What will be discussed?

Your first visit to a podiatrist will be a lot like any other doctor. They’ll ask questions about your medical history, medications you’re on, or any surgeries you’ve had. They’ll look at how you stand and walk, check the range of motion in your joints, and see how your shoes fit.

The first visit is often the time to treat bunions, ingrown toenails, heel and lower back pain, circulation in your feet if you have diabetes, and foot deformities. The podiatrist might suggest orthotics, padding, or physical therapy to treat your problems. They can treat some conditions in the office.

They might use tools like syringes to give you pain medication and nail splitters or a nail anvil to remove ingrown toenails. Scalpels can cut into the skin around a toenail or remove parts of corns and calluses. Many doctors use cryotherapy equipment -- liquid nitrogen -- to freeze off plantar warts.