Podiatrist in Toronto, ON - Sheldon Nadal, DPM

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Toronto Podiatrist

At the office of Sheldon H. Nadal D.P.M., our priority is to deliver quality care to informed patients in a comfortable and convenient setting.

 

Quality Care

When you have problems with bunions, heel pain, hammertoes, require shockwave therapy for plantar fasciitis or heel pain, or any issues involving your feet, you need to turn to a podiatrist who listens and responds ... an experienced doctor who knows the field and can effectively diagnose and treat your needs ... a friendly foot specialist who counsels you on the best ways to maintain and improve your health. Our office meets all these criteria. Plus, you benefit from a dedicated team of trained professionals who give you the individualized attention you deserve.

 

Informed Patients

Sheldon H. Nadal D.P.M. believes that informed patients are better prepared to make decisions regarding their health and well being. That is why we've included an extensive section on this web site covering the full array of topics associated with podiatry and podiatric diagnoses and treatments. We encourage you to look through these pages whenever you have an interest or concern about your feet.

 

Comfortable, Convenient Setting

The best care in the world doesn't mean anything if you can't access it. At the clinic of Sheldon H. Nadal D.P.M., we strive to make our Toronto podiatry office as efficient and convenient as possible. Included in these web pages is information about Sheldon H. Nadal D.P.M.'s office, including our Toronto location, maps, directions, hours, insurance policies and appointment scheduling.

 

Visit our website: http://www.footcare.net

 

Bunions - Toronto Podiatrist

Podiatrist in Toronto

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What is a bunion and what causes bunions?

A bunion is a painful enlargement at the big toe joint. The long first metatarsal bone drifts away from the other metatarsals. The big toe goes the opposite way, toward the other toes. This causes the big toe joint to stick out and rub against the shoe. Due to shoe irritation the bone may actually become thicker and a fluid filled sac, called a bursa, may form. When not treated properly, bunions tend to get gradually worse. Bunions may contribute to the development of hammertoes, corns and callouses. They often run in families and may be due to a hereditary mechanical imbalance in the foot.

 

How do I get rid of my bunion?

Most people think bunions and other foot problems mean painful hospital surgery or a lifetime of orthopaedic shoes. However, there is an alternative called minimal incision surgery. This is an ambulatory technique (you can walk right away) that can be used to treat bunions, hammertoes, corns, and callouses. This allows podiatrists like Sheldon Nadal, to work through very small openings with specialized instruments. Many people experience much less post-operative discomfort and disability compared to conventional surgery. After, many patients use nothing stronger than Aspirin or Tylenol and may return to work within a matter of days.

 

What are the differences between minimal incision bunion surgery and conventional hospital bunion surgery?

Minimal incision surgery is based on the same sound biomechanical and surgical principles as conventional surgery. However, podiatrists have developed special instruments which allow them to work through smaller openings in the skin. Consequently, there tends to be much less soft tissue trauma and less post operative discomfort. The minimal incision bunion technique is usually performed in an office setting with local anaesthesia. You can read, listen to music, or watch T.V. while you are being treated.

 

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Local Anesthesia Without Pain - Toronto Podiatrist

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 Podiatrist in Toronto - Local Anesthesia Without Pain

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Heel Pain Treatment - Toronto Podiatrist

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Toronto Podiatrist

 

What causes heel pain?

One of the most common causes of heel pain is plantar fasciitis or heel spur syndrome.Other causes include gout, arthritis, broken heel bone, infection, foreign bodies (such as stepping on a needle). Your podiatrist can determine the exact cause of your heel pain.

 

What is plantar fasciitis or heel spur syndrome?

Plantar fasciitis is due to a tight tendon located under the arch and attached to the bottom of the heel. It has become strained and inflamed, often due to a lack of proper support, or due to an injury, or overuse. Over time, the tendon may begin to pull away from its attachment at the heel and a bone spur develops. Generally, the problem is not due to the heel spur, it is due to the inflamed tendon.

