Q. What do Podiatrists do?
A. Podiatrists ( Podiatry) are the branch of medicine related to foot and lower limb disorders. If it’s related to feet, it is most likely our podiatry professionals who can help.
Q. Do I need a referral to see a podiatrist?
A. a referral is not necessary for private patients, or those wishing to claim from private health insurance or for Workcover or TAC patients (a workcover or Tac claim # is required)
Veterans Affairs persons who have a gold card or a white card ( whose specific conditions relates to their feet). If you have one of these cards, please ask your doctor about a referral.
Q. I’ve got diabetes and have been told to regularly see a podiatrist. WHY?
A. National diabetes guidelines recommend podiatric assessment at least every 6-12 months, as people with diabetes are at a greater risk of developing foot problems than the average person. Because the feet are the furthest from the heart, they are usually the first to have circulatory problems. People with diabetes are more likely to experience poor blood circulation so nerve degeneration in their legs and feet is more likely to occur.
This may cause a decreased ability to fight infections, loss of sensation, which can lead to unknowing injury and delay in healing. For these reasons it’s important that people with diabetes, check their feet daily for cuts, blisters, bruises or signs of injury they may not have felt happening. It’s also important to wear shoes which protect feet from injury and which do not rub.
Q. Does medicare cover Podiatry?
A. When introducing a Medicare rebate to the schedule in 2004 the government decided to provide only limited cover. This cover is for those patients with long term chronic conditions, such as diabetes, long term arthritis, or vascular disease etc.
The cover provided is a great help to many and our clinic charges a small out of pocket fee. This is limited to 5 visits a year.
Q. Do private health funds cover podiatry?
Yes, if you have ancillary cover.
Q. Do corns have roots?
A. alot of people think that a corn has a root, and that you need to remove the root in order to get rid of the corn. This is not the case. A corn is simply made up of hard skin that occurs over a bony area, such as a joint. It is usually the result of pressure or friction to the area. The central area of the corn that appears to go deeper into the toe, isn’t something growing from inside, but us where the area of pressure ( usually from a shoe if it is on the toe) is greater. The skin thickens as a result of too much pressure / trauma and makes it look like there is a corn or root that needs to be removed. Please look at our page on corns and callus to find out how best to prevent them from happening.
Q. My corns come back – after they are removed, why?
A. corns are easy to take out – the reason they keep returning is that the cause is still there and that cause is PRESSURE. If the pressure is not removed, they will come back.
