The Great British Podiatry Clinic Ltd

Elanna Hurchon (Dumfries) ''I have had a Verruca for a number of years and like most people had tried multiple types of treatments including; Banana skin, nail varnish, Liquid Nitrogen and Duck Tape, but nothing worked. Verruca at first visit The Verruca impacted my activities and I felt like I was walking on a stone so I decided to Google 'Verruca Treatments' and Swift Microwave Therapy came up as an option. I had not heard about it before, but was delighted to see there was a Podiatrist at Lochthorn Medical Centre in Dumfries, not far from where I live who could carry out Swift. I booked an appointment using their online booking system and was given a full assessment, advised of costs and treatment protocols. I was informed that given my age, the size of the verruca and because I have had it a long time, the treatment is not be guaranteed to work or I may need more appointments that the usual 1-3 treatments. I decided 'to give Swift a try' considering I had tried everything else. Treatment was painful but in short 5 x 2 second intervals, although due to the size of the verruca it had to be done 6-7 times. I had to return in 4 weeks and had 2 more Swift treatments then 10 weeks off. The Verruca improved after each visit, but I had to have 3 more treatments before it was gone. I could continue on with normal activities after each treatment. Actual photos of Elanna's Verruca over 4 months 6 treatments of Swift cost me £775 over the 6 months (1 treatment per month) but now I have no pain and no longer 'walking on a stone' and now I am 'walking on air' Fantastic! It was well worth the time, pain and money.' Verruca free after 6

Get back into your sandals this summer, get rid of those Verrucae! There is nothing worse when you are all set for your Summer holidays and then you are afraid to get into the Summer sandals or jump into the swimming pool, due to the embarrassing verruca on your feet. Tried everything to get rid of them and nothing has worked? come and see Nick and Amanda and start your journey to getting rid of them using Swift Microwave therapy and FREE YOUR FEET!

Our patients are over the moon to be getting rid of their verruca and warts in as 1-3 Swift microwave treatments. Come and see Amanda or Nick to start your treatment now!

