What is a Foot Neuroma and How Can You Treat It?

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A neuroma is a painful foot condition that develops between your toes. You may also hear your podiatrist in Austin, TX refer to a foot neuroma as a nerve tumor or simply a pinched nerve. Foot neuromas are a benign condition caused by an overgrowth of nerve tissues.

Symptoms and Causes of Foot Neuromas

The symptoms of neuromas sometimes mimic those of other food conditions, making it difficult to determine a diagnosis without visiting a podiatrist. The most common things to look for include:

  • Pain in the ball of the foot when you apply pressure to it
  • Pain towards the front of your foot and in between your toes
  • Numbness and tingling in the ball of your foot
  • Swelling between your toes

Foot neuromas are more common in women than men, mainly because women wear high heels and other types of shoes that can contribute to the problem. Be sure to wear shoes with low heels that provide your toes with adequate room to move to avoid developing neuromas. Look for shoes with laces or buckles that make it easy for you to adjust the fitting and avoid squeezing your feet too tightly. Other potential causes of foot neuromas include:

  • Having flat feet or feet with high arches
  • Repeated stress, such as a job that requires you to stand all day
  • Trauma to the nerves of the foot

Your shoes should also have thick and shock-absorbent soles along with insoles to take pressure off the foot. Wearing additional padding in your shoes near the toe area can also help prevent nerve damage to the toes that results in neuromas.

This problem typically gets worse without treatment. Dr. Jeffrey Lamour will determine if you could benefit from custom orthotics in Austin, TX or any other remedies during your initial appointment.

Modern hardworking young female feeling tired after long walk on

Recognizing and Treating a Ganglion Cyst on Your Foot

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Ganglion cysts contain jelly-like fluid and form a hard lump at the point of a joint or tendon. The word ganglion refers to the knot-like lump or mass that forms beneath the surface of your skin.

Causes and Symptoms of Ganglion Cysts of the Foot

Despite being the most common type of benign soft-tissue mass, doctors still do not know the precise cause of ganglion cysts. The most logical explanation is that they develop in response to repeated micro-traumas or a single trauma. Your ganglion cyst may change size and even appear to go away for a time only to return. Typical symptoms include:

  • Appearance of a hard lump
  • Pain and irritation when wearing shoes due to the friction caused between the lump and shoe
  • Burning or tingling sensations if the cyst has developed near a nerve
  • Dull ache or pain if the cyst presses against a tendon or joint

If you suspect you could have a ganglion cyst on your foot, schedule an appointment for podiatry services in Austin, TX right away.

What Are Your Treatment Options for a Ganglion Cyst?

If the cyst does not cause you pain or affect your walking, Dr. Lamour may decide to monitor it to see if it will go away on its own. Wearing different shoes or a temporary slipper shoe can also help. Draining the fluid from the cyst and injecting it with steroid medication in a process called aspiration and injection can also help. You may need to complete the process more than once, and the cyst may grow back even larger in some cases.

Surgical removal of the cyst is another possibility and it has a much lower recurrence rate than aspiration and injection. As an experienced podiatrist in Austin, TX, Dr. Lamour will discuss all treatment options and allow you to choose the one that seems right for you.

How Diabetic Neuropathy Affects Your Feet

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Approximately two-thirds of people with diabetes develop some type of nerve damage. Neuropathy, which mainly affects the limbs, is the most common. You are at highest risk of developing neuropathy if you have uncontrolled blood sugar levels for a long time. Your age and the number of years you have had diabetes also play a role in whether you develop diabetic neuropathy and the severity of the nerve damage.

How Peripheral Neuropathy Affects the Feet and Legs

As the most common type of neuropathy in diabetics, peripheral neuropathy typically affects the feet and legs first followed by the arms and hands. Common symptoms of peripheral neuropathy in the feet include:

  • Burning, stabbing, or shooting pain
  • Tingling sensation best described as the feeling of pins and needles against your feet
  • Sensitivity to touch
  • Sores and ulcers that heal slowly and can lead to other complications
  • Numbness
  • Intolerance to hot and cold temperatures
  • Problems with balance and coordination

People with diabetes are also more prone to developing toenail fungus, cuts, blisters, and calluses on the feet. Due to diminished sensations in your feet from the peripheral neuropathy, you may not notice these problems until you have developed an infection. Left untreated, each of these diabetic foot problems can cause an ulcer that could lead to amputation of a foot or lower leg.

