Trying on Those Christmas Shoes

With all of the new shoes that were under the tree this year, now comes all of the trying on to see how things fit. So, how about those new shoes, are the squeezing against your toes, are they pinching the tips of your tootsies or are they rubbing blisters on your heels? If any of these things are true of your new shoes then you may not have the right size. When you put your new shoes on they should feel snug around the edges so they aren’t slipping, but not snug to the point that they are causing blisters.

Many of us are raised believing that shoes need to be broken in, however, you find the perfect fitting shoes, you will never have to break in your shoes. They will just feel great from the get go. But, what happens if those shoes aren’t fitting well? If they are too tiny, then you definitely need to grab yourself a bigger size and the same can be said if they are too big, because you don’t want to slip out and trip and fall. If your shoes are slipping just a little bit, there is padding you can put under the tongue of the shoe to keep you from slipping. This can make a big difference for something as simple as slipping.

Now, if you are someone who has always struggled with finding shoes that would fit properly, then Dr. Wachtel would be more than happy to help you get properly measured for length and width. He will also be able to suggest particular shoe brands that would be best for your foot type to prevent you from having pain. A big addition that can be made for your shoe is an orthotic to help your foot sit in its proper position. This will help prevent your foot from sitting extremely flat and will provide support to your foot to prevent calluses and pain.

If you have been having trouble with foot pain and fitting shoes, Dr. Wachtel would be more than happy to see you. His offices serve the Wilmington, North Billerica and Stoneham, Massachusetts areas. We are also happy to announce our two new offices in North Andover located at 451 Andover St. Suite 300, North Andover MA 01845 and in Methuen located at 87 Jackson St, Methuen, MA 01835.

Holiday Accident Prevention

As you are all getting ready for your holiday celebrations remember to be careful with all of those decorations. There are several precautions that you can take to protect your feet from the festivities.

First, the lights that you hang out all around your house and on the trees are truly a beautiful sight. However, the process of putting them up and taking them down can be dangerous if you do not follow the proper procedures. Ladders are known to be precarious, flimsy devices if not positioned properly. Make sure that you are spreading out the legs and that you have someone standing at the foot of the ladder bracing it while you are on it. Falling from a ladder can lead to broken feet and legs. So, take the proper cautious actions so that you can enjoy your holidays cast free. If you or someone you know has struggled with falling around the house, you can also visit our fall prevention page on our website.

Second, when you are decorating the inside of your house, be very careful to make sure you are wearing your shoes the whole time. Stepping on things such as ornament hooks, pine tree needles and scissors from wrapping presents can lead to open wounds and getting things stuck in your feet. For each of these injuries, you may need stitches or to have whatever got stuck in your foot removed.

Finally, open flames such as candles and fireplaces can lead to burns. If you are building a fire for the fireplace or a bonfire, make sure that you are protecting your feet, because a hot ember can sear your skin very quickly. If you have open candles, make sure they are pushed back on the table or the countertops to prevent them from falling and splashing hot wax onto you.

Being precautious during this holiday season will help you to have a very happy holiday season. However, should an accident occur and you live in the Methuen, Chelmsford or North Wilmington, Massachusetts, Dr. Wachtel would be more than happy to see you at his office and get you back up and on your feet. We are also happy to announce our North Andover, Massachusetts office located at 451 Andover St. Suite 300, North Andover MA 01845.

Diabetic Sugar Friendly Holidays

The holiday season is here and with all of the cheer that is present all around, we are all clinging close to our family and one of the best ways to do that is through cooking. Now, there are many different cultures in our country and each one has their own unique set of recipes and traditions. One thing that is pretty consistent amongst all holiday recipes is sugar. And not only is there some sugar, there is an overabundance of sugar in multiple forms including, white sugar, brown sugar and flour.

So, you might be wondering why a podiatry blog would be concerned with holiday cooking. Well, that answer is a simple one: diabetes. As many of you know, diabetes is a condition where your body is not able to process the sugar that it takes in. Unfortunately, for a diabetic, all of the sugar that is available at Christmas can mean that their sugar levels can be through the roof. Now, you are probably thinking so what, they can just take an extra shot or pill and it will bring their sugar levels back down. This may be true for the sugar number for the moment, but it does not help their kidney health, eyesight or their capability to heal an ulceration on their foot. All of these aspects can’t be so easily fixed with a pill or a shot.

What can be done to help a diabetic around the holidays? Well, having a sugar free option for dessert is always a great addition to your sweets table. With all of the recipes available from food network these days, it is really easy to find a delicious sugar free treat. Another thing that will help everyone is to put the food away right after you are done eating. Rather than sitting down to watch tv right away, putting the food away will help to prevent munching, which is not only good for sugar, but also great for the waistline.

To learn more about diabetic care, we offer a book on our website for free that talks about diabetic care and the ins and outs of everything you need to know. Also, if you are in the Tewksbury, Dracut or North Reading, Massachusetts areas, Dr. Wachtel would be more than happy to help you with all of your diabetic foot care needs. We are also happy to announce our North Andover office, located at 451 Andover St. Suite 300, North Andover MA 01845.

Treatment for Warts, Thick Yellow Nails, and Torn Ligaments or Tendons

What are some new treatment modalities available for fungus nails and injured ligaments or tendons? Well, there is one specific treatment that our office uses called laser therapy. Now, you’ve all heard of the lasers for treating your eyesight and removing moles and warts, but maybe you haven’t heard about the lasers we use in podiatry. There are a couple of uses for this therapy including fungus nails, ingrown nails, treating injured tendons or ligaments and removing warts and moles.

