Doctors know that inflammation causes the foot to take longer to heal, increases pain, and results in scar tissue forming, which can affect mobility later on. Where there is pain, medications can be useful for relieving the pain enough to have day-to-day functioning. Still, one should not walk on a foot that is hurting. Drugs can mask the pain enough to allow the patient to cause further injury to himself.



As a final option, our doctors sometimes recommend surgery. Hospitalization may be required, but it is usually done on an outpatient basis. Microsurgery is used when possible, to reduce tissue injury and scarring. Time for recuperation at home will be required before returning to work or other daily activities.



A trip to your Baton Rouge orthopedic center can have our foot problems relieved in no time. Injuries to the ankles or other parts of the foot are often resolved without complications. If the patient merely has a slightly sprained ankle, the problem will usually resolve within a short period of time. A serious sprang can take much longer, up to two years, for the ligaments to heal properly. A cast is not necessary for these types of injuries, but impairment of the ability to walk is likely to be a problem as long as there is pain. Thankfully, a prescription for pain relievers will help ease the suffering. Other medications, such as antifungals, are used to treat fungal infections of the skin and toenails. The long-term prognosis is very good in the majority of cases because our doctors care and do the best they can to help the patient recover and lead a normal life.