Prevent Serious Diabetic Foot Problems by Working with an Experienced Podiatrist

Routine foot check-ups are vital when you have diabetes. Dr. Jeffrey Lamour will assess your feet at each visit and recommend appropriate treatment for any problems he detects. He can also recommend custom orthotic footwear and provide you with tips to properly care for your feet at home. With something as important as your mobility at stake, you cannot afford to overlook the importance of quality care from your local podiatrist in Austin, TX.

How to Know if You Have a Heel Spur

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Heel spurs contain a bony outgrowth made up of calcium deposits. They develop under the skin and can be difficult to see, but you can usually feel them. One of the most common reasons that people develop heel spurs is that they have plantar fasciitis. The cause of plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the plantar fascia, which is the tissue that stretches across the bottom of the foot and connects the heels and toes together.

Other Causes of Heel Spurs

Heel spurs can also develop in response to other underlying conditions, including arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. Here are some additional reasons you may develop a heel spur:

  • Wearing non-supportive or improperly fitted footwear such as flip-flops.
  • Overuse injuries that develop from jumping and running on hard floors and other surfaces. These actions can cause heel spurs by wearing down the arch and heel of your foot.
  • Being overweight or obese puts extra pressure on your feet and can eventually lead to heel spurs.

Typical Symptoms Associated with Heel Spurs

Although heel spurs are not always visible without an X-ray, some people notice a small protrusion on the area of their heel where they feel pain. Other common symptoms include:

  • Hot and burning sensations
  • Inflammation and swelling
  • Tenderness in the heel makes it difficult to walk barefoot or with non-supportive shoes

We encourage you to schedule an appointment with Dr. Jeffrey Lamour, your local podiatrist in Austin, TX, if you notice any of these symptoms. He will examine your foot and take an X-ray to help him make a formal diagnosis.

Heel Spur Treatment

Resting your foot and placing ice on the heel is the first-line treatment for heel spurs. Dr. Lamour will also give you stretching exercises and advise you to take anti-inflammatory medication if needed. Physical therapy, special orthotic shoes, and cortisone injections are additional options to consider.

Close up of medical worker massaging foot

Effective In-Office Treatments for Foot Neuroma

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Do you often feel tingling, burning, and numbness in one or both feet? Or have those sensations long since escalated into outright pain? If so, you may have a foot neuroma, or pinched nerve. If that’s the case, the pain and other sensations will likely keep getting worse without treatment. Thankfully, you can get the care you need from an Austin TX podiatrist. Here’s how they can help.

Custom Orthotics

Podiatrists can create custom orthotics that take the pressure off the pinched nerve. You can then simply slip the orthotics into your shoes and go about the rest of your day in pure comfort. In fact, you can get custom orthotics in Austin TX made for all types of shoes, including sneakers, dress shoes, and even high heels. Their personalized design goes well beyond over-the-counter inserts in helping relieve your pain and discomfort.

Minimally Invasive Injections

When overly agitated, the pinched nerves in your feet can leave you in a world of hurt until the treatment starts to work. You may then find it hard to manage your daily obligations as a result. To help you get quick relief from the pain and discomfort, your podiatrist can administer minimally invasive injections.

The most effective minimally invasive injections for neuromas include:

  • Local anesthetic
  • Cortisone
  • Alcohol sclerosing injections

Your podiatrist will use their exam findings to determine which injections to use for your foot neuroma. Although instant relief is possible, it could take a couple of treatments before you’re feeling 100% once again.

When to Call Your Podiatrist in Austin TX

Any time you’re having numbness, burning sensation, or pain in your feet, schedule a visit with your podiatrist to get it checked out. All you have to do is call 512-451-3668 and find a convenient time to visit Dr. LaMour. As your podiatrist, he will assess your condition and help you find the right level of treatment for your needs. So, please feel free to reach out whenever foot pain arises.

Using Amniotic Fluid Injections for Heel Pain

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Your body has an uncanny ability to heal injuries, but it does have its limits. Plantar fasciitis and other repetitive stress injuries, for example, overwhelm your body’s healing abilities, leaving you in pain more often than not. Fortunately, your podiatrist in Austin TX can help boost the healing power of your body with cutting-edge treatments, like amniotic fluid injections for heel pain. Wondering how this treatment jumpstarts the natural healing process? Here’s what you need to know.

