Roanoke Podiatrist Can Relieve Your Painful Ingrown Toenail

If your toenail is curved and growing into the skin; or if it is "digging in" at the borders of the nail, or it is causing pain, redness, warmth, and swelling in your toe you probably have an ingrown toenail.

As a Roanoke Virginia podiatrist, I want you to know that I see these every single day in my office and what most people tell me is that they’ve been suffering with them from for some time. They’ve tried to treat it themselves and usually, just made it a little worse. And I want you to know that I wish I could visit everyone who is suffering from this to tell them that they just don’t have to suffer. YOU don’t have to suffer. You don’t have to restrict your activities in any way because of this pain. I can’t visit you in your home but you can visit me in my office and we will solve this problem for you. Most people tell me, “Dr. Feeny, I wish I ‘d come in to see you a lot sooner because now I feel great!”


If you have an ingrown toenail, it's important to have a let us take a look at it. We can explain treatment options to ease your pain, but even more importantly, keep it from becoming infected. If an ingrown causes a break in the skin, it becomes easy for bacteria to enter the area and cause an infection. Look out for drainage and a foul odor - these can often be signs of infection. Even if there is no open wound, a curved nail may eventually progress to an infection, so pay close attention to your feet!

Dedicated to your healthy feet,

Dr. Jennifer Feeny

Don't be like Brady!

You don't have to be a football fan to know that the New England Patriots are no longer contenders for the Super Bowl this year. News of their seven point, playoff loss to the New York Jets spread like wildfire. Not as widely known, however, is that Patriots quarter back Tom Brady was battling a stress fracture in his right foot all season. He played through the pain all year and only went in for surgery to repair the injury when Super Bowl XLV was out of the picture. In this way, Brady is so much like the rest of us whether we want to admit it or not. Love him or hate him, you're just like him because you probably postpone visiting the doctor until absolutely necessary.
So many of us either try to work through pain or diagnose and treat ourselves. I can't tell you how many times I've found one reason or another to put off seeing my doctor about a health issue. All too often I hear "I don't have time to go to the doctor" or "I'd have to leave work early to get this looked at." It's scary how common this phenomenon is because our health isn't something that we should gamble with. Untreated injuries or illnesses can often develop into something much more serious than the original problem. That pesky ingrown can lead to a dangerous infection. That painful foot injury might need surgery but then again it might not. The point is that you won't know until you get it looked by a professional.

Make time. Leave work early. Schedule an appointment to see Dr. Feeny or Dr. Yeaman. Your feet will thank you for it and you'll save yourself a lot of grief in the long run.

Common Symptoms for Foot Ailments Part 2

Do any of your toenails curl into the fleshy part of your toe causing pain?

You could have an ingrown toenail. This can occur from cutting your toenails rounded at the corners instead of straight across, tight shoes, injuries, toenail fungus, or infections. Do not attempt to cut the toenail out yourself. If you notice your toenail curling even before it is painful call a podiatrist to get this nail removed.

Do you have stinky feet? Do your feet sweat profusely?

You might have Hyperhidrosis or trench foot. This is caused by sweat glands on the bottom of your foot creating more sweat than necessary. What may start off as just an annoyance or unpleasant smell can cause skin to become thick, macerated or painful.

Do you experience a feeling of sharp pain, cramping, or burning in your feet?

You might have a neuroma. A neuroma is when the nerves are pinched by your toe bones. This pinching commonly occurs between the third and forth toes. Tight shoes irritate the symptoms.

Do you have wounds on your feet that do not seem to be healing in a normal amount of time?

You might have chronic wounds or ulcers due to poor circulation or increased pressure on the wound site. These can be very dangerous if they are continuously left untreated. They can become seriously infected or even gangrenous and in severe cases can lead to amputation. Treatment plans can be offered by podiatrists to help the healing process and in most cases can heal in a few months.

Do you have painful growths on the underside of your heel bone? Do the arches of your feet hurt when you get up in the morning?

You might have heel spurs also known as Plantar Fasciitis. This is caused by a strain on the ligaments and muscles attached to your heel bone that lead to the membrane covering the bone to tear. This leaves the ligaments becoming inflamed and the heel bone lacking its natural protective barrier.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms please call our office and make an appointment today. Don’t live with foot pain any longer! The sooner you get into an office and get your foot pain diagnosed the sooner something can be done about it.