For fungus nails, the treatment will usually take one treatment, but depending upon your body a follow-up treatment may be required. You really will not feel anything when you are being treated other than some focal warmth in the area. Depending upon how severe your case is, your nails may or may not return to their original appearance. However, they will be better.

The laser can also be used over tendons and ligaments that are partially injured. The laser functions by stimulating the cells that produce healing and new growth to occur. Over time, the goal is to return your ligament or tendon to as close to its original condition as possible.

Lasers have been used for many years to remove warts and moles. This is still being done in both dermatologists and podiatrists offices. This particular treatment has a little more pain associated with it and so we will numb the area first before removing the growth.

Laser therapy is changing on a daily basis and new treatments for this technology are being discovered. If you or someone you know is interested in any of the treatments above, our office would be more than happy to schedule an appointment for you. Our offices serve the Dracut, Methuen, and Tewksbury, Massachusetts areas. We are also happy to announce our office in North Andover, Massachusetts and it can be found at 451 Andover St. Suite 300, North Andover MA 01845.

Painful Bump on Big Toe--Bunion

What is that bump on the side of your big toe? That bump is called a bunion and results from the shifting of your bone and the pressure put against your foot by your shoe. So, what is the bump painful? That bump is painful because as the bones spread farther apart, it causes your shoe to push against your foot even more. With more and more pressure, your foot will hurt more because it’s a lot like if you pushed against your foot harder and harder with your fingers until it hurts so much you pull away.

So, what causes these painful bumps? Nobody is really 100% sure what will cause a bunion. Some theories though are tight shoes, high heels, and hereditary. You really can’t prevent your hereditary genes, but you can prevent the tight shoes and high heels. By making sure that your shoes are properly fitting and that the part of your shoes that covers your toes is the proper shape, you can keep your toes from being squeezed together.

So what can you do for the painful bump on the inside of your big foot? Well, some of the conservative treatments include buying wider shoes to remove the pressure from your foot, put a pad on your big toe so that it keeps the pressure off from your toe and you can use pain killers to help reduce the pain. If your bunion is still painful though, surgical options are available. So what kinds of surgery for bunions are available? There are surgeries that can be used for each level of bunions. There are bunions that are mild, moderate and severe.

What are the bunion surgery risks? Well, there is always the risk that the bunion could come back, the risk that the site could become infected and the risk that healing could take longer. Overall though, bunion surgery is a straightforward and routine surgical procedure.

If you or someone you know has developed a painful bunion, our office would be more than happy to help you schedule an appointment. We can be contacted at 978) 794-8406. Our offices serve the Stoneham, Newburyport and North Billerica, Massachusetts area. We are happy to announce our new office in North Andover, Massachusetts at 451 Andover St. Suite 300, North Andover MA 01845.

How to Treat a Burn

So, last blog we talked about cold injuries that can occur. Now, let’s talk about heat injuries. Heat injuries occur in many ways including too hot bath or shower water, spilling hot tea or coffee, or touching a hot pan. Burns can happen in many different ways and depending upon their severity will determine the level of burn that you have.

A first degree burn will injure the top layer of your skin, but you won’t have blistering until your second degree burn. In a 3^rd degree burn you will have damage to your hair follicles and finally you will have exposed bone. Most burns that you will see are first and second degree burns. In all situations though, it is important that you drink lots of water and stay hydrated. Your skin is the protecting part of your body that keeps water inside your body. Once you lose this protecting layer, you must constantly replenish water to stay hydrated.

Treatment of your burn will depend upon its severity. In a person with a 1^st degree burn it is important to make sure that you are keeping the wound clean to prevent infection. You may want to use something like Neosporin to ward off any infection possibility. You may need to use a topical cream that your doctor gives you to help encourage your skin to heal. In more severe burns, you will need to be in the hospital to prevent dehydration and to get your skin to heal.

For any burn that you get it is very important to see your doctor. Burns are hard to classify until they are actually seen and the dead skin is removed. Without removing this skin your healing process will be slowed down and you may not realize how bad your burn actually is. Your doctor will also be able to determine the extent of treatment that you need to heal your burn.

If you or someone you know has a burn on their foot, Dr. Wachtel would be more than happy to see you and determine what type of treatment  you need to heal your wound. If you live in Dracut, Tewksbury or Reading, Massachusetts our office would be happy to make you an appointment. We are also happy to announce our office in North Andover, Massachusetts at 451 Andover Street #300 North Andover, MA 01845.

New York Police Officer Buys Shoes for Homeless Man

Many of you may have heard about the policeman in New York City that bought a pair of shoes for a homeless man. The reports are saying that the man was out in the freezing cold and had blisters on his feet. What many may not realize is that this small act of kindness may have made all of the difference in the world for this man. As the weather is getting colder, the risk of frostbite is increasing quickly. Frostbite can lead to many complications, but the worst one is amputation. By purchasing shoes for this man, it greatly reduced his risk of frostbite, infection and ulceration of the blisters on his feet.

Frostbite is a condition that sees a sharp increase during this time of year. Many of us start out trying to resist the cold by wearing as little clothing as possible to readjust to the cold weather. For your fingers and toes though, this can be a dangerous game. When your body gets cold, it shuts off the circulation of blood to your fingers and toes. However, it will pulsate on and off allowing blood to come back to your extremities every once in a while to keep them healthy. However, when your body heat drops significantly beneath 98.6 F this system of your body may stop working. When that happens frostbite occurs.

