Podiatrist Keeps Patients on Their Feet
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Bunions, hammer toes and plantar fascitis are some of the common foot problems Dr. Julie A. Stewart DPM deals with every day. She also sees a lot of ingrown toenails and other infections. As a Podiatrist, Dr. Stewart literally helps keep you on your feet.
Dr. Stewart works with a group of five other podiatrists at locations in St. Louis and St. Charles, Mo. Once a week, she travels to Pinckneyville to serve the patients at Pinckneyville Community Hospital.
Foot problems are particularly common in diabetics. Poor circulation leads to diabetic neuropathy-pain or numbness in the feet. Numbness makes it difficult to spot and properly treat infections. Diabetics also have a more difficult time fighting off infections.
A native of St. Louis, Dr. Stewart did her undergraduate work at Maryville College in St. Louis, Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in Chicago and residency at DePaul in St. Louis.
As an undergraduate, she knew she wanted to go to medical school. A relative of one of her roommates was in podiatry school. After job shadowing a podiatrist and other medical specialists, Stewart made her choice.
Elderly and diabetic patients often have foot problems. People in general could also benefit from better foot hygiene. Feet need daily washing, drying and moisturizing.
For those who have difficulty taking care of their feet by themselves, Dr. Stewart does perform routine foot maintenance such as cutting toenails.
Medicare will pay for routine care if the patient has fungus infection with pain or diabetes. If not, the cost is $35 per visit.
Many foot problems, like bunions, are genetic. It's unlikely that you can prevent bunions completely if you're destined to have them, but you can delay their appearance.
Proper arch support is the key to preventing many foot problems.
"Most people could benefit from some type of arch support, whether it's over the counter or custom," Dr. Stewart said. "It helps prevent arthritis, tendonitis, bunions and hammer toes."
Dr. Stewart treats foot and ankle pain and does surgery in Pinckneyville and St. Louis. Surgery is the last resort and done only to lessen or remove painful problems.
Surprisingly, some patients have asked to have foot surgery for aesthetic purposes. Dr. Stewart refuses.
"Surgery causes pain," she said. "We work to remove pain."
Residents of Pinckneyville and the surrounding area have been able to visit with specialty doctors on a weekly or monthly basis for years. For the past five years, Pinckneyville native Eric Campbell has been in charge of scheduling the specialty clinics, as well as running the Respiratory Therapy Department. He has four full-time employees with experience ranging from one year to 33 years.
The clinics are held either weekly or monthly. The specialties include:
Monday- Urology- Dr. Adiraju Palagiri of Marion; Pulmonology (monthly)- Dr. Dani Tazbaz- of Carbondale
Tuesday- Podiatry- Dr. Julie Stewart of St. Louis
Wednesday- Cardiology- Dr. Ronald Weis of St. Louis
Thursday- Obstetrics and Gynecology- Dr. Marcus Zerbe of Nashville
Friday- Allergist- Dr. Edward Murphy of St. Louis; Neurology/Rheumatology- Dr. Amar Sawar of Carbondale.
To schedule an appointment with a specialty doctor, begin by calling 357-5907. Some require referrals or that appointments be made through their regular offices. The staff in the Respiratory Therapy Department can either schedule the appointment or point patients in the right direction to get an appointment.
Campbell said he is working to get a Dermatologist, as well. A new doctor is moving into the Carbondale area and may be interested in coming to Pinckneyville.
"We really enjoy the clinic doctors," Campbell said. "It's a good service for the community and they work well with our local physicians."
Pinckneyville Community Hospital also has an oncology clinic that is not under Campbell's direction. Information and/or appointments for the Oncology clinic can be scheduled by calling 357-2187.