Healthy Heart Helps Your Feet, Too
Your heart is your heart and your feet are your feet, and they don’t have much in common, right? Wrong! In fact, there is a link between cardiac health and podiatric health. When your heart is in jeopardy, your feet are often the first part of your body to exhibit symptoms. Here are three examples that you should know:
Foot pain: Many people believe that foot pain is normal, and an inescapable part of the aging process. This is not true. It’s also true a wide variety of sources can cause foot pain. Because your feet are the part of your body that is farthest from the heart, when heart disease sets in, it becomes difficult to supply them with the blood they need. Burning or shooting pain or even swelling can result. A board-certified podiatrist like Dr. James M. McKee is the best-qualified doctor to diagnose and treat the source of your discomfort. Never ignore foot pain; always report it to your podiatrist immediately.
A change in color or a feeling of cold that won’t go away: The diminished circulation caused by cardiovascular disease can leave feet feeling chilled. It can even cause the color of the flesh go from a robust shade to one with undertones of blue.
Unhealed wounds: Properly circulating blood is necessary for small nicks and cuts to heal properly. It takes longer for wounds to heal, or they might not even heal at all when blood flow is impaired by cardiovascular illness. These ulcers are particularly vulnerable to infection, particularly when heart disease is complicated by diabetes.
The best thing that you can do to keep feet safe from complications of heart disease is with regular visits to a board-certified podiatrist. Schedule a convenient appointment to see James M. McKee, DPM, FACFAS in the modern, comfortable Podiatry Group of Annapolis, P.A. office on Solomons Island Road today. Call our friendly staff at 410-224-4448 or click here to get started.