Q. I have some problems with a sore spot on my toe. A small patch of hard skin or spot has developed on my middle toes. I wanted to know which kind of treatment you would recommend for this condition? I’ve tried many things now and I’m out of ideas now.

A. Thank you for your enquiry and it was particularly helpful to have a picture of your toe. This certainly looks painful and very sore.

Before offering advice on chiropody treatment, I would need to know if you are diabetic or if you have any circulatory problems, or if you are taking any medication, such as Warfarin. This is because any treatment would have to take these factors into consideration. You say you have tried many treatments but do not say what these are.

Your 2nd toe is what is called a “hammer toe” caused either by a structural defect or more often by shoes without sufficient depth or width. This is why footwear needs to be chosen carefully with these factors in mind.

Because your toe looks red and angry, infection must be avoided, and the following home treatment may ease your problem somewhat, and would be perfectly safe to carry out. Soak your foot in a bowl of warm water, to which has been added a tablespoon of salt water. This should be carried out once daily. The foot should be dried and an antiseptic cream, such as Savlon applied, together with a non-adherent dressing (obtainable from a chemist shop) until the toe looks less angry and inflamed.

Chiropody treatment should then be sought, but until such time as you are able to do this, you could obtain from any chemist shop a product called “Toe-foam”. This is a foam tube which can be cut to size and placed over your hammer toe in order to provide palliative relief.

Medical Disclaimer: Information contained within this blog is for general information and educational purposes only. While I have endeavored to ensure the accuracy of information contained within this blog, this information should not be used for diagnosis, nor should it be considered a replacement for consultation with a health care professional. Please consult with your physician or appropriate health care provider about the applicability of any products, opinions, or recommendations with respect to your personal symptoms or medical conditions. See Full Disclaimer

So what are your questions? Do you want to know more about your foot-care? Do your feet smell? What can you do about hard-skin on your feet? What’s the most effective way to treat a verrucae?

Send your question to scilla@wilsdon.co.uk or add to the comments section and we’ll publish the answer (keeping your name and details private).

Medical Disclaimer: Information contained within this blog is for general information and educational purposes only. While I have endeavoured to ensure the accuracy of information contained within this blog, this information should not be used for diagnosis, nor should it be considered a replacement for consultation with a healthcare professional. Please consult with your physician or appropriate health care provider about the applicability of any products, opinions, or recommendations with respect to your personal symptoms or medical conditions. See Full Disclaimer

19 years.

Why did you want to become a chiropodist?

Because I am genuinely interested in all aspects of foot-care!

What part of the job do you enjoy most?

Improving patients footcare and, even better, curing their presenting foot condition.

Does it make sense to have regular check-ups with your chiropodist?

How often patients need chiropody treatments depends very much on their foot problems. If a patient requires general foot-care with no specific problem troubling them, then it is probably best to have a check-up every six months.

What are some of the usual treatments you carry out on patients?

Some of the most common problems I encounter are thickened nails and hard skin (callus) on the plantar surface of the foot (sole of the foot).

What services can you provide for patients?

General foot-care, including nail conditions, treatment for verrucae, and assessments of biomechanical problems.

How long do most appointments take?

This depends on the patient’s presenting problem, but an initial first consultation will generally take an hour, with subsequent consultations taking about half an hour.

Can footwear have a detrimental effect on your feet?

Most certainly – footwear can cause many problems for the feet, and advice is always given if the chiropodist feels that a patient’s condition could be improved by more appropriate footwear.

Each member is carefully vetted to ensure they meet the Health Professionals Council’s standards of training, professional skills, behaviour and health. They currently regulate 14 health professions, including chiropody and have over 200,000 professional members. If a member does not meet these standards at any time, they can be stopped from practicing or even prosecuted.

If you are looking for a chiropodist then you are strongly advised to look for this certification, to ensure you are being treated by a professional. You can use the free search provided to check your practitioner.

Scilla Wilsdon is a fully registered member of the Health Professionals Council (Registration No. CH21744). You can follow this link to see her entry on their database. If you are looking for a HPC qualified chiropodist in the Rustington or Littlehamption area then please contact her today. She will be glad to discuss your case.

Isn’t it time you treated yourself and took your feet in for a full checkup? Afterwards you’ll be walking on air. Scilla offers the highest level of professional care and treatment for a reasonable price.