What's this Lump on my Foot?

Have you noticed a new growth on your foot? It is not uncommon for people to have a buildup of fibrous tissue, fatty tissue or even a cyst filled with fluid. These growths described above are benign, but any new or changing growth needs to be checked out. It is never normal for a growth to get bigger or change shape or for a new mass to form. This is why it is so important to know your body so that you make sure and know when something new has shown up.

Tumor is a word that many of us associate a negative connotation with. This is because we are used to hearing about the bad tumors, the ones that are invasive and are bad for your body. The true definition of a tumor though is a swelling of an area due to the abnormal growth of a tissue that can be benign or malignant. Some of the more common masses in the foot are swellings due to a proliferation of fat cells or fibrous tissue.

So, what do we do to treat these masses? Any new mass that you have should be biopsied. It is important to get a definitive report as to what the identity is of your mass so that it can be treated appropriately. If the mass comes back as nothing but a benign area, then it is up to you as to what you want done with it. For some people, these masses will be right in the area that they tie their shoes or their sock falls and will therefore irritate them due to the mass rubbing against their shoe gear. On the other hand, some people just don't care and once they find out it is harmless they are happy to just leave it alone.

So, if you or someone you know has a new growth on their foot, you should seek help from your podiatrist. If you live in the Bradford or Burlington, Massachusetts area, Dr. Wachtel would be more than happy to see you and help treat your feet. We are also happy to announce our Methuen and North Andover offices located at 451 Andover St. Suite 300, North Andover MA 01845 and 87 Jackson St, Methuen, MA 01835.