 

How do I know if I have plantar fasciitis?

Usually, you will experience pain at the bottom of the heel, particularly when getting out of bed in the morning or when starting to walk following a period of rest. It tends to feel better after a moderate amount of walking. It may not hurt during a workout but usually hurts more the next day following the workout.

 

What can I do at home to relieve the pain of plantar fasciitis?

Applying ice to the tender area for short periods may help. Also, try gentle calf stretches. Aspirin may relieve the inflammation. Elevating the heel by putting a soft pad in the shoe under your sore heel may help. Women may feel better in a shoe with a higher heel.

 

What if my heel still hurts?

It's time to see a podiatrist.

 

What will the podiatrist do?

The key to relief is to reduce the inflammation and pulling of the tendon at the heel bone. The inflammation may be relieved by anti-inflammatory medicine, physiotherapy such as ultrasound, or a cortisone injection. The pulling of the tendon can be improved temporarily by supporting the arch with adhesive tapings. More long term relief may be obtained by the use of specialized shoe inlays called orthotics. They improve the mechanics of the foot and relax the plantar fascia tendon.

 

I've tried medicine, cortisone, ice, rest, orthotics etc. and I'm losing hope. What else can be done?

When conservative treatments fail, we consider surgically releasing the tight tendon at its attachment at the heel bone. The procedure can be performed under local anaesthetic using a small instrument called an endoscope. The procedure is called endoscopic plantar fasciotomy.

 

What is endoscopic plantar fasciotomy?

Under local anaesthetic, a small opening is made on either side of the heel. Through one opening, the endoscope or scope is inserted. The scope is attached to a small camera to allow the podiatrist to see the inflamed tendon on a television monitor. Through the other opening, small tools are used to make a tiny cut in the tendon. This allows the tendon to lengthen, relax, and relieve the tension on the heel bone or heel spur. Thus, the pain is relieved. It is usually not necessary to remove the spur.

 

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Minimally Invasive Surgery - Toronto Podiatrist

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1) Using specially designed instruments, podiatrists are able to treat bunions, corns, hammertoes and callouses through very small openings in the skin. Consequently, there is less soft tissue work. This often results in considerably less post operative discomfort and quicker return to work and normal activities. Many people need nothing stronger than Aspirin or Tylenol post operatively.

 

2) The minimal incision technique can be performed under local anaesthetic in an office setting. Patients can read, listen to music or watch T.V. during the procedure. Most doctors consider local anaesthetic safer than general anaesthetic.

 

3) Expensive hospital beds and operating rooms are usually not necessary. This results in substantial savings for the government and medical plans.

 

4) Casts and crutches are usually not required with the minimal incision technique. Instead, an adhesive tape and gauze dressing is used for four to six weeks.

 

5) The minimal incision technique can be more cosmetically appealing because the scars are much smaller.

 

6) Following the minimal incision technique, people tend to get back to work and normal activities quicker. This is very important to people who run their own businesses or cannot be away from work for excessive lengths of time.

 

When can I return to work?

Someone who sits most of the day may return to work as soon as one week following the minimal incision bunion technique. Someone who stands all day needs approximately six to eight weeks off. The more you can sit, the sooner you may go back to work.

 

How often do I return for checkups?

Following the minimal incision bunion technique, you return to my office 3 days later for a checkup. Then I change the dressing once a week for 5 weeks. On the sixth week you may remove the dressing yourself. You then return six weeks later and every three months for a year for checkups. The number of visits can be reduced for out of town patients.

 

What other foot problems do you treat?

In addition to bunions, I also treat corns, hammertoes and callouses with the minimal incision technique. I treat ingrown nails with the carbon dioxide laser. I also treat heel spur pain with endoscopic plantar fasciotomy. All procedures are performed under local anaesthetic in the comfort of my office.

 

Visit our website: http://www.footcare.net