How Amniotic Fluid Injections Work

Amniotic fluid injections surround damaged tissues with stem cells, giving your body the building blocks needed for healing. The influx of new, healthy cells helps reduce inflammation, while promoting regeneration of the damaged tissues. The reparative process continues for about 12 weeks, although it’s possible you could experience relief far faster than that.

Signs You Could Benefit from Amniotic Fluid Injections

You might benefit from amniotic fluid injections if:

  • You have a serious injury to your heel, foot, or ankle
  • Initial treatment methods did not provide the desired results
  • You’d prefer to stick with non-steroid treatments for pain

A wide range of conditions respond well to these injections, including plantar fasciitis, Achilles’ tendinitis, and serious ankle sprains. Your podiatrist will need to assess if you’re a good candidate before starting this treatment.

Find Relief with Help from Your Austin Podiatrist

Are you hoping that amniotic fluid injections can help with your heel pain in Austin TX? If so, you need to call 512-451-3668 and schedule a consultation appointment with Dr. LaMour. Through a complete examination, it’s possible to find the best treatments for your heel pain – and help you get on the path to healing. So, please feel free to call the clinic today to find a great time to vis

Prevent Foot Pain from Running with Kinesio Taping

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Running can help you stay in shape, live without stress ruling your life, and genuinely feel good about your body. Unfortunately, it’s also a high-impact activity with the potential to cause injuries, like plantar fasciitis in Austin TX. Kinesio taping can help, however, in decreasing the stress on your tendons and other sensitive structures. Ready to get started in reducing the risk of running injuries? Here’s what you need to know.

How Kinesio Taping Works

Developed by Dr. Kenzo Kase in the late 70s, Kinesio taping serves as a way to give your tendons extra support without restricting movement. The medical-grade elastic tape gets strategically applied to your areas in need of extra support. The tape helps decompress your tissues while you run, effectively preventing repetitive stress injuries, including plantar fasciitis. When properly applied, Kinesio tape can also help your body recover faster after injuries occur.

Which Conditions Benefit from Kinesio Taping

Although Kinesio taping gets used for injury prevention, first and foremost, it’s also an effective tool for helping you heal from:

  • Plantar fasciitis
  • Achilles’ tendonitis
  • Patellofemoral stress syndrome
  • IT band friction syndrome

Your podiatrist will assess your condition and let you know if Kinesio taping could help. Then, they will assist in helping you learn how to properly apply the tape for the best results.

When to Seek Care from Your Austin Podiatrist

Any time you notice pain from running, schedule a visit with your podiatrist in Austin TX. To do that, simply call 512-451-3668 to find a great time to come speak with Dr. LaMour. During your visit, he’ll perform a thorough examination to see if you’re suffering from any injuries and could benefit from his care. You can also discuss Kinesio taping and other injury prevention techniques at that time.

Most Common Winter Sports Injuries Treated by Podiatrists

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Winter sports are always a blast – until injuries take you out of the game, of course. Thankfully, your podiatrist in Austin TX can help you get back on your feet and feeling great once again. Beyond that, podiatrists offer the guidance and support you need to avoid injuries in the first place. Wondering how? Here’s what you need to know.

Common Winter Sports Injuries

While enjoying winter sports, there’s always a risk of injuries, like:

  • Blisters
  • Calluses
  • Sprains
  • Fractures
  • Dislocations

Wearing ultra-warm socks and insulated boots increases your risk of athlete’s foot as well. Plus, if you have peripheral arterial disease, diabetes, or similar conditions, you have a higher risk of developing frostbite while out in the cold.

Even minor injuries should get checked out by a podiatrist. They will help you recover faster plus provide the care needed to avoid serious complications.

Best Ways to Prevent Injuries

Prevention is key, of course, if you’d like your winter sports to continue all season long. You can start by strengthening your body and improving your balance through the daily use of a wobble board. Also, use mat tumbling sessions to work on falling to the side instead of the front or back of your body.

When you go out to enjoy your winter sports, always use all the protective gear possible all the time. Also, make sure that your gear fits you right and feels good throughout the day. If you notice anything feels a bit off, halt your activities and fix your gear before continuing on.

How a Podiatrist in Austin TX Can Help

Did ankle injuries derail your winter sports fun? If so, call 512-451-3668 to schedule a visit with Dr. LaMour. As your podiatrist, he will assess your ankle injuries in Austin TX and create a treatment plan designed to get you back on your feet. You’ll need to start with a full examination at a consultation appointment. So, please feel free to schedule your visit any time.

Keeping Feet Safe at the Gym 

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Your podiatrist in Austin,Texas wants you to know that keeping feet safe at the gym is of the utmost importance. While it’s healthy to exercise and even get the socialization that public gyms offer, gyms can also be a threat to the health of your feet. There’s no reason to be overly alarmed as long as you take the following safety precautions.

Begin Slowly

If you’re still recovering from pandemic-mode, you may not have visited the gym in a while. Don’t assume you can just pick up where you left off. The tendons and joints in your feet and ankles may not be ready to handle your toughest workout. Ease back into your routine slowly until you can increase your stamina and strengthen your feet and ankles to where you’re used to.

Wear Proper Foot Gear

Make sure you’re wearing shoes that support your achilles heel and ankle, especially if you do bicycle workouts, cardio or weightlifting. These workouts really put the ankles through their paces, and you’ll want footwear that offers proper support. Ideally, you’ll have a designated pair of sneakers that you wear only to the gym.

Use Correct Technique

Don’t be shy about asking a gym professional to demonstrate correct technique on any gym equipment that you haven’t yet tried. There are all kinds of ways to injure your feet and ankles while working out, but using proper technique will greatly minimize your risk.

Wear Shower Sandals

Make the extra effort to always wear shower sandals or water shoes while inside the locker room. Foot bacteria lurks in warm and damp environments like showers, toilet stalls and locker areas. Avoid going barefoot too, because in any public place like the gym, there is always the chance that someone has dropped a sharp object, pin or something else that could damage your feet.

Visit Your Podiatrist After an Injury

If you do injure your feet or ankles at the gym, book an appointment with your Austin, TX podiatrist right away. Don’t assume it’s nothing. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Maintaining your mobility is paramount to overall good health, and your feet and ankles are the most important factor. Take good care of them at the gym using the tips mentioned above.

Common Causes of Cold Feet 

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Everyone has cold feet when outdoor temperatures begin to drop. But if you’re troubled by cold feet year-round, something more serious could be at play. Chronic cold feet is most commonly associated with poor circulation to your extremities or damage to the nerves in your feet. Your podiatrist in Austin, TX, may have a solution. Call today to schedule a consultation.

Why Do Feet Feel Cold?

Sometimes cold feet are just cold feet. They feel cold in response to surrounding temperatures. However, if your feet are frequently uncomfortably cold, even in warm weather, this could mean the arteries that carry blood to your hands and feet have narrowed. Because not enough blood gets through, these areas constantly feel cold. It may also be that your body is lacking in red blood cells– a frequent symptom of anemia. A simple visit to your podiatrist will help you determine the root of the issue and may educate you on other reasons why you struggle with constantly cold feet, including:

Peripheral Artery Disease

Peripheral artery disease causes poor circulation to hands and feet, which means they feel cold much of the time. Smoking or using tobacco may be linked to peripheral artery disease, so may diabetes and hypertension.

Neuropathy

Neuropathy is often a side effect of diabetes. But it may also be associated with alcoholism, vitamin deficiency, and an underactive thyroid. Even some medications may contribute. Neoropathy is caused by damage to the blood vessels in your feet.

Elevated Cholesterol Levels

High cholesterol is another culprit that could be causing your cold feet. If your cholesterol is too high, it can cause build-up and inflammation in your veins, constricting the flow of blood to your extremities.

Buerger’s Disease

Bueger’s disease is caused by tobacco use. Over time, the blood vessels in the feet and hands swell and make it difficult for blood to circulate to these areas. This condition may also cause dangerous blood clots to form. However, it’s rare and is unlikely to be the reason why your feet are always cold.

Uncomfortably cold feet in Austin, TX, could be a symptom of something more serious, and Dr. Jeffrey Lamour is ready to help. Contact us today for excellence of podiatric care in the Lone Star State.