Many health conditions – conditions that you didn’t know you had – can be identified by an examination of your feet. When symptoms occur in the foot, they can identify a potential medical issue. Here are a few of those examples:
Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, can pop up on your feet – on the sole, especially in people with darker skin toes, and even on the toenails. Unlike other forms of skin cancer, melanoma is not as likely to develop in high-sun areas that might have experienced severe sunburns. And also unlike other forms of skin cancer, it can develop on depigmented parts of the body, such as the sole of the foot.
Squamous Cell Cancer can present itself on the fingertip, nail or nail matrix. It can look like anything from an ulcer on the fingertip to just a malformed nail.
Cold Feet could be a sign of poor circulation, or Raynaud’s, a condition that causes some areas of the body to feel numb and extremely cold in response to cold weather or even stress. Raynaud’s is a pathological level of vassal constriction.
Athlete’s Foot, a fungal infection, can present itself through a scaly, red rash between your toes. This is the hallmark symptom of Athlete’s foot, but you can also get itching and burning symptoms. The infection is contagious, but can typically be treated with over-the-counter medications.
Clubbing in the nails can be a sign of heart or lung disease, two of the top causes of death in the United States. When there’s a reduced amount of oxygen in the blood, it is marked by softened nail beds, red and/or bulging fingertips and a downward curve of the nail.
Tingling or “pins and needles” in your feet can be a sign of nerve damage from diabetes – one of the dangerous complications of the condition. This type of neuropathy occurs when blood sugar levels are not properly maintained; over time, the excess of glucose in the blood stream wreaks havoc on the nervous system.
To learn more about foot-related problems visit to www.DoctorBirk.com or call (609) 465-1644.
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