The 4 Top Tips to Find the Right Foot Doctor

If you have pain in your feet, you are not alone. It has been estimated that nearly 10% of the United States population suffers from Plantar Fasciitis. Another 200,000 suffer from hammertoes, according to the Mayo Clinic. We expect a lot from our feet and when they hurt, going to a foot doctor or podiatrist can make a lot of difference. You may be asking, 'how do I find a foot doctor near me?' Here are some tips to help you do just that.

1. Talk to the people you know and trust. The best way to get decent goods and services is to get advice from someone you like and trust. Foot pain is very common around the country so you probably know someone who has been to a foot and ankle center. You can ask around and, with any luck, you will get the same recommendation from more than one person.

2. Talk to your primary care doctor. Your insurance may require you to get a referral from your physician before you go for foot pain treatments. When you are talking to them about our referral, you can ask, 'do you know if there is a good foot doctor near me?' If your doctor does not know of any, you can talk to the office staff. They may have some resources for you.

3. Do a search engine search. You can find just about everything you will ever need online. If you go to a search engine and type in 'foot doctor near me,' you may be surprised by how many results you get. Before you make an appointment, you should have a talk with your health insurance carrier to make sure they are covered.

4. There are some questions you should ask when you are selecting the best foot doctor. Here are a few of them:
   
   
   • How much time do you spend with patients? Given the way doctors are paid today, many try to get as many people in and out of the office as possible. When you are in with a foot doctor, you may have a lot of questions and your physician should take the time to talk to you.
   • Are there online reviews? When you do your search for 'foot doctor near me,' you may also see reviews pop up. You can also look at Yelp and sites such as Health Grades. The foot doctor's website may also have testimonials. Make sure the reviews you see online match up with what the practice is saying about itself.
   • Does the doctor have board certification? While this is preferable, there are doctors in all specialties who practice without it. Podiatrists get their board certification from the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery. This shows a higher level of professionalism.
   • How updated is their technology? Advancements are being made in podiatry every day. Today, there are new technologies to help podiatrists give the best care possible to their patients. There is no reason to go with a foot doctor whose office is not equipped with the newest technology.
   • Do they support treatments other than surgery? There are a lot of doctors, podiatrists and others, that want to rush their patients into the operating rooms. That may be putting the horse before the cart for a lot of people who have foot pain. When you are looking at different foot doctors, it is always better to see someone who is willing to try other modalities before leaping to a surgical solution for your problems.
   • Are they good at explaining themselves? When it comes to any medical specialty, there is a lot of jargon that is bandied about. At the end of the day, you need to really understand the causes of the problems you are suffering and what the foot doctor is proposing for your treatment. It is easy to not ask all of the questions you have because it can be intimidating but the right foot doctor for you is the one who will take the time to explain everything.
   
   

When you ask people, 'do you know of a foot doctor near me?' this is an important question. For people with diabetes, getting foot problems treated right away is very important.