Warning!

In the spirit of Halloween, I thought it would be fun to mention a handful of foot related conditions that might truly frighten your Podiatrist.

Top 5:

1. Rams Horn Nails thickening and discoloration of toe nails is a normal aspect of aging. However, when complicated by nail Fungus, the nails can take on a horrific and truly frightening appearance. If the nails are not kept short and thin they can reach a point where the nail looks like the horn of a ram. This may truly frighten your Podiatrist because he/she will inevitably perspire profusely while trimming such nails.

2. Hutchinsons Nail Sign there are not many nail abnormalities that should cause your Podiatrists eyes to widen and a sense of panic to enter his/her mind. The Hutchinson Nail sign appears as a brown-back pigmented linear stripe on the nail extending from the tip back to the cuticle. It is important for your Podiatrist to take a biopsy of this portion because this sign could be an indicator for Subungual Melanoma. If left untreated, the risk of death is very real.

3. Wet OR Gas Gangrene there are three types of gangrene: dry and wet. Dry gangrene is due to insufficient blood flow and is self-limiting. Wet AND Gas gangrene on the other hand are an entirely different animal.

a. Wet caused by a bacterial infection from tissue injury. It is common in uncontrolled Diabetics. The foot swells and has a wet appearance, along with a foul odor. This is a medical emergency and requires immediate surgical intervention.

b. Gas also caused by bacterial infection but can involve deeper tissues, like muscle. The skin may appear bubbly and with palpation may produce crackling and popping sounds. X-ray reveals areas of gas in the soft tissue. This is also a medical emergency requiring immediate surgical intervention.

4. Open Fractures the term open fracture refers to an open wound with an underlying fracture. The reason why this is such a concern is due to the increased risk of infection and vascular compromise. Initial treatment is determined on length of time from the initial injury as well as extent of the injury.

5. Two Left Feet extremely dangerous on the dance floor. If not corrected before middle school, proms are out of the picture.

If you have any foot or ankle related concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Bowman at 713-467-8886 or visit www.houstonfootspecialists.com.

Category: Foot Problems

Tags: Dangerous Foot Conditions, Fractures, Gangrene, Hutchinson's Nail Sign, Rams Horn Nails