And the Oscar goes to....

Millions of people were glued to the TV on Sunday night to watch all the glitz and glamour of the "Red Carpet", like myself. I enjoy seeing what everyone is wearing and who they are with. I was surprised to see crutches make an appearance on the red carpet. Kristen Stewart, of Twilight fame, ambulated down the red carpet on crutches Sunday because she stepped and cut her foot on glass. Ouch! Just a good reminder of how careful you have to be with your feet, especially if you have diabetes.  If a healthy young women can cut her foot so badly on glass that she requires crutches on Oscar night reinforces what podiatrists preach, that people with health and foot issues need to be careful. The biggest health issue affecting the feet is Diabetes.

There are three things that can be affected in regards to your feet and diabetes.  Diabetes is the inability of your body to produce enough insulin or utilizing the insulin our body produces. The hormone insulin allows the sugar that is produced by the breakdown of food to be moved into organs to be used as energy. However in diabetes, the sugar remains in the blood and cannot be used as energy. Eventually the blood sugar can get absorbed into the lining of the small blood vessels such as the small arteries in your toes, fingers, eyes, etc. This causes the arteries to become calcified and limits the blood flow to the affected area, commonly called Peripheral Artery Disease or PAD.

Secondly, the blood sugar can get absorbed into nerves causing chemical nerve damage, called neuropathy. This results in numbness, burning, tingling, and pain. Often the first symptoms can be felt at night only and can be painful. Eventually, this can progress to complete numbness. This is when people are at most risk for developing problems. Because they cannot feel, they often wear shoes that are too tight, step on something, cut their feet, etc and do not realize it. Often the first sign of a problem for them  is when they see drainage or blood on their sock or on the floor, and unfortunately it may be days afterwards that this is initially noticed. For this reason it is extremely important if you are suffering from neuropathy, daily inspections of your feet must occur.

The third major complication of diabetes related to your feet is the higher your blood sugar is, the less able your body is to fight off infection. The white blood cells (that are the body's major defensive cells against bacteria) and viruses are inactive when the sugar levels in your blood is high. This can make it difficult to try and heal a problem once this process has started.

Prevention is the key with people with diabetes or other foot health issues. Don't forget to see your podiatrist at the first sign of trouble. Now we can focus on the best and worst dressed at the Oscar's. I loved Anne Hathaway's dress and did you see Jennifer Lawrence fall on the way to receiving her Oscar (another potential podiatric patient).

Dr. "Sandie" Grulke
http://www.podiatrycarespecialists.com/

Your Health and the Internet

The internet has a wealth of information on every topic. So it is not surprising that between 79-89% of internet users spend time looking up medical information, according to an article Sharing Internet Health Information With Your Doctor. So how do you determine what sites are reliable? How do you know that the information is up to date and not a self serving promotional ad?

First, look at who is sponsoring an ad.
Often drug companies will have information regarding a disease that their medication can treat. If you find only one treatment option for a particular disease then most likely this is disguised as an advertisement. You should look for websites run by respected academic, governmental, medical, and nonprofit organizations and institutions or specific websites directed to you by your doctor. A study conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project in 2007  found that while eight in 10 American adults have consulted the Web for health care information, 75% failed to check a source's validity or relevance. The source of the information is just as important as the content of the site.

Second, be careful.
Recent research into peoples search engine habits suggests that people are more likely to progress from benign to more serious medical inquiries, the longer they search for information. Your simple heel pain search can quickly lead to concerns of bone cancer or compartment syndrome, which are very rare causes of heel pain. Also, be specific when searching for your symptoms but also realize some conditions can only be diagnosed by your physician after a full understanding of your medical issue.

Third, consult a physician.
Seek out a physicians expertise to discuss your findings on the internet. A visit with your physician will be to address all of your questions regarding your medical issues.  Also, make a list of your questions or concerns when you see your physician so you can get as many of them answered from your appointment.

The internet can be a fantastic tool in conjunction with a visit to your healthcare provider. However, always consider your sources. Be specific with your symptoms. The internet can be a good starting point in looking up and treating your medical condition but do not hesitate to consult a physician also.

Dr. 'Sandie" Alexandra Grulke
http://www.podiatrycarespecialists.com/