Frostbite is a dangerous condition because you do not know how severe the condition is until your skin thaws out. This is why it is so important that you see a doctor immediately so that your condition can be assessed. Sometimes treating the frostbite involves using a hot water bath or by using antibiotics and bandages if there is blistering. One of the most important things is to make sure you are sufficiently hydrated and to not cool down the area. The body part may feel hot being back in a warm environment but it is important to keep it away from ice and cold air because the thawing and re-cooling cycles do a lot of damage.

So, during the holiday season remember the power that a warm pair of shoes has to protect you from the harsh elements. Also, don't forget the power of a random act of kindness

As we go into this cold winter season, if you or someone you know has an encounter with frostbite, our office staff would be more than happy to help you schedule an appointment. Our offices serve the Methuen, Dracut, Reading and Tewksbury, Massachusetts areas. We are also happy to announce our North Andover office. It is located at 451 Andover St. Suite 300, North Andover MA 01845 and we look forward to seeing you there.

Cyber Monday--Check Out Our Website

Today is Cyber Monday and with that has come many sweet deals for anything ranging from travel to clothing and home decorations. If you haven’t taken advantage of these discounts, there is still time before midnight for you to get some shopping done. In order to get in on the hub bub that has been going on with all of the shopping this blog is going to describe to you all of the online opportunities we have.

First, there is a laser therapy website that you can access through clicking this link. This website will describe to you all of the medical conditions that can be treated with laser therapy. You can treat nail fungus, injured ligaments, injured tendons and plantar fasciitis with a laser. By visiting the website, you can find out all of the treatment options available.

Second, there is a website that describes all of the possible causes of heel pain. This website shows you all of the medical conditions that can cause heel pain. Along with those conditions, there are also descriptions of the treatments that can help alleviate your conditions.

Third, we have a shoe website where you can purchase shoes for all of your everyday activities. This includes shoes for diabetics, athletes, people with flat feet or high arched feet. Basically there is a shoe on this site for anyone. In order to find out what shoe is best for your foot type and health conditions, Dr. Wachtel can help you to figure out both your proper size and what kind of shoe will give you the best support.

Fourth, there is a link to a medical site with all of the over the counter podiatry treatments you can think of. There are pads for hammer toes, medicine for warts, braces for sprained ankles and many other supplies. To find out which of these many options would be best for you, Dr. Wachtel can examine your conditions and discuss with you the best treatment plans available.

Finally, we have several free books that describe to you how to care for your diabetes, the foot book, heel pain, runner’s foot care and a coloring book for kids about growing pains. Each of these books can be ordered on our website for free. They are chalk full of a lot of information that will help you to make more informed decisions about your healthcare.

So, go ahead and this cyber Monday check out all that our website has to offer. If you or someone you know has a foot condition, Dr. Wachtel would be more than happy to help you discover what is causing your pain. If you live in the Tewksbury, Methuen, Dracut or Wilmington, Massachusetts our office would be more than happy to help you schedule an appointment.

Morton's Neuroma

So, a couple of weeks ago, there was a blog that talked about Morton’s Neuromas. Since then, there was a comment where a reader asked for more information about neuromas and how to prevent them. So, here is some additional information, hope this helps.

Neuromas are a result of inflammation of a nerve due to irritation of that nerve as a result of a force rubbing up against the nerve causing it to become inflamed and larger. These neuromas most commonly occur in between the third and fourth toes. This occurs as a result of the small compartment size in this area. This small area leads to even greater pressure in the area. If you wear tight shoes, high  heels or you are overweight, you even further increase the pressure in the area. Otherwise, the increased pressure will make it more likely that the nerve can become inflamed.

So, how do you treat neuromas. Well, there are several different approaches. You can use padding to decrease the pressure in the area and allow the bones to spread apart to accommodate the neuroma. You can also use steroid injections to decrease the inflammation and pain. You can also wear wider shoes to allow the foot to spread. If none of these methods work though, surgery is always an option. The surgical approach involves removing the part of the nerve that is swollen. By doing this, you relieve the pressure in the area, thus removing the pain.

So, the pearls of wisdom to take home are that tight shoes are not good for your feet because they don’t allow your feet to spread. Throughout the day, your feet will become wider as a result of the pressure your body puts on them. You should also limit the usage of your high heel wear. High heels force your feet into an unnatural position and can lead to hammertoes, bunions, neuromas and other conditions. Losing weight is a great medical change that you can make because not only will it reduce pressure on your feet, but it will also decrease the likelihood of many other medical conditions.

If you or someone you know is having pain in between their toes or it feels like there is a pebble in your shoe, our office would be more than happy to help you schedule an appointment. Our office can be contacted at (978) 794-8406. Dr. Wachtel would be more than happy to help you determine the cause of your pain and the best treatment plan for you.  Dr. Wachtel serves the Billerica, Bradford, Dracut and Lawrence, Massachusetts area.

National Diabetes Day

This past week was National Diabetes Day. In honor of that day, msn.com released a list of things that you can do to help prevent or improve your diabetes. Among these items were several things that we talk about regularly and also several items that are a little less known. So, let’s talk about diabetes and what you can do to make life a little easier.

First off, there is that word that so many of us dread…exercise. It has been shown in studies that just 20 minutes of exercise can reduce your HbA1C. Your HbA1C is the number that tells you what your average sugar has been over the past several months. It is a good way to gauge how you have been doing day-to-day as opposed to just an individual number each morning that can be affected by a number of things.

Second, your diet greatly affects what your HbA1C level is. By simply eating more vegetables and less sugar and processed foods, you can decrease your numbers significantly. By choosing a healthy diet, you will also be able to lose weight.

The third one that we always hear is that you should be religious about checking your blood sugar levels. If you are not checking your sugar everyday, you will not be able to know when you need to adjust your food intake. If your sugar levels are low or high, both ends can be very dangerous. In order to prevent this, careful monitoring of your sugars is necessary.

