You may not notice it, but our feet get overworked from walking, running, and standing. Including injuries and trauma, these cause abuse to the foot. That results in foot problems, and it is the time when you will realize that you are not taking care of your feet.
Here are the ten most common diseases of the foot that you can get if you do not take care of your feet.
1. Athlete’s Foot
Another name for it is tinea pedis, is a fungal infection that happens between the toes. Hence, it is common for people who have a sweaty foot and use close-shoes that confine the feet. If it is your habit to wear shoes even if you did not dry your feet, then you might get an athlete’s foot. The common symptom of this infection is a scaly rash. It is contagious and may spread through contaminated floors, towels, or clothing.
You can prevent having an athlete’s foot by always drying your feet before wearing your shoes. Put a foot powder on your feet if you have a sweaty foot. Therefore, it is to allow the powder to absorb the sweat from your foot. Do not use towels or things that are not yours. Make sure to clean your bathroom floors after showering. Keep your foot dry and clean your shoes from time to time.
2. Bunions
Women have higher chances of having this type of foot problem because women wear narrow shoes. A bunion is a boney bump in the big toe. This problem causes your big toe to move towards the smaller toes. As a result, it forces the base joint of the big toe to stick out. Wearing tight or narrow shoes make the problem worse. You may see a bulging bump on the base of your big toe, and there are swelling and redness in the joint. Your foot type or the injuries and stress to the foot are the leading causes of bunions.
To prevent this, take time to choose the right shoes. Before buying shoes, try them on first and walk around with them for a few minutes to see if it is comfortable to wear.
3. Diabetic Neuropathy
Moreover, it can happen if you have diabetes. Also, this is a type of nerve damage. A high amount of blood sugar in the body can injure the nerves. Diabetic neuropathy is the damage of the nerves in your legs and feet. You will feel pain and numbness in your legs and feet and other complications, such as digestive and heart problems. Uncontrolled blood sugar levels damage the nerves that lead to diabetic neuropathy. But the main cause is still unknown.
4. Ingrown Toenails
When the corners of the toenails grow next to the skin, ingrown toenails happen. Your big toe is more at risk of having an ingrown toenail. However, it can happen to both men and women. One cause of this is when you cut your toenail the wrong way. It is better to cut the toenails straight across. Do not angle it on the sides because this let the nails grow into the skin. Ingrown toenails can be painful, and you see the skin next to the nail being swollen and hard. Fluid builds up in the toe that can result in pus.
5. Plantar Fasciitis
It is an inflammation of the thick band of tissue under the foot that connects the heel bone to the toes. Also, plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. Hence, it is most common in people who are runners and overweight. Using a shoe that does not provide proper support to the foot is also at risk of this problem. Tension and stress create a small tear in the tissue that causes it to swell. If you have this foot problem, you will usually feel a stabbing pain at the bottom of your foot.
6. Blisters
Blisters are common to happen in most people. Friction and pressure are causes of blisters on the feet. It is because of the skin rubbing against a rough surface. You would see swelling and redness. The liquid is present in a blister to protect the most sensitive tissue of the skin. To drain a blister, wash your hands and the blister. Then, apply iodine to the affected area. Sterilize a needle that you will use to puncture the blister. Let the fluid drain, but do not remove the skin of the blister. It is to protect the bacteria from entering the site. In the last step, apply petroleum jelly or other ointments to it.
To prevent having blisters, make sure that your shoes have enough allowance. If your shoes have a rough edge, you can put a band-aid on it or a silicon pad.
7. Corns
helps the skin from not developing a blister. Bunions and ill-fitting shoes are common causes of corns. Calluses are different from corn; calluses are larger than corns. If you do not want to have corns on your feet, you should avoid shoes that do not fit you well. There are some corn pads or bandages available in the drugstore to help you prevent it.
To avoid these diseases of the foot, you should take good care of your feet. It includes choosing comfortable footwear that you can use for a long walk. You might regret not taking care of your foot when you start to have one of these diseases. Feet problems are not that much of a concern until you start to feel pain in your feet.
