What are foot clinics? All you need to know!

Who is our Foot health practitioner (FHP)?

Our Foot health practitioner, Emily, is highly accredited by:

• College of Foot Health Practitioners
• Stonebridge College
• Member of the Register for Foot Health Practitioners (RFHP)
• Dementia Friends (Dementia-friendly treatments)
• Trained toenail reconstruction
• Nail bracing

As you can see, with all those accreditations Emily is very highly qualified going above and beyond the basic requirements of a foot health practitioner. She is a compassionate professional, putting clients’ needs first. If you have any concerns, she will willingly address them during your introductory consultation. Emily will ask you for any relevant medical history (type 2 diabetes for example) to check for any medical issues that may need to be explored before commencing treatment.  Emily brings a wealth of knowledge and can settle any worries you may have about the process. Before Emily became a foot health practitioner, she worked in social care and wanted to become a nurse (which speaks volumes about her caring nature!). Eventually, foot health was the place she gravitated towards, believing that she could make a real difference in people’s lives (we couldn’t agree more!). However, Emily’s work history could fill an entire blog on its own, so we won’t delve any further into her past. Needless to say,… if you need foot treatments, she is the best person to see!

 What treatments are available?

Our Foot Clinic offers a range of services including treatment on:

• Callus
• Cracked Heels
• Damaged Nails
• Diabetic Feet
• Ingrown or involuted Nails
• Nail cutting
• Verrucae
• & Nail Reconstruction

These are not exhaustive, so if you have a problem you wish to address, book a consultation with us and we can discuss the next steps:

We cover the full range of common foot-related issues. Nevertheless, there are some more specialist problems we’re not able to deal with at the pharmacy foot clinic. That said, and no matter the foot-related problem, we are the best place to start your search for support! Our treatments are certainly not a “one size fits all” approach. We will recommend treatments suitable for you and your loved ones on an individual basis. Foot problems are multifaceted so a unique and tailored approach is crucial.

Relationship building and ongoing treatment are Emily’s particular speciality. She is leagues ahead in providing ongoing treatment options for our patients and clients, as well as one-off treatments. This ongoing relationship gives her the opportunity to really know each client so she can apply her expertise and notice irregularities or changes in patients' feet through ongoing regular appointments.  Equally, we offer a friendly (very!) and efficient avenue for people to address uncomplicated foot problems such as ingrown toenails and calluses. Why spend months on a waiting list when we can help solve these issues swiftly after an introductory consultation? 

Are there any side effects or risks from treatments?

Generally, patients will experience little to no side effects from our foot treatments. We cannot eliminate risk entirely, but they are few and far between. Severe ingrown toenails can sometimes be vulnerable to infection. However, this is on a case-by-case basis and Emily will arrange a follow-up appointment to assess the chance of infection. Ingrown toenails sometimes require “packing” a process when the ingrown nail leaves a deep wound that needs to be filled so that it is less likely to become infected, this also helps the healing process.

Other than this, the overwhelming majority of risk factors and side effects arise simply from untreated feet. For example, untreated diabetic feet can lead to diabetic foot ulcers, which can cause further health problems including infection. Simply, booking treatment with us can help prevent any of the issues from occurring in the first place. Emily is a foot expert and can tell you your specific risks and possible side effects during your consultation.

What are the benefits of treatment?

Many of the benefits are obvious such as soothing painful conditions such as ingrown toenails, calluses, cracked heels and corns. Treatment can also provide cosmetic benefits, helping patients feel more comfortable & confident in the appearance of their feet. Overall there can be massive benefits for your quality of life. Our nail reconstruction treatment deserves a blog all of its own because it can truly make a difference.

Ongoing support is a major benefit of our foot clinic. Emily provides ongoing support for clients who require long-term foot care. Ongoing care is designed to assist people who have health conditions that make it difficult for them to care for their own feet. Furthermore, Emily’s background in social care and her exceptionally caring bedside manner provide an excellent environment for these patients. She knows how to create a relaxed and supportive environment that can help put at ease patients who might otherwise find the process uncomfortable or difficult. Existing long-term patients keep coming back because they know Emily is professional, supportive, and understanding.

Take foot health seriously! Another benefit of regular foot care provided by an expert is that it can be a barometer of wider overall health. Blood circulation in our feet can be adversely affected by serious health problems such as so-called “diabetic feet”. Poorly controlled Type 2 diabetes can cause damage to the blood vessels and nerves in the feet and legs leading in extreme cases to amputation. Foot health clinicians consider that many people may be oblivious to the signs perhaps until it's too late.  Ongoing foot treatment helps spot these signs early, thus helping patients appreciate signs of deteriorating foot health. If we identify any significant health concerns, we will refer you to an appropriate specialist.

Foot health and overall health?

As briefly mentioned above, our feet can be an indicator of wider health problems. Circulation to our feet can be adversely affected when there is a health issue. Our feet are the furthest points from our hearts so it makes sense that they are often the first places affected by health problems. Poor circulation can create a host of foot-related symptoms:

• Numbness
• Cold feet
• Loss of hair
• Thin, dry skin
• Swollen feet
• Painful feet
• Foot cramps
• Tingling sensation
• etc

These are just some of the most common problems, but of course, issues will vary on an individual basis. So if you have concerns about your foot health in the context of your wider health and want to support, just book an introductory consultation with Emily. She will put your mind at ease.

We cannot diagnose serious health problems

Clients will notice their feet starting to look and feel healthier after having attended our foot clinic. However, a foot clinician cannot replace a podiatrist. So while we can help monitor the condition of your feet, we are not qualified to diagnose, or treat, serious, complex health conditions. However, we can help patients spot early changes to cardiovascular health and make a referral to a podiatrist. In short? “Safe is better than sorry”.

Conclusion

Our foot clinic and foot health practitioner (Emily), provide a unique service to the Letchworth community. As we’ve said, foot health can be a great indicator of overall health. Additionally, our foot health service allows local people to obtain reliable long-term support for those who need more targeted support to maintain good foot health. In support of this approach, Emily is uniquely qualified to provide excellent patient care, particularly for those who struggle with conditions like type 2 diabetes or dementia. She provides a relaxed and caring environment for people who may find the process otherwise difficult. Thanks to her past experience working in social care, Emily has the perfect bedside manner to put even the wariest of clients at ease.

Interested in this service? Book your free consultation now and take the first step to good foot health!