Now, for a more obscure suggestions that were presented. Cinnamon, is said to decrease your sugar levels. However, there have been studies that have shown that too much can lead to dangerously low sugar levels. In order to prevent this, if you choose to use cinnamon as a way to reduce your sugars, then you will need to carefully monitor your sugars.

The most important thing to take home about diabetes is that it is a condition that can lead to many more health conditions. So, it is important to keep your sugar under control in order to prevent these additional conditions. We offer a free book on Diabetes that can be ordered by visiting our website. If you or someone you know has diabetes, our office would be more than happy to schedule you an appointment and you can contact us at (978) 794-8406. Dr. Wachtel serves the Methuen, Reading, Dracut and Tewksbury, Massachusetts areas.

Ulcer Treatment

So, now that we’ve talked about all of the different types of ulcers, let’s discuss treatment plans. This can be a tricky situation, because everyone’s body deals with an ulcer and its treatment a little bit different. Some of you will take to a certain form of treatment and have no issues, whereas others may require a cocktail of treatments to eventually heal the ulcer. So, what all do we have available?

Well, if the ulcer is related to veins or arteries, then it is important that we treat the vascular problem as well. If you are not getting blood flow to the area, then you are not going to be able to heal the ulcer, because good blood flow is required to bring the cells that heal you to the area.

Once blood flow has been established, treatment of the ulcer can begin. Depending upon the depth of your ulcer and the appearance, your podiatrist may want to do some tests to check to see if it is infected. If it is infected, then you will be prescribed antibiotics to take at home or may need to take IV ones at the hospital.

There are many different treatments out there including lotions, gels, skin grafts to encourage your skin to close over the wound and many other options. Each of these treatments is followed by a dressing to keep the treatment in contact with the skin and keep the ulcer protected. These options range from simple applications clear up to treatments that must be done by your podiatrist in order to treat it the best. The important thing for you to know is that podiatrists have a wide variety of treatments for you to afford you the best care possible. It has been proven that by partnering with a podiatrist the likelihood of an amputation due to an ulcer is significantly reduced. Some wound may take many months to heal, but through aggressive and consistent treatment plans we can work hard to give you the best chance of healing your ulcer.

If your or someone you know living the Dracut, Tewksbury, Lowell or Reading, Massachusetts areas has an ulcer, our office staff would be more than happy to schedule you an appointment. We can be contacted at (978) 794-8406. Dr. Wachtel will be able to work with you to find the treatment plans that work best for you.

What Causes An Ulcer?

Ulcers can be very difficult to treat depending upon what their origin is and how well you treat it. There are a variety of causes for ulceration including diabetic neuropathy (which is when your nerves no longer allow you to feel something touching your foot), the loss of blood flow to an area, the inability of veins to take the blood back to your heart, undue amounts of pressure in a particular area and smoking. For each of these cases, there are preventative measures that you can take to work towards preventing ulceration from forming. In this blog, we will discuss these measures and in the next one we will discuss treatment.

Diabetic neuropathy ulcerations are due to the inability to feel a pebble, a sock, a rough edge in your shoe and a variety of other objects. When you go all day walking without feeling the pain or presence of one of these items, you can end up rubbing an ulcer on a part of your foot. So, to help prevent this from happening or from becoming worse, these are a few steps you can take. Accommodative orthoses are total contact inserts that once in your shoes will make sure that there is an equal distribution of weight across the bottom of your foot. This helps to ensure that there is no one point that is taking on more pressure. You can also dump out your shoes each morning before putting them on and feel with your hands to see if anything is in them. Finally, if you or your significant other notices the start of an ulcer, go and see your podiatrist immediately so that treatment can be aggressive and a major ulcer can be prevented.

An area that loses blood flow can also form an ulcer. Prevention in this situation is to make sure you are going to your doctor regularly to check that you have good blood flow. If it is noticed that it has decreased then you will need to see a specialist to determine what the best route of treatment is. The best prevention of these ulcers is working to to not get to the point of no blood flow in a particular area. Otherwise, depending on how much blood flow you have, we may not be able to treat your ulcer as well, until the underlying problem is addressed.

If your veins are not working properly, you will notice that your legs begin to feel heavy throughout the day and that they are swelling due to the excess fluid in the area, you may develop an ulcer. Prevention for this type of ulcer is using compression stockings to assist or more aggressive compressive therapies. This will help the return of the blood and relieve the pressure on your veins.

Pressure ulcers result from inappropriate amounts of pressure to a particular area. This can occur in instances such as bed rest. Prevention for these include changing positions frequently to reduce pressure on the skin.

Smoking opens you up to ulcers because it ages the skin, causing it to thin and become dry. This predisposes the area to an ulcer. The best way to avoid these is to stop smoking. Smoking causes a wide array of medical problems to both the user and the people around them. Smoking is an addiction and can be very difficult to stop, but it is imperative to a healthy lifestyle that you do.

If you or someone you know living in the Dracut, Methuen, Lowell or North Andover, Massachusetts areas has an ulcer, our office staff would be more than happy to make you an appointment. We can be contacted at (978) 794-8406. Dr. Wachtel would be more than happy to help you with forming a treatment plan as well as suggesting prevention for the future.

Put Your Best Feet Forward This Election Day

The election for our next president is tomorrow and many people are still unsure who they should vote for. There have even been talks of people writing in for Mickey Mouse and Superman. Regardless of whom you decide to vote for come Election Day, one thing is for sure, as a nation, we need to put our best foot forward.

