Common And Basic Foot Problems Can Be Dealt With Effectively In The Community Pharmacy.
Our feet are the great workhorses and load-bearers of the body. From simply getting up in the morning, to staying physically active and healthy, they are involved in almost every aspect of motion. However, they often get overlooked, and undeservedly so.Â
A problem in the feet could manifest itself in pain elsewhere, such as in the knees. For people with conditions like diabetes, foot care is even more crucial.
Given the importance of our feet, it is vital we stay on our toes when it comes to foot care, and the HSE has good advice that people can follow to help with this.
Checking the sole of the foot, around the heels, and between the toes every day can help identify issues before they become problems.
The HSE also advises to check for hard skin, cuts, corns, blisters, spots, and any red or swollen areas. Washing feet every day with warm water, mild soap, and a cloth to clean them are recommended. Thoroughly drying them is also advised. The HSE advises against walking in bare feet, as this may cause harm by stepping on something sharp, as well as exposing feet to fungal infections.
Toenails should be cut straight across and the sides should not be cut. Nails should not be cut too short. The nail clipper should be disinfected after use. Bursting blisters and sitting for long periods are to be avoided. A good blood f low to the feet could be encouraged by exercising the leg muscles when sitting, moving the feet in circles, clockwise, and then anticlockwise, according to the HSE.
However, even if following the best advice, it is unlikely that a person will be able to completely avoid common complaints.
COMMON COMPLAINTS
Cracked heels, athlete’s foot, hard skin, and verrucas can all impact on foot care. Hard skin or calluses can form over a cracked area of the foot, especially around the heel area or on the skin under the ball of the foot. While calluses are generally not harmful, they can lead to painful cracked skin, bacterial infections, and bleeding if left untreated.
As well as these conditions, many people can also experience tired feet, which can result from a range of reasons, including poorly-fitting footwear, being overweight, age, and physical activity.
Fortunately, there is a range of over-the-counter (OTC) products to support foot care.
For dry, rough feet or cracked heels, the Flexitol range contains a number of proven products. Flexitol Heel Balm is a powerful treatment that renews and replenishes heels. It contains a strong 25 per cent urea-based ingredient that nourishes the skin and repairs dry cracked skin. This comprehensive formula increases the skin’s natural renewal process, speeding exfoliation of itchy, over-dry skin at the surface. Urea breaks down hardened, calloused skin and eliminates cracks and fissures.
CeraVe SA Renewing Foot Cream is a rich yet non-greasy cream for dry, rough feet. Formulated with three essential ceramides and salicylic acid, this fast-absorbing cream works to gently exfoliate skin while effectively moisturising. CeraVe products have been developed with dermatologists, and its patented MVE Technology provides continuous hydration for up to 24 hours.
Compeed, which has agreed a partnership with parkrun in Ireland and the UK, offers high-quality solutions for preventing and treating blisters, corns, calluses, bunions, and more.
Compeed Blister Plasters offer a wide variety of specialist solutions to help prevent blister development or speed-up the healing process of a range of blister sizes and shapes. They contain an active hydrocolloid gel technology that, in addition to providing cushioning, will give you instant pain relief and create a protective environment for the blister to heal. In clinical studies, Compeed blister plasters have been demonstrated to provide instant pain relief and extra cushioning. They have also been shown to aid 20 per cent faster healing than regular plasters.
There are also Compeed Bunion Plasters for bunions. A bunion is a bony lump or deformity that forms on the side of the big toe. It happens when the joint of the big toe grows sideways. This pushes the bones of the big toe towards the smaller toes.
Bunions can be incredibly painful. While only surgery can remove the bunion, Compeed Bunion Plasters, which are specially designed to fit around the foot, provides instant relief from painful pressure and rubbing. They help to prevent blisters and further hardening of the skin, which can lead to other painful skin conditions.Â
FUNGAL NAIL INFECTIONS AFFECT ONE-IN-FOUR PEOPLE
Scholl is another popular and trusted brand which provides a range of products. Scholl Corn Foam Cushions’ optimum shape makes the cushion suitable for soft and hard corns. Due to the hypo-allergenic adhesive, the felt pads are suitable for sensitive skin. The dual-layer construction comprises two soft foams with different densities, which guarantees maximum cushioning and pressure relief.
To maintain soft and healthy feet, it’s important to remove hard skin and moisturise with special creams on a regular basis, according to Scholl. Use the Scholl Velvet Smooth Electronic File System to get rid of hard skin as it gently buffs away dead skin to reveal smooth, soft skin beneath. There is also Scholl Cracked Heel Repair Cream Active Repair K+ which moisturises the skin and provides ‘active’ skin repair for rough, dry, and cracked heels.
FUNGAL INFECTION
Fungal nail infections affect one-in-four people. These can occur through not keeping feet clean and wearing shoes that cause feet to get hot and sweaty. Despite being quite common and highly contagious, the infections can be easily treated if tackled early.
Even well cared-for feet can catch a fungal nail infection. These particular fungi are highly contagious and thrive in moist, warm environments, like warm sweaty shoes, or walking barefoot in communal showers, for example.