Verrucae are a very common condition. It is caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), and living on the very edge of the body, they are difficult for your immune system to spot and treat. As Podiatrists, each of 19 years Nick and I have seen hundreds of patients with verrucae from 1 single 'Satellite' verruca to multiple 'mosaic' verrucae. They appear more prevalent in young children and teenagers, but we see a lot of adults with them too. They can be very difficult to treat, feel uncomfortable and appear unsightly and often embarrassing to patients who avoid exposing their feet at swimming, sports and holidays. Our patients often attend the clinic frustrated, as they have tried every over-the-counter verruca treatment going. Don't get me wrong... some may work for a particular person, but often not for others, and by the time they attend a podiatry appointment they believe the verruca can just be 'dug out' or we can magically make it disappear. Sadly, both of those beliefs are not true and as the verruca is a virus there is no 100% guarantee that we can eradicate them with whatever we use. Every patient will be given a choice of verruca treatments depending on their heath & wellbeing however, we have recently invested in a Swift Emblation machine, which uses microwave therapy as it's treatment and is proving to be very effective in the treatment of stubborn verrucae and warts. Please visit or Verruca and Swift pages on the website for more information. The video below gives an excellent visual explanation of how verrucae occurs and how Swift can help: (2 mins 40) Our first knowledge of Swift I first came across Swift while we were living in Australia, I had not seen it but there was a CPD sessions running on Verrucae (or 'Plantar Warts' as the Australians call them). It was ran online by Dr Ivan Bristow, a well know British Podiatric Dermatologist who is associated with The Royal College of Podiatry. We have seen many lectures by Ivan in person in both the UK and Australia and he is a passionate as a Podiatrist and his interest in dermatology. Any way....I digress! Ivan has been closely involved in the research of using Swift on verrucae and warts (and currently running studies into other potential uses) and although the lecture was very interesting. I have to say... the cost of the machine, and costs to patients, did put me off a little and like many new ideas it was put to the back of our minds. How we came to purchase Swift We got to use the actual Swift machine when we returned back in the UK and when we saw the results for ourselves and we we pretty impressed by how quick and simple the equipment was to use and how it benefited the patients. We attended The Royal College of Podiatry Conference in 2023 and Nick and I were looking to invest in a piece of equipment which we can use to benefit our patients. It came down to either purchasing a 'Foot Scanner' for use of foot pressures and orthotic therapy or the Swift machine. We tried to look at the pros & cons of both pieces of equipment and which one would be more benefit to our patients. The big benefit of Swift was that no other Podiatrist in Dumfries & Galloway could offer this treatment to their patients and potential patients did not have to travel to Ayr or Carlisle. We approached the Swift trade stand and their representatives were all dressed in loud Hawaiian shirts promoting 'how to get rid of verrucae for the summer' It was such a great colourful display and happy atmosphere between their Team and other podiatrists we ended up coming away purchasing a Swift machine and one big hole in our pockets! Pros and Cons There are a few cons so let me get them out the way first as the positives do outweigh the negatives. It can seem initially expensive to patients. Not suitable for patients with pacemakers, epilepsy, poor circulation, neuropathy (your Podiatrist will fully assess your medical history prior to any Swift treatment and advise who is suitable and who is not) Not suitable for anyone who has metal plates, implants and screws in area needing treatment. The treatment can be uncomfortable for a few seconds. (We do have other treatments available for those not eligible for Swift therapy) Pros As mentioned above the treatment costs appear expensive, but when you add up the long term treatment of other verrucae treatments the costs can amount up to the same. Only need 1-3 treatments. One treatment per month. (sometimes another may be required depending on how long and how big the area needing treated is, but often not required). Once a month treatment allows patients more freedom than frequent appointments with other verruca treatments. 5-10 seconds of treatment per verruca therefore any discomfort is over quickly. No need for dressings or keeping foot dry after treatment, You can continue with your normal activities. Suitable for children over 7 years (but can be uncomfortable so we use a lower wattage setting). High success rates. Outcomes of using Swift We have had a good success rate so far in helping patients get rid of their verruca however, it is still too early to comment on our long term success. We have invested a lot of time and money in this treatment and we truly believe in its benefits to our clinic and hope to encourage more people to come forward for treatment. We hope The Great British Podiatry Clinic Ltd will be the 'go to' clinic for verruca treatments. Over the coming weeks and months I will be posting more updates on our experiences of using Swift and would like to invite 'you' to share your experiences with verrucae, how did you treat it?, was it successful? if you have had Swift therapy before whether with us or another Podiatrist, how did you found the treatment. We would love hear your feedback . We look forward to seeing you soon. Amanda & Nick.

Are your shoes killing your feet so much so they feel like they are actually biting? Did you know that unsupportive, ill-fitting and incorrect sizing is the main causes for multiple foot problems. If they are too loose or too tight can cause blisters, calluses and corns and in some cases cause ulceration. Poor fitting shoes may cause so many structural foot conditions such as Bunions Hammered toes sore knees, hips and back. They an also cause injuries such as: Stress fractures Metatarsalgia Plantar Fasciitis Morton's Neuroma Heel spurs Achilles problems Podiatrists can help with all sorts of foot pathologies but correcting the style and fit of your footwear is the first step in helping to reduce your foot pain and improve functionality of your feet. Just call 07597694581 to book an appointment.

MLS Laser Blog What is therapeutic laser? And how does it work? Therapeutic laser uses the power of light to reduce pain, inflammation and swelling as well as to encourage your body’s own healing mechanisms. It’s great for treating a huge range of problems including tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, wounds, bursitis, muscle tears and injuries. Laser can be used on both chronic (long term) and acute (recent) conditions. Laser therapy involves directing light energy into inflamed or damaged tissue to accelerate the body's natural healing process. The laser is placed in direct contact with the skin which enables specific wavelengths of light to penetrate the tissue and interact with molecules within the cells to cause several biochemical effects. One of the most important effects of laser therapy is encouraging blood flow into the area being treated. This means the cells there have a better supply of oxygen and nutrients and that waste products and swelling can be flushed out. Laser helps to reduce pain by slowing down the speed of the pain messages in nerves and it reduces inflammation by lowering the number of cells promoting the inflammatory process in the area treated. After laser treatment muscles are better able to relax and movement can become easier as a result. The treatment is painless, non-invasive and offers a drug free alternative to anti-inflammatories, pain killers and steroid injections. If you’re interested in how laser treatment could help you, please get in touch for more information. Email: gbpodiatryltd@gmail.com Website: www.gbpodiatry.biz Tel: 07597694581

Many of our patients wonder why we call ourselves The Great British Podiatry Clinic....well we do what it says on the tin....we are 'great' and 'British' and 'Podiatrists' but that's not how our name got started. When my Husband and I emigrated to Australia in 2008 we worked in the High Risk Foot Service at Goulburn Valley Health hospital in Victoria. Our patients affectionately took 'the micky' and called us the 'POM-MIE' Podiatrists and it stuck. Apparently there are many theories as to why Australians used the word Pom-mie, it was supposed to come from the word pomegranate as it was a rhyming slang for immigrant (especially in an Aussie accent!), while other believed it stemmed from the abbreviation of Prisoner of his Majesty or Prisoner of the Motherland (P.O.M). In 2013 we opened a private clinic and could not decide on a name.....'Fraser Feet' was too predictable, 'Shepparton Foot Clinic' was already taken and 'Pommie Podiatry' was funny but not too professional. Around that time there were many TV programmes called, The Great British Railways, The Great British Sewing bee.......and the very popular Great British Bake Off. If it was good enough for them it was good enough for us. So The Great British Podiatry was born. Our logo/signage was the union jack, but we decided to mix the red, white and blue together and it created our Purple colour scheme we use today. When we decided to reopen our own private clinic we decided to keep the name and logo, and we hope it brings us the same success in Dumfries as it did in Australia. Hope to see you all soon!

Almost every day I get asked what made me become a Podiatrist, most of my patient are freaked out at the thought of touching feet, even there own. If you asked me back at school if I ever aspired to be a Podiatrist the answer would certainly be a 'No way.' One of my Nana's had bunions and hammer toes and like most ladies of that era squashed them into the slimline court shoe. It was about glamour and appearance more than looking after the feet. Most ladies (and gentlemen too! - remember winkle pickers!) would visit their Chiropodist and leave pain free with the obligatory orange sponge wrapped around their toes! My Nana always told me to look after my feet and I did ....well mostly I still loved my high heels back in my 20's. Now in my 50's I spend most of my free time in wellies, as I swapped the night life for the garden, my poor feet would get distressed out at the thought of 3 inch heels now! I became a Podiatrist in my 30's quite by accident, I was looking for a change in career and with a Toddler Son I needed to do something whereby I could work around him and his needs too. I looked at careers in medicine and came across Podiatric Medicine, there was a course near by and it allowed me to work either in the NHS or autonomously which was a great benefit. The course was great and it came with an added bonus, I met my Husband here too. We both have a passion for feet and their pathologies from simple nail care, to wound care, MSK, nail surgery and laser therapy. Podiatry is so versatile and has so many facets. Its not just about debriding corns, calluses and cutting nails, there is always a reason why those problems occur and as a 'foot doctor' we look at how we can manage your problem and improve your mobility too. If there are any inspiring Podiatrists out there I would definitely recommend it as a career and I am more than happy to let you shadow me to get a feel for the work. There is nothing greater than seeing our patients problems either reduced and/or resolved. We both have worked in hospitals and our own private clinics. After 11 years in Australia we moved back to the UK and fell in love with our home in Dumfries. Nick is currently in the NHS in Workington and for the last 15 months I was working for a Private Practice company at the Crichton. Unfortunately that did not work out and in May I decided to open my practice in Lochthorn Medical Centre. The GP clinic is on the ground floor, spacious, airy and wheelchair friendly. The staff have been so welcoming and we have a Dentist, Pharmacy and Acupuncturist here too. It has been a great move and I am thoroughly enjoying my career again and having a new lease of life. I hope to add on new services as time goes on, potentially wax bath treatments or nail reconstruction, there is so much to do and so much more to learn. I will be doing regular blogs, with videos and education or just to let you know how I am getting on. Hopefully to inspire you to come and visit. Check out some of my services on my website and hope to speak to you soon. Take care Amanda