As you go throughout your daily schedule, we are often told that it is important to always put our best foot forward. From a podiatrist’s perspective though, you should really have two best feet to put forward at all times. Whenever you have injured one of your feet, it causes you to not be equal from one side to the other. This can result in a limp, large calluses forming on the bottom of your feet, extra stress on your tendons and ligaments and greater pain than usual on one foot or the other.

For these reasons, you will often hear your doctor say that the pain on one foot can be due to an injury of the other one. We often refer to this as favoring one foot because the other one is pain. This is why it is not uncommon for someone who has injured their Achilles tendon and is using a walking boot to treat it, to all of a sudden, a couple weeks down the road, begin to have pain in their other Achilles.

So, what can we do about this pain? Well, often times, the answer is going to be let us fix the underlying cause of your pain and the other symptoms should go away on their own. However, there are instances where people can significantly injure their other foot in the process of healing the first one. In these instances, it is important to treat both feet according to your doctor’s recommendations.

If you or someone you know has any type of foot injury, Dr. Wachtel would be more than happy to help you put your best feet forward. Our offices serve the North Reading, Lowell, Tewksbury and Dracut, Massachusetts areas. You can give us a call at (978) 794-8406 and our office staff would be more than happy to help you schedule an appointment.

Yellow, Thick, Fungus Nails

Do you have thick or yellow nails? This is due to nail fungus that is causing your nails to change color and to become thick. Unfortunately, fungus nails are very difficult to treat and often will not go away with typical treatments like creams and medications. Since these methods usually don’t work well, it often leaves you frustrated and not wanting to wear shoes that show your toenails. Don’t worry though, because there is another treatment plan that has shown a great deal of promise.

Laser therapy treatment is a relatively new innovation to come to the field of podiatry. It has several treatments including fungal nails, injured tendons and injured ligaments. Laser therapy makes use of specific wavelengths to jumpstart your injury into an acute, early injury stage removing it from the chronic state of injury it has been in. This part of the treatment helps to restore your nail to its normal state by decreasing the thickness of your nail and returning the color to normal. The other aspect of the treatment plan is that the laser therapy kills the fungus removing the infection that is causing the changes in your nails.

Since laser therapy is so new, many people are apprehensive about the treatment. However, there have not been any really serious contraindications to the treatment. Laser therapy should not be used on women that are pregnant and people that have a tumor in that area. The treatment itself varies in length depending on the individual and how severe your fungal infection is.

If you are interested in laser therapy for fungal nails or if you are having any other podiatric conditions, our office can be reached at (978) 794-8406. We would be more than happy to help you schedule an appointment so that Dr. Wachtel can discuss all of the treatment options available for you.  If you live in the Methuen, North Andover, Tewksbury or Lowell, Massachusetts area, we would be more than happy to see you and help you get back up on your feet.

Halloween Candy and Diabetes

Happy Halloween to all of you that celebrate! Today is the day that we pass out candy to all of the witches and goblins that come to our door. For those of you that are diabetic though, this can be a rough holiday to get through because of all of the sweets. Lots of sugar is the worst nightmare for a diabetic because it can send their sugar shooting through the roof. So, why exactly is sugar bad for a diabetic?

Diabetes can be thought of as a gateway disease because it opens the door to diseases affecting your heart, nerves, arteries, eyes and many other parts of your body. So, how do you prevent these body parts from being affected? Well, that answer is simple, keep your sugar down. By keeping your sugar within its normal limits you are decreasing the affect that is had on your body. There are many other ways to reduce the effects of diabetes on your body.

By adding exercise to your routine, you can begin to work to lose weight which will help to control your sugar levels and your diabetes. Exercise has become a word that brings negative connotations to many people. However, starting exercise can be as simple as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking your car at the end of the Wal-Mart parking lot to walk into the store, going for a daily walk with your significant other or taking a walk around the office to stretch your legs.

Another great way to help your diabetes is to stop smoking. If you are a smoker, each time you smoke your blood sugar increases. Smoking also causes further damage to your blood vessels and nerves only exacerbating the effects of diabetes. By quitting smoking, you greatly decrease the likelihood of these other medical conditions.

Finally, monitoring your glucose daily allows you to gauge how you are doing with your diet and medications. If you are noticing that you are eating healthy foods and leaving as much sugar out of your diet as you can, you will know that you need to see your physician in order to assess your diabetic medications. It will also allow you to adjust your eating to keep your glucose within normal limits.

If you or someone you know is a diabetic patient, it is important that you form a relationship with a podiatrist to help prevent ulcers, infections, diabetic neuropathy and other conditions that result from diabetes. Our office staff would be more than happy to help you schedule an appointment, and we can be reached at (978) 794-8406. Dr. Wachtel will be happy to help you make the necessary adjustments to keep diabetes from controlling your life. Our offices serve the Tewksbury, Beverly, Billerica or North Andover, Massachusetts areas.

What do I do if Something Gets Stuck in my Foot?

Two hunters were injured in separate incidents this past Sunday due to accidentally firing their guns. One man was resting his gun up against his foot when it discharged and hit his toe while another was cleaning his gun and it discharged and hit his friend in the ankle. This weekend served as a reminder to many that guns should be handled with care.

Hunting injuries affecting the feet are very common and greatly increase during hunting season. One of the most important things to remember with a gunshot wound is that you should not remove the bullet on your own. Once a bullet becomes lodged in your foot or your ankle, you do not know what it is resting upon. For all you know, it could be resting against an artery. Instead you should go to the emergency room or nearest doctor’s office to have the bullet removed in a safe and clean environment. This will help you to prevent infection and further injury to yourself.

