Vejthani Hospital, one of the leading hospitals specializing in bone and joint treatment in Thailand, called on patients suffering from complications caused by diseases such as diabetes to regularly care for their health and practice self-monitoring, including taking care of their wounds and checking their nervous system, to prevent the occurrence of Charcot foot.
Bangkok, March 17, 2019 – Vejthani Hospital, one of the leading hospitals specializing in bone and joint treatment in Thailand, called on patients suffering from complications caused by diseases such as diabetes to regularly care for their health and practice self-monitoring, including taking care of their wounds and checking their nervous system, to prevent the occurrence of Charcot foot. This medical condition causes damage to the joints, tissues, and bones surrounding the areas of the foot or ankle. The hospital pointed out that the success of treating foot deformities caused by Charcot foot is high if detected early.
Dr. Krit Prungsawan, a Specialist in foot and ankle surgery at Vejthani Hospital, said that the symptoms of the disease include inflammation of the foot leading to pain; swelling and redness of the foot; foot deformity infecting the joints, making it unstable when landing in the arch of the foot; loss of sensation; numbness; muscle weakness; dry skin; high body temperature; body pain; chronic fatigue; and loss of appetite.
According to Dr. Prungsawan, the first step of treating Charcot foot is to teach patients and their families on how to manage the condition to avoid complications. Doctors employ non-surgical and surgical approaches to treat the disease depending on the condition. The non-surgical approach can help reduce swelling, lower the chance of foot ulcers, and stabilize the joints and bones by allowing patients to walk on their feet and teaching them how to better take care of themselves. This treatment is suitable only if the disease is still at its early stages, wherein there are inflammation, swelling, and redness on the site of the infection. Dr. Swan said that surgical procedure is not advised at the early stages as complications such as inflammation and the affected bones not fully healing may occur. This can lead to longer hospitalization period.
Surgical treatment is suitable for patients who are infected with frequent foot ulcers due to the instability of their joints and their inability to walk and exercise daily due to pain. Surgery is needed to correct the unstable joints as well as help the patients stand up, distribute their weight evenly, and walk better.
Charcot foot is a serious complication of diabetes which, if not treated well, may lead to amputation of the foot. To avoid the disease or stop the condition from further deteriorating, patients are advised to rest and put no pressure on the affected joints to prevent bruises, fractures, and deformation. They should also control their blood sugar levels to reduce nerve damage in the feet.
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