Onychomycosis (fungal infection of the toenails)

Onychomycosis is a very commonly encountered fungal infection of the nails seen in Podiatric practices. 

 

Generally, the first sign of a fungal nail is a yellow discoloration of the nail. Depending on the severity of the infection, nails can also become thickened or brittle, loose, and present with a generally rough texture. A distal subungual infection is the most common type. This simply means the infection often takes place at the end of the nail, and under it. The causative agents of onychomycosis are usually Dermatophytes (most often Trichophyton Rubrum). Yeast infections may also present in about 5% of patients due to a Candida Albicans infection.
Onychomycosis is generally a very straight forward and simple nail condition to treat. Podiatric physicians have found that oral and topical anti-fungals are often very effective in treating fungal infections. 

 

Dr. Michael Garvin of Port St. Lucie Florida is a board certified Podiatrist with a great deal of experience in treating fungal infections of all types. If you are looking for more information regarding fungal nails visit Dr. Garvin’s website here. You may also find information to schedule an appointment with Dr. Garvin here.

 

Plantar Warts

Plantar Warts are characterized by a rough, often cauliflower like lesion on the plantar surface of the skin. The lesion can be a variety of shapes and sizes, and can be solo or present in a cluster known as mosaic verrucae. Often times the lesion appears to have pinpoint bleeding marks, and the edges of the lesion can be elevated due to hyperkaratosis (excessive skin formation) although, not to be confused with a corn or callus. Warts are technically known as verrucae and can be exceedingly difficult to eliminate. Warts (the non-sexually transmitted type) that present on the superficial skin are due to infection by human papillomavirus (HPV), serotypes 1,2 & 4. Generally the young and the old are most susceptible to non-sexually transmitted warts. The most common age group affected by warts is 5-16 years of age. The hand is the most common site of manifestation, followed by the plantar surface (sole) of the foot.

Warts can be transmitted via direct or indirect contact through tiny cuts or invisible abrasions present on the skin. They can also be transmitted to different sites on an individuals body once infected by certain behaviors such as biting finger nails and/or skin alongside the nails; this is known as autoinoculation. Not only can warts be unsightly, but they can also cause pain during walking if present at inopportune sites of the feet.

If you have a lesion you might suspect is a wart on your foot, please visit Dr. Michael Garvin’s website for more information regarding warts and treatments. Dr. Garvin is based in Port St. Lucie, Florida and accepts new patients. Call his East office at 772-335-7171, or the West office at 772-871-6020 to schedule an appointment today!

Claw Toe

A claw toe is a deformity of the toe that is due to a soft tissue (musculature) imbalance. Claw toes most often present with a callus and/or pain at the ball of the foot, and on top of the toe at the most proximal joint.  The imbalances that cause this physical change in shape of the toe are extension at the metatarsophalangeal joint, flexion at the proximal phalangeal joint and flexion at the distal phalangeal joint. Normally, in healthy toes, there should be no extension or flexion at any toe joint during relaxation. However, in the claw toe, these series of musculature contractures are seen due to underlying pedal or bodily pathologies. These pathologies can include, but are certainly not limited to severe flat foot deformity (pes planus), excessive pronation, trauma to the foot, diabetes mellitus, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, cerebral palsy and more. 

If you think you have a claw toe(s), or suffer from any of the aforementioned diseases you should have your feet checked out by a podiatrist. Dr. Michael Garvin of Port St. Lucie, Florida has been practicing for years and has great experience at treating claw toes and many other pedal pathologies. His aim is always to treat the underlying cause of foot pain with minimally invasive techniques. Visit Dr. Garvin’s website for more information regarding his practice and treatment options.