Your foot is made up of many little bones, blood vessels and nerves that can all be affected when a foreign object enters your foot. Because it is such a compact area, a great amount of damage can be done in a small area. So, by allowing your doctor to remove the foreign object, you are giving yourself the best chance of minimal damage and preventing excessive bleeding.

If you or someone you know has had a foreign object get into their foot, our office would be more than happy to help you schedule an appointment to have it removed. We can be reached at (978) 794-8406. Dr. Wachtel serves the Tewksbury, Dracut, Lawrence and Wilmington, Massachusetts.

What to do about Smelly Feet?

Trick or Treat, Smell my feet, Give me Something Good to Eat. Halloween is quickly approaching, and smelly feet is not something that you really want to have. However, we all know that one person that the second they take their shoes off everyone runs for the nearest window. However, there are several ways that you can help reduce the smell and help both yourself and everyone else.

The first way of preventing a bad odor from coming from your feet is to make sure that you thoroughly dry your feet after a shower. Athlete’s foot can be prevented by getting rid of the wet, dark environment that the fungus loves. Another way is to make sure that you are purchasing socks that are breathable. This helps your feet to be able to breathe when they are inside of your shoes all day especially if you are wearing leather shoes. Another option is to wear shoes that have breathable material to wear the moisture can be wicked away from your skin. Finally, you can use powder to put inside your shoes to dry them out.

If you do end up with really funny smelling feet, you can always go to your podiatrist that will help you figure out what is causing the smell. If it is due to athlete’s foot, they will be able to give you a prescription that will alleviate any itching and odor that you have.

If you or someone that you know in the Methuen, North Andover, Tewksbury or Reading, Massachusetts area are suffering from foul smelling feet, Dr. Wachtel would be more than happy to see you and help you to feel all better. You can call and make an appointment at (978) 794-8406.

The Yankees Derek Jeter Breaks His Ankle in Playoffs

The Yankees lost their chance to compete in the World Series this year when they lost the American League Playoffs this past week. They were swept by the Detroit Tigers after defeating the Baltimore Orioles just a week ago. As disappointing as the loss was, it can partially be attributed to Derek Jeter breaking his ankle in the first game. Jeter is known for being a strong driving force throughout his career with the Yankees as well as being a team leader. Once he broke his ankle, it damaged morale and the Yankees went on to lose the series.

Jeter has since undergone surgery in North Carolina and is said to recover fully in about 5 months. Initially it was estimated at 2-3, but the doctors are taking a more conservative time frame to account for both Jeter’s age as well as the extensive physical therapy he will need to undergo. For many of us, a surgery on our ankle would cause us to be out about 2 months, but for an elite athlete, he has a much higher level of athletic physical ability which will take some time to recoup.

Ankle fractures are relatively common because they can happen in multiple ways. Since your ankle is the junction between your foot and the rest of your body, it receives a lot of force throughout the day. It can be injured with high impact such as jumping out of a window, falling from a significant height, impact from a sport or even from stepping the wrong way. However, it comes about, it can be a long injury to heal depending upon the severity of the injury. Typically if you have injured your ankle bones, you will also injure your ligaments increasing the time of recovery. Due to the complexity of the ankle joint, you may still be able to walk after an ankle injury. However, you should still see your podiatrist because if proper healing is not achieved it will leave your ankle weaker making you more likely to injure it again.

If you or someone you know has suffered from an ankle injury, you can contact our office at (978) 794-8406. Dr. Wachtel would be more than happy to help determine what is wrong with your ankle and what steps can be taken for to achieve the best healing for you. Our offices serve the Methuen, North Andover, Tewksbury and Chelmsford, Massachusetts areas.

The Doctors: Toe Shortening for a Long Big Toe

This past week on The Doctors, a young lady was featured having a surgery done on her big toe. The surgery was done because she had an abnormally long big toe on both of her feet. Now for her, the main concern was that they looked funny. But for her podiatrist, the concern was more for a normal foot structure. In a typical foot, your second toe is either the same as or longer than the first. This relationship between your first and second toe is important for normal walking, because you are not able to push yourself forward while walking as easily when your first toe is that much longer.

So, what exactly has to be done? Well, Dr. Ali Sadrieh, a podiatrist in Beverly Hills, explained that you remove a small piece of bone from the metatarsal (the bone that is right before your toe in the foot) and this shortens the bone. Now, the most important part is that the surgery is a joint sparing procedure. The importance of this is that you are not messing with the ligaments in the area and you are maintaining the same motion at that toe.

So, the thing that most of you are concerned about is the post-surgical result. How will toe-shortening affect your lifestyle? Well, you will have stitches in your toe for about 2 weeks after the surgery that in the majority of cases will leave a very minimal scar that will be barely noticeable. You will also have some swelling, because any time that you do a surgery there is going to be healing of the skin and the bone that has to occur. So, with all of the healing cells in  your body rushing to the area to help repair your toe, you are going to have some swelling for a while to help the surgical site close up. The final result is a shorter toe that will allow a better walking pattern and less wear and tear on your shoes. As for the young lady on The Doctors, she was very impressed with your results and says she is looking forward to going shoe shopping.

If you or someone you know has a very long first toe that is causing you pain while walking or is causing unusual amounts of wear and tear on your shoes, you can schedule an appointment with Dr. Wachtel by calling (978) 794-8406. Surgery is not the only option and is not right for every patient. However, there are changes that can be made to your shoes to help you achieve a normal walking pattern. If you live in the Methuen, Tewksbury, North Reading or Bradford, Massachusetts areas, our office staff would be more than happy to help you schedule an appointment.

