You don't quite realize how important your feet are until they develop pain or dysfunction of some sort, and suddenly it's difficult to walk. Many times, acute foot and ankle problems go away with time, rest, ice, anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS), and shoe gear changes. But when they don't, the care of a podiatrist can get you an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment plan, helping you avoid complications and get back to your life more quickly. Podiatrists are medically and surgically qualified to treat the foot and ankle. On a daily basis, podiatrists treat a wide range of conditions including arthritis pain, bunions, calluses and corns, diabetes complications, ingrown toenails, sports injuries, and more. They are also trained to diagnose infections of the foot and toenails. Additionally, they treat patients with foot and ankle complications related to obesity, diabetes, and peripheral arterial disease. So how do you know when it's time to make an appointment?