A specialised product like Scholl Fungal Nail Treatment helps to treat the infection. It is a uniquely designed system, scientifically proven for the treatment of fungal nail. The discrete, easy-to-use liquid has been specially formulated to penetrate into the nail to treat the fungal infection at its source. It also helps to prevent the spread of the fungus and protects against recurrence. It is an effective, caring solution that can be used at home without a prescription.
Athlete’s foot is also a very common complaint. Symptoms include scaly, peeling, or cracked skin between the toes, fluid-filled blisters, and itchiness.
People are advised to not scratch affected skin, as this can spread the infection to other parts of the body. Protective footwear like flip-flops should be worn in public pools, showers, and locker rooms, where the infection is likely to be caught.
A person is also more likely to get athlete’s foot if they have wet or sweaty feet, or if the skin on the feet is damaged.
However, keeping feet dry is difficult, as a person has approximately 125,000 sweat glands in each foot, and each foot can produce four ounces of moisture a day.
Athlete’s foot should be treated as soon as possible with a specialised product like Scholl Athlete’s Foot Cream to help prevent the infection from spreading to the nails. The cream contains an anti-fungal ingredient that is clinically proven to treat athlete’s foot effectively. It also provides long-lasting treatment. It has a seven-day treatment time, kills the fungal infection, and soothes itching.
Scholl Antifungal Shoe Spray is also an effective disinfectant that kills 99.9 per cent of the fungus which causes athlete’s foot and fungal nail. It helps prevent recurrence of fungus in shoes.
Verrucas, another common issue, are small lumps on the skin that most people will get at some point in their life. They are caused by a virus and usually go away on their own — but this may take some time.
Verrucas appear on the feet and have tiny black dots under the hard skin. There are number of OTC products to help treat them, such as Scholl Freeze Verruca & Wart Remover. It is designed to remove warts and verrucas.
INJURIES
Strengthening muscles safely, such as attending a yoga class, can help prevent feet injuries and the importance of a proper warm-up before exercise cannot be overestimated. As well as signposting to exercise classes or other healthcare professionals such as physiotherapists, pharmacy staff can also provide advice for treating some of the most common injuries, such as sprains and strains.
Simple advice such as doing RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevate) therapy can help relieve symptoms.
As well as limiting movement, sports injuries are likely to cause some level of discomfort and pain. However, painkillers such as ibuprofen and paracetamol, as well as a range of OTC pain medications, are available, as are heat and cold packs. There are also a large range of creams to help ease muscle pain. Deep Heat and Deep Freeze products are some of the best-known treatments for sports-related aches and pains and are a staple of many people’s kit bag.
Biofreeze products are also very popular, providing fast-acting cold therapy treatment. These products come in a spray, gel, and patches and are readily available from the community pharmacy.
Another popular cream, particularly for athletes, is Ovelle Menthol & Wintergreen Cream. Becoming increasingly popular, it is used for the symptomatic relief of muscular pains, lumbago, rheumatic pain, fibrositis, and strains.
Other available OTC products are from the Voltarol range. Voltarol Emulgel P provides targeted and localised relief from pain and swelling in muscles and joints.
VERRUCAS ARE SMALL LUMPS ON THE SKIN THAT MOST PEOPLE WILL GET AT SOME POINT IN THEIR LIFE
Voltarol Emulgel P contains an anti-inflammatory drug called diclofenac, which targets the source of pain and has been used as a pain reliever for over 30 years in Ireland. Diclofenac gets through the skin barrier as well as offering a cooling effect to ease the painful and red areas of the body. It provides a triple effect by relieving pain at source and reducing inflammation, which helps speed up recovery and combines the benefit of a moisturising cream with the properties of a gel.
Voltarol Emulgel Extra Strength gel can provide all-day relief from pain and swelling in joints and muscles. This pain and swelling can be caused by overuse of muscles and joints during physical activity such as walking, exercise, gardening or any other physical activity, but the extra strength gel can help a patient take back control of their life by providing long-lasting pain relief.
Epsom salts are world famous for easing muscle pain and soreness and are available in a host of products.
Ultrapure Laboratories Epsom Salts Gel with arnica is a natural fragrance-free gel infused with aloe vera designed to support natural muscle recovery. It is suitable for professional athletes, those doing endurance training, adults and teens suffering from muscle and joint pain, and people with no time or access to Epsom salt baths. Ultrapure also has an Epsom salt product. Ultrapure Laboratories Epsom Salts infused with Lavender Essential Oil is an effective and natural way to relax and unwind after exercise or simply a busy day.
Diclac Relief 1% Gel is also a popular and trusted brand. It is an anti-inflammatory gel used for pain relief and to reduce inflammation. Diclac Relief is suitable for use with injured or damaged joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and in local soft tissue bruising.
As well as creams, sprays and pain relievers, the community pharmacy has a range of supports and insoles.
Scholl Arch Pain Relief Insoles are designed to provide gentle arch support with a cushioned metatarsal dome to redistribute pressure relief. They contour to the feet to provide clinically proven pressure relief.