National Arthritis Day

Today is Arthritis Day in the United States. Did you know that there are 300,000 children in the United States with arthritis? Did you know that there are 100 different types of arthritis? It affects 1 in 5 adults and 2/3s of people with arthritis are under the age of 65! These numbers are staggering and it drastically affects the lifestyle that people lead. The range of the effects of this condition spreads from children to senior citizens, but are very similar in how they change their lifestyles.

Arthritis is a condition that tends to become worse the longer that you have it. It can range from stiffness and pain that a person can feel when the weather changes. These are the people that tell you that their knee hurts so it’s going to rain that day. At its worst though, it can change the shape of people’s hands and feet and cause them to not be able to fit their foot into a normal shoe as a result.

In many people, the pain will be worse in the evening due to using these joints throughout the day. In some people it will be so bad that they will be woken up in the middle of the night by the pain. In some forms of arthritis though, the pain may be at its worst in the morning. This is why there are so many varieties of arthritis and why it can be a great pretender because they symptoms widely vary.

So, how can you treat your arthritis? Different types of arthritis have different treatment plans, but most often you can use pain killers to help alleviate the discomfort you are feeling. Applying heat and cold packs can help as well, especially with the swelling at the joints. One of the most important things is to remain active. Now, this seems very counterproductive because these joints are in pain. However, by keeping these joints active, you will reduce the speed at which the arthritis progresses and you will hopefully be able to slow down the effects of the process. One of the best exercises you can do is swimming because it is an exercise that does not put additional stress on your joints like running or weight-lifting does.

If you or someone that you know has arthritis or is experiencing pain in their joints, please call us at (978) 794-8406. Dr. Wachtel will be able to help you with determining what the cause of your pain is, as well as work with you to decide a treatment plan that will best fit into your life. Our offices serve the Salem, Windham, Pelham and Hampstead, New Hampshire areas.

What to do if you Step on a Piece of Wood, Glass or a Rusty Nail?

Fall is in the air and it is the perfect time of year to go camping and build a bonfire. There are a lot of important things to remember to bring when you go camping, probably one of the tope ones is the marshmallows for the campfire. But, while you are collecting the wood for the fire and setting up the tent make sure to remember to wear good sturdy shoes.

Shoes protect us from a whole slew of things including sticks, bugs that live in the dirt, broken glass and rusty nails. It is important that we keep these things out of our feet because our feet are so narrow that it doesn’t take much for a nail to poke through from bottom to top. Once it goes in, there is no way to tell if it has injured an important structure or not.

Removal of a foreign body can be a tricky thing because certain objects don’t show up well on X-ray. It is also difficult to tell exactly what size the object is. So, taking it out can be as easy as an office visit to remove the object or can take as much as a minor surgery to remove the item. The other thing that we have to very careful about is the area getting infected. Some items, such as those rusty nails or slivers of wood can carry bacteria on them that can lead to pretty serious infections if not treated immediately.

Reality is though, many of us have gotten splinters before and we just take them out and move on with our lives. However, should you get something into your foot that you are having difficulty removing it is best to go and see your podiatrist. If you or someone you know has stepped on something and you can’t get it out of your foot, please give Dr. Wachtel a call at (978) 794-8406. Our offices serve the Reading, Tewksbury, North Andover and Chelmsford, Massachusetts areas.

Are You a Bathroom Surgeon?

Is there a pesky nail that is digging into your toe or a wart that has been bothering you? Have you tried to do surgery on your own and now it is red and painful? You may have an infection due to your bathroom operations and that is not something to try and treat yourself.

We’ve all done it at one point or another, something starts to hurt so we dig at it, poke it, or try and pull it off. In some cases, we go on living life with no worries and it’s just fine. But sometimes, you can end up with a red, swollen, painful toe that is badly infected and needs to be treated. For people that get a lot of warts and grown in nails, this can be a big problem because they are constantly dealing with this painful annoyance that they are just sick of. However, you have to resist the urge and you should come in and get them treated instead, because not only can you end up badly cutting yourself and making it worse, but there are also a larger number of germs that live in your bathroom and are just itching at the chance to get in your skin and wreak havoc.

So, what happens if your number is up and this is the time that you have gotten an infection. Well, you should head over to your podiatrist office as quickly as you can so that they can clean out the area, get you on an antibiotic and monitor you closely to make sure that the infection doesn’t get worse. Many people don’t think that the infection they see on their skin can get down and into their bones if it is not managed quickly. Infection will feed off of anything that is available until it is stopped, and unfortunately, a dark moist area like inside your shoes and socks is the perfect place.

So, if you are prone to warts or ingrown toenails, you can make an appointment by calling (978) 794-8406. Dr. Wachtel would be more than happy to see you and discuss several treatment options that are available for your ingrown nails or warts. Our offices treat the Bradford, Burlington, Beverly, and Lowell, Massachusetts areas. Also, if you already have an infection, he will be able to help you get treatment started so that you can avoid other complications. Most important of all though, remember that an operating room is sterile and the instruments used in the doctor’s office are sterilized, however your bathroom is not, and it will only open you up to a whole slew of nasty bugs.

The Cause of the Calluses on Your Feet

So, what’s the deal with these calluses that are forming on my feet? Calluses are the result of increased pressure in a specific area. The friction due to that increased pressure causes a buildup of skin in the area that is dead and has no feeling. However, if enough of this skin builds up, then you can end up with pain in that area due to the additional pressure. So, how do you fix the calluses?

