Health issues with your feet and ankles are actually surprisingly common for most people. In fact, 75% of Americans will experience foot health problems of varying degrees of severity at one time or another in their lives. Because these problems are so common, many people assume they will only need to rely on their primary care provider. Here are a few reasons you may want to look to a doctor of podiatric medicine instead for your foot health issues.

More Experience

When you're injured or dealing with a condition that specifically affects your feet and ankles, your primary care provider might not have as much experience with your exact issue. Primary care providers are equipped to handle as many common medical situations as possible, but that also means they spend less time treating specific foot and ankle conditions. A doctor of podiatric medicine, on the other hand, exclusively focuses on this single area of the body, meaning that they're more likely to have dealt with your condition before. If you're looking at a rarer issue or a health condition that requires more specific treatment, you might want to start looking for a foot and ankle specialist near you.

Specific Concerns

Primary care and family doctors are generally able to help in a variety of non-emergency situations. That being said, if you're facing an immediate concern, you might need to wait too long to address your foot health concerns. Having a foot doctor or foot care specialist available can help you get your foot pain addressed as soon as possible. Additionally, your primary care doctor might not have the resources or equipment on hand to address your particular foot health issues, as they're not commonly having to deal with them. Meanwhile, podiatry specialists stay prepared specifically for foot-related injury or illnesses.

Chronic Conditions

Not all foot health issues are temporary. Some conditions can be associated with pre-existing chronic conditions such as diabetes. If your foot-related condition could become a chronic situation, having a doctor of podiatric medicine can help you manage and care for your long-term health, rather than just addressing the immediate symptoms.

For more information or to schedule an appointment with a doctor of podiatry, contact Dynamic Foot and Ankle today.