All About The Chaps
Right then, men, what is stopping you from caring for your feet?
-Can't find the time
-Embarrassed
-Is it that important?
Well, if you don't find the time to care for yourself, the problems will get worse until they start impacting your daily life and then you will regret not getting it sorted out earlier.
You only need to find a little bit of time each week to look after your feet and when you find something that concerns you, book an appointment with a podiatrist.
In clinic, I often hear, "this used to be on the NHS", and yes, it did. But times are what they are; they are seriously busy helping people with chronic high-risk conditions, so I provide my service to reduce as much work for them as possible. I would be willing to bet other family members spend a lot more on themselves than you do, so stop with the guilt. Instead, allow yourself to invest in yourself; everyone in your family wants you to be pain-free and enjoying life.
If you are feeling embarrassed by your feet, please stop. I've seen it all before. I've treated feet for years and been a nurse for many more before this. I've seen everything there is. So book your appointment, keep it, and within a few minutes of being in the clinic, you'll know you shouldn't have worried.
Here's the biggy- is health important? You only really realise how vital your health is when it's gone. Imagine, searing pain shooting through your feet and legs on every step or ulcers so bad you struggle to put your shoes on. You won't be able to play sports, walk your dog or even get to the shops. So I think health is your number 1 priority.
November is men's mental health month. Hopefully, there will be some awesome moustaches on display around Langport; I'm publishing this blog to help raise awareness and share links to the Movember website. You will find all the information you need to raise money and practical advice to support someone with their mental health and prostate and testicular cancer awareness.
It is well known that physical health problems can impact your mental health, and 1 of the main bits of self-help advice is to get outside and exercise, but if you combine that with foot problems, it's tough to do this.
Some of the most common foot conditions I treat a lot for the guys are
-Fungal nail infections
-Sweaty feet
-Toenail issues causing ingrown toenails
-Athletes foot
The good news is all of these can be cured or at least dramatically reduced. You need to get around to booking your appointment. Then you will carry on keeping fit and staying connected.
Fungal nail infections- I treat thick and fungal nails regularly, and there are many different ways I can help treat them for you. I can reduce the thickness and cut the nails for you, or we can discuss the best method for diagnosing and treating a fungal infection.
Sweaty feet- take a read of one of my other blogs
Toenail issues- I have a blog for this as well. Read this one for my recommended toenail trimming technique
Athletes foot – ohh, this is a bu**er of an infection. It's tricky to get rid of completely, but as it's contagious, you must treat it. Your family will not thank you for sharing this. I'll write a blog to help with athletes' foot; in the meantime, practice good foot hygiene, shown in my sweaty feet blog and if over-the-counter creams aren't working, come in to see me.