Well, there are a couple of ways to treat calluses. First, we can pad the areas and prevent them from rubbing up against your shoe and forming these calluses. For some people, this option will work great, but for others, it is not as helpful. Next, there is trimming the calluses. This can be done by visiting your podiatrist for the calluses to be trimmed down. Typically this is done about every three months unless your calluses grow quicker or slower than typical. Another option for treating calluses includes orthoses. Orthoses function as a way to hold your foot in a specific position correcting them and reducing the pressure in these specific areas. For many of us, our feet do not function in the “normal” way. So, we will often have at least one toe that will have more pressure on top of it or below it that will form a callus. Orthoses can be manufactured to offload these areas and prevent the excess pressure. Finally, if the deformity of your foot is severe enough and is causing you pain, surgery can be considered as a final option.

Something that you should know about all of these options is that they work great for some people and others they may not work at all. So, it is a game of elimination where we move through the options to see what works best for you.

If you or someone that you know is suffering from calluses that are causing you discomfort, you can contact our office at (978) 794-8406. Our office serves the Methuen, Tewksbury, North Andover and Lowell, Massachusetts area. Dr. Wachtel will be able to determine the cause of your pain and work with you to decide upon the best treatment plan for you.

Fall Fashion Report: Which Trends are Good for Your Feet?

The Fall Fashion World is in full swing and with it comes all of the new and old shoe designs for the season. So, here is a quick run-down of the fashionable vs. the comfortable and supportive.

First up, is the pointy toe pump. This shoe style has been around for years and with each new season they come out with new colors, designs and materials. However, one thing is still true about these shoes that just never changes and that is their pointy toe box. The toe box is the part of the shoe that holds your toes and needs to be the shape of your toes.  For many people, this is a more rounded shape. So, a pointed shape will lead to conditions such as bunions and calluses because the shoe material is directly putting pressure on the sides of your big toe and little toe. So, instead of pointy toe shoes, many women should opt for a round toe to accommodate their toes.

Second are the moccasins. Now, there is a lot we can learn from the Native Americans, but unfortunately true moccasins are not a good shoe to wear outside anymore. The newer moccasins have a rubber sole to them that provides for a greater amount of protection when you are walking around outside which will help prevent you from stepping on a nail. However, these shoes do not have a great deal of support to them. For most of us, we have some type of foot complication such as a flat foot, a high arch or we have had an injury to our ankle in the past. So, these shoes do not offer the support and structure that we need to prevent our feet from hurting or prevent reinjury.

Third, we have boots. Now, boots have become extremely stylish the past couple of years starting with the Uggs boots. Unfortunately, Uggs boots offer practically zero support to your ankle and really only aid in keeping your feet warm. However, in the past couple of years they have also started marketing riding boots as being more than just for riding a horse. These boots, if you buy the right ones, can actually offer a great deal of support for your feet. So, when you are shopping for your next pair of boots, it is important to look for ones that have a hard supportive material around your foot and ankle.

If you have any questions about the best type of shoe wear for your feet or if you are struggling with finding shoes that don’t hurt your feet, please give our office a call at (978) 794-8406. We serve the Westford, Dracut, Wilmington, and Billerica, Massachusetts areas.

Do You Have a Bump on your Little Toe?

Many people have a bump on their little toe that doesn’t cause them any trouble at all, but for others, these bumps can cause them a lot of pain. These bumps are called tailor’s bunions because in the past tailors would sit with their legs crossed and would form bumps on the sides of their little toe. Due to the pressure that your shoe puts on the side of your feet, these bunions can cause a great deal of discomfort and limit people’s time they can spend on their feet.

So, what are bunions, and what is the treatment for bunions? Well, to put it simply, a bunion is due to your bone moving farther to the side of your foot and so it pushes against your skin and forms the bump that you can see. This bump is what is pushing up against your shoe and causing you the discomfort. So, what can we do for them? The conservative treatment is always the best avenue to travel down first and consists of padding the bump to separate it from your shoe and cushion it from the pressure. You can also buy wider shoes to provide more room for the bump. You can also avoid sitting in positions that put pressure on that side of your foot.

The next option is surgery for bunions. These procedures are done very quickly and you are able to go home the same day. However, you will need to be in a boot for a couple of weeks to protect the stitches and to cushion your foot. The surgery will remove that bump that is causing you the pain though and will relieve the pressure.

So, what can you expect if you have a tailor’s bunion? Well, when you come into the office we’ll want to see what kinds of things you have already tried for your bunion and get a feel as to how much pain it is causing you. X-rays will probably be taken of your foot to determine exactly what part of the bone is contributing and what the best course of treatment is for you.

If you or someone that you know has a tailor’s bunion that you would like to have looked at, please call our office at (978) 794-8406 and we can schedule you an appointment at one of our four offices. We serve the Bradford, Methuen, Lowell and North Andover, Massachusetts areas and would be more than happy to see  you and help you get back up on your feet.

Is your Foot Swelling?

Do you suffer from swelling in your feet, ankles or legs? This may be due to venous insufficiency. Circulation through your body is controlled much like a pump system. As blood travels from your upper body down to your toes it is assisted by gravity. However, once it gets down to your toes, how on Earth is it going to get back? Well, this is where your pump system comes in. As you walk throughout the day, your muscles help to push the blood back up to your heart. While the blood is moving up, there are little valves inside your veins that open and close to prevent the blood from slipping back down to your toes. Now, in an ideal situation, this system works pretty flawlessly. But, as we get older, our veins may stretch leading to insufficiency of these valves because they aren’t able to get the tight seal they once could. So, as a result we can end up with varicose veins that are dilated and aren’t as efficient as the veins we once had.

So, what can cause varicose veins? Well, there are a whole slew of things. Obesