to diagnose an illness.
‘Podiatrists are often the first to diagnose certain illnesses. Often we do not take give our feet a second glance, until that is, something starts to cause us pain or discomfort.’
Colour changes
Tony says: ‘Diabetes is one of the conditions that will always give us problems with our feet. This can lead to colour changes, loss or changes in sensation and sometimes unexplained pain in the foot.
‘Problems with circulation can also be identified in the feet. If your feet have a blue tinge this could indicate a circulation problem.’
Temperature
If your feet always feel cold, it can also be a sign of a problem.
‘Cold feet can also define a circulation problem. Women in particular can suffer from cold feet.
‘Generally this is nothing to worry about but on some occasions it can indicate a systemic problem,’ Tony says.
Swelling
Dina Gohil, Founder & MD of DG Podiatrist Ltd., Mayfair, says that swelling of the feet can be a tell tale sign of high blood pressure or heart disease.
Swelling in one ankle rather than both can be related to heart disorders but if both swell up. it’s more likely to be related to kidney disorders
Nails
Tony says that your nails in particular can be a tell tale sign of problems.
‘Specific types of nail discolouration and changes in growth rate can signal various lung, heart, kidney and liver diseases, as well as diabetes and anaemia,’ he says.
‘Healthy nails are smooth and consistent in colour. If your nails develop ridges or change colour you need to see a Podiatrist or your GP to rule out any underlying health issues.
‘Changes in nail colour can also be the sign of a bacterial or fungal infection which can be treated by a Podiatrist’.
Dryness
Dina adds that extreme dryness or sweaty feet has been linked to thyroid conditions.
If you notice that your feet are either much drier or on the other end of the scale, much sweatier, it might be worth speaking to your GP about getting your thyroid function tested.
Losing hair
You might want to remove the hair on your toes but if you notice it is coming off itself, it’s not usually a good thing.
Losing hair on your toes, or complete baldness can be a sign of poor blood flow. This could be related to diabetes or be another problem.
Numbness
Numbness is also a sign of poor blood flow. If your foot regularly goes numb when you are active and moving, it could be a sign of something, such as arterial disease or diabetes.
What’s the deal with Feet Week?
Feet Week is a week dedicated entirely to feet… as the name probably gives away.
We figured we could all do with something to occupy our minds during the pandemic – and what better topic than feet?
From 4 May to 10 May you can find articles on everything feet, from what it actually takes to be a foot model to what it’s like to be a pro toe wrestler.
You can read all our Feet Week content right here.
Source: Read Full Article