Podiatry is a specialized branch of medicine focused on diagnosing, treating and preventing disorders and conditions related to the foot, ankle and lower extremities. Podiatrists are crucial in helping people maintain healthy and functional feet, enabling them to lead active and pain-free lives.

Podiatrists at Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) treat a wide range of conditions, including injuries, deformities, infections and issues resulting from chronic diseases such as diabetes. These specialized physicians conduct physical examinations, gather medical histories and utilize imaging technology to assess and diagnose these conditions accurately. They develop individualized treatment plans tailored to each patient’s needs, which may involve prescribing medication, recommending physical therapy, using orthotic devices or performing surgical procedures.

PMC Podiatrists see patients at the Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine Institute of Eastern Kentucky on the sixth floor of the PMC Clinic Building and in PMC’s Wound Center. The Wound Center provides specialized treatment for chronic or non-healing wounds that have resisted other treatments, which many times are found in the feet.

By providing expert care and guidance, podiatrists help individuals of all ages and backgrounds maintain the health and functionality of their feet, enabling them to lead active and fulfilling lives. Whether it’s treating a sports injury, managing a chronic foot condition or providing preventive care, podiatrists at Pikeville Medical Center help their patients’ feet carry them successfully through life.

The Wound Center at Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) offers two hyperbaric oxygen chambers which deliver 100% pure oxygen to patients in a pressurized chamber. Non-healing wounds are particularly prevalent among the estimated 25.8 million Americans affected by diabetes, a disease affecting many who live in Eastern Kentucky. Of those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, 15 to 25 percent are at risk for developing foot ulcers.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is an advanced way of healing these types of wounds but can also be beneficial in treating carbon monoxide poisoning, decompression illness, radiation necroses and open bone fractures. During HBOT, patients experience pressure equivalent to that experienced when diving 40 to 65 feet underwater.

HBOT is usually scheduled in consecutive sessions over many weeks and offers several patient benefits. It enhances the delivery of oxygen to tissues, which promotes the healing of wounds and helps fight infection. Increased oxygen levels also stimulate the production of collagen, a key component in tissue repair and regeneration. HBOT can also improve the effectiveness of certain antibiotics and enhance the body’s natural defense mechanisms by increasing the amount of oxygen blood can carry.

For more information about Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy at PMC visit:  https://www.pmcky.org/wound-center/#1520875300093-2-1

Podiatry is a specialized branch of medicine focused on diagnosing, treating and preventing disorders and conditions related to the foot, ankle and lower extremities. Podiatrists are crucial in helping people maintain healthy and functional feet, enabling them to lead active and pain-free lives.

Podiatrists at Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) treat a wide range of conditions, including injuries, deformities, infections and issues resulting from chronic diseases such as diabetes. These specialized physicians conduct physical examinations, gather medical histories and utilize imaging technology to assess and diagnose these conditions accurately. They develop individualized treatment plans tailored to each patient’s needs, which may involve prescribing medication, recommending physical therapy, using orthotic devices or performing surgical procedures.

PMC Podiatrists see patients at the Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine Institute of Eastern Kentucky on the sixth floor of the PMC Clinic Building and in PMC’s Wound Center. The Wound Center provides specialized treatment for chronic or non-healing wounds that have resisted other treatments, which many times are found in the feet.

By providing expert care and guidance, podiatrists help individuals of all ages and backgrounds maintain the health and functionality of their feet, enabling them to lead active and fulfilling lives. Whether it’s treating a sports injury, managing a chronic foot condition or providing preventive care, podiatrists at Pikeville Medical Center help their patients’ feet carry them successfully through life.