What Causes Feet To Itch?

Itching of the feet may not sound very serious but anyone who has experienced itching of the feet knows that the irritation can be severe. In addition, other symptoms such as inflammation or a rash often present themselves as well as the itching. To make things worse, since the symptoms are not very common, many people are left wondering what may be causing the problem and how to help resolve the issue.

Allergic Reaction

One of the primary causes for itchy feet is an allergic reaction. This may be a basic topical allergic reaction caused by one or more of the following:

• Clothing that touches the feet (such as socks)


• Lotions or creams


• Shoes that are too tight or cause excessive sweating


• Exposure to elements such as grass that cause irritation

Essentially, if the surface of the feet is itchy, there is likely something touching the skin responsible for the irritation. This is particularly likely if the skin on the feet has a red, itchy rash.

Individuals should think about what has encountered their feet that might cause the problem, such as walking barefoot in the grass, using a new type of lotion or cream, or wearing new socks.

Feet can also become irritated due to an allergic reaction to something eaten or otherwise consumed, such as vitamins, supplements or even beverages. Again, consider any new additions to the diet and remove any potential suspects if possible.

Most rashes and other allergic reactions on the feet will clear up in a few weeks, especially when avoiding the irritant as much as possible. Taking over-the-counter antihistamines may help reduce the itching. Contact a physician for more information.

If other severe symptoms occur, such as nausea, fever, vomiting or difficulty breathing, call 911 or go to a hospital immediately.

Medical Conditions

Less commonly, a medical condition may be responsible for itchy feet. For example, psoriasis is a skin disease causes thick, itchy red patches on the feet and other areas of the body. Eczema is another itchy skin condition, most common in children, often made worse by dry skin. Prescription and over-the-counter itch creams and lotions can often improve the symptoms.

Another medical condition that may result in itchy feet is diabetes, which can cause changes in the skin on the feet. The skin often becomes dry and itchy as a result. Unscented lotion or a thin layer of petroleum jelly applied after feet are bathed and dried may help improve the symptoms.

Essentially, exposure to something that creates an allergic reaction results in itchy feet. Hypoallergenic lotions or creams may help, as well as taking an over-the-counter antihistamine medicine to reduce the body’s allergic reaction.

However, more serious medical conditions may be present if the rash or itching does not resolve and require diagnosis and treatment by a qualified health care professional.

How to Get Help

If you're suffering from itching feet and would like to talk to a board-certified podiatrist in Colorado Springs, call 719-594-9920 to schedule an appointment to see Dr. Kerry E. Berg at Intermountain Foot & Ankle Associates, PC.

via Posterize

What Is a Plantar Fasciitis Night Splint?

If your first step out of bed in the morning is excruciating and it feels like you have a bruise on the bottom of your heel that isn't getting better with time, your doctor may recommend a plantar fasciitis night splint to help ease your pain. The splint, with its rigid exterior, padded interior and adjustable Velcro straps, looks a bit like a removable cast for your lower leg, ankle and foot. It's designed to keep your ankle in a flexed position while you sleep, providing a gentle stretch to muscles and ligaments in your lower leg and preventing the plantar fascia from tightening up overnight.

Plantar fasciitis, as its name suggests, is an inflammation of the plantar fascia, which runs along the base of the foot, connecting the heel bone to the toes. While you may never determine the cause, once your doctor has diagnosed plantar fasciitis, there are several steps you can take to relieve the symptoms, including using a night splint, taking prescription or over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications, doing specific exercises to strengthen certain muscles in your legs, wearing orthotic devices in your shoes, or some combination of these methods. Sometimes doctors may prescribe physical therapy or administer steroid injections to help as well. In rare cases when none of these options offers sufficient relief, surgery is an option.

Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0004438/

A plantar fasciitis night splint is one of the simplest, most effective and most non-invasive methods of treating the painful foot condition. Simply strap it onto your lower leg after getting into bed for the night and go to sleep. It may take a few nights to get used to sleeping with the device, but once you do, it will just become part of your routine.

When using a plantar fasciitis night splint, there are a few precautions you should take. If you need to get up in the middle of the night, you should always remove the splint before getting out of bed. Don't attempt to walk in the device, particularly on uncarpeted surfaces, because the smooth outer shell of the splint has no traction, so you could easily slip and fall.

Most people report a significant reduction in in their morning foot pain after using a splint for just a few nights. Doctors generally recommend that you keep using the device until your symptoms are completely gone.

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About Intermountain Foot & Ankle, PC

Colorado Springs podiatrist, Kerry E. Berg, DPM, can be reached for consultation at 719-594-9920.

via Posterize

LINK: Healable diabetic foot disease has higher death rate than almost all cancers Read it on Global News: Global BC | Healable diabetic foot disease has higher death rate than almost all cancers

A recent online article at Global BC sheds light on the urgency of diabetic foot disease. According to the article, diabetic foot disease has a higher rate of death than heart disease or cancer. Here's a bit from that article:

Nearly one third of diabetics who need a foot amputation will die within the next year, and two thirds will die within five years, according to data presented Thursday at the Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) conference.

This five-year mortality rate is higher than almost all cancers—except lung and pancreatic—and what’s just as shocking is that these diabetes-related foot wounds can be healed if treated effectively in time.

But is this problem common?

The CDA estimates that 15 per cent of Canadians with diabetes – over 400,000 people –will develop a foot ulcer in their lifetime.

Contributing factors to the risk of foot ulcers for diabetics include nerve damage causing loss of sensation, which allows cuts or injuries to go unnoticed, and blockages in blood vessels as well as decreased immune function that make it hard for wounds to heal.

Canadians with diabetes are 23 times more likely to need a limb amputation than those without the disease, and 85 per cent of those amputations are because of a foot ulcer that hasn’t healed, according to the CDA release.

“Today, around the world, every five seconds someone develops diabetes. Every 10 seconds someone dies from diabetes and every 20 seconds there is a diabetic lower limb amputation,” said Dr. Perry Mayer in a release. Mayer is the medical director of The Mayer Institute (TMI), a centre in Ontario that specializes in advanced diabetes foot and wound care.

Read it on Global News: Global BC | Healable diabetic foot disease has higher death rate than almost all cancers

» Read the full article here

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How to get help

In Colorado Springs, you can call 719-594-9920 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Kerry Berg at Intermountain Foot & Ankle Associates to evaluate and treat foot disease.

via Posterize