If you have Diabetes or know someone who has Diabetes, this will be an important article for you to read. Charcot Deformity pronounced “Sharko” is condition that today is most prevalent in people who have Diabetes Mellitus as well as people with Neuropathy; Diabetes and Neuropathy are commonly related.
Typically, a Charcot foot appears to be red, hot and swollen. Charcot is a condition that causes softening and subsequent fractures of the bones in the foot due to a sudden trauma or constant repetitive micro trauma.
Usually a person with Diabetes who also has Neuropathy, or a loss of sensation in the foot, will not notice the Charcot until it starts affecting their daily routine. The Diabetic patient will start to notice that they are not able to fit into their shoes any longer, or they may notice an ulcer that has developed on the bottom of their foot for no apparent reason. By this time however, the
Charcot has already progressed significantly.
The best treatment for Charcot is prevention and early diagnosis and treatment.
Once the neuropathic patient gets a fracture, the body’s normal response is to increase the blood flow to the area to help to heal the affected bone. This increase in blood flow tends to wash out the calcium from the bone at the fracture point. This weakens the bone and the bone fractures even further and collapses. Due to the neuropathy or lack of sensation, the patient is unable to sense the fractures and the bone continues to go through the cycle of fracture and collapse.
The most common areas to be affected are the midfoot as well as the ankle.
PREVENTION: WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR
As I said earlier, the best treatment for Charcot is prevention and early diagnosis. In order to prevent Charcot Foot/Ankle, the Neuropathic patient, typically with Diabetes should adhere to strict guidelines, including:
1. Blood Sugar: Blood sugar should be monitored daily and kept under control.
2. You should have regular checkups with your Podiatrist. X-rays taken periodically is helpful in diagnosing Charcot early.
3. Make sure you check your feet daily, and if you notice signs, such as redness, swelling, and increase in temperature of the foot (a foot that feels warm or hot to the touch) contact your Podiatrist immediately.
Charcot deformity goes through several stages: Stage 0: This is when there are no signs of Charcot on X-ray, but there are some clinical signs such as redness and swelling.
Stage 1: This stage is due to trauma (sudden or micro trauma) to the foot and the bone starts to breakdown.
Stage 2: The bone begins to heal and there is increased blood flow to the area.Stage 3: The final stage is when the stable bone starts to form again.
Once Diagnosed, the Treatment includes:
1. Immobilization: complete non-weight bearing of the foot afflicted with Charcot is necessary. The patient must use crutches or a wheelchair. This may take months or even longer until the Charcot can heal.
2. Custom made shoes and Reduction in activity may be necessary after the deformity and the bone have healed. The custom shoes may aid in a more normal return to walking. The chances of a person developing Charcot on the opposite foot increases if they have had Charcot in one of the feet.
3. Finally, depending on the severity of the deformity, surgery may be required in some cases.
If you do notice any of these signs and symptoms of Charcot, as mentioned above; redness, swelling and an increase in temperature of the foot, Contact your Podiatrist Immediately.
This could indicate a very serious condition. If Charcot is not diagnosed and treated early, it could lead to a very serious deformity of the foot. In some cases surgery or even amputation may be necessary. Prevention and Early diagnosis of Charcot is Key.
Showing posts with label DIABETES. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DIABETES. Show all posts
Thursday, June 12, 2008
DIABETES AND YOUR SKIN
Your skin is the largest organ in your body. It is especially important if you have Diabetes because it acts as a guard against infection.
The skin on the feet is often hard to take care of. Honestly, how often do we even think about our feet, much less the skin on the bottom of our feet or the skin between our toes? ! But needless to say, the skin is susceptible to both bacterial and fungal infections. If the skin is not properly dried and cleaned between the toes, it can lead to an Athlete’s Foot infection or a fungal infection. This can be very painful, causing cuts between the toes, and extreme itching. If this happens, contact your medical doctor or your Podiatrist immediately.
Corns or Calluses:
These can also lead to an infection in a diabetic if not properly taken care of. Sometimes, under the corn or the callus, there may be an ulcer. The corn or callus arises as a result of pressure on the skin from the bone underneath. Sometimes, the skin breaks down, and cannot handle the pressure of the underlying bone. This creates an ulcer, which is an opening in the skin, and another way for bacteria or fungal organisms to get into your body.
Ulcers:
Most of the time, ulcers will begin as a corn or a callus. If you are diabetic, please be aware of new corns or callus formations on your feet. Many times, as a diabetic, you may not be able to feel increased pressure in an area on your foot, and the callus may go unnoticed for days, weeks, or even months. Food For Thought:When I was working in Florida, I had one diabetic patient who came in complaining that he felt like there was something on his foot and that he had been feeling strange when he walked for the last few weeks. When I examined him I found that he had a callus on the bottom of his foot. When I started to take down the callus to see what was underneath, I found a fishing hook! He was a fisherman, and in Florida with the high temperatures most of the year, he had just walked around barefoot for only 5 minutes. That 5 minutes was enough to get a hook stuck in his foot. Since he was diabetic, he did not feel the hook when it penetrated his skin. He continued to walk on it, and the body created a callus around the hook. Fortunately, we did get the hook out on time, and he did very well.
The take home message is to make sure you check carefully the bottom of your feet daily and between your toes. Especially during the summer months, when you may be at the beach, or at a pool; you will never know what you may be stepping on when you go barefoot.
If you notice anything suspicious on your foot, contact your podiatrist or medical doctor right away. You will be able to prevent something small from getting out of hand.
The skin on the feet is often hard to take care of. Honestly, how often do we even think about our feet, much less the skin on the bottom of our feet or the skin between our toes? ! But needless to say, the skin is susceptible to both bacterial and fungal infections. If the skin is not properly dried and cleaned between the toes, it can lead to an Athlete’s Foot infection or a fungal infection. This can be very painful, causing cuts between the toes, and extreme itching. If this happens, contact your medical doctor or your Podiatrist immediately.
Corns or Calluses:
These can also lead to an infection in a diabetic if not properly taken care of. Sometimes, under the corn or the callus, there may be an ulcer. The corn or callus arises as a result of pressure on the skin from the bone underneath. Sometimes, the skin breaks down, and cannot handle the pressure of the underlying bone. This creates an ulcer, which is an opening in the skin, and another way for bacteria or fungal organisms to get into your body.
Ulcers:
Most of the time, ulcers will begin as a corn or a callus. If you are diabetic, please be aware of new corns or callus formations on your feet. Many times, as a diabetic, you may not be able to feel increased pressure in an area on your foot, and the callus may go unnoticed for days, weeks, or even months. Food For Thought:When I was working in Florida, I had one diabetic patient who came in complaining that he felt like there was something on his foot and that he had been feeling strange when he walked for the last few weeks. When I examined him I found that he had a callus on the bottom of his foot. When I started to take down the callus to see what was underneath, I found a fishing hook! He was a fisherman, and in Florida with the high temperatures most of the year, he had just walked around barefoot for only 5 minutes. That 5 minutes was enough to get a hook stuck in his foot. Since he was diabetic, he did not feel the hook when it penetrated his skin. He continued to walk on it, and the body created a callus around the hook. Fortunately, we did get the hook out on time, and he did very well.
The take home message is to make sure you check carefully the bottom of your feet daily and between your toes. Especially during the summer months, when you may be at the beach, or at a pool; you will never know what you may be stepping on when you go barefoot.
If you notice anything suspicious on your foot, contact your podiatrist or medical doctor right away. You will be able to prevent something small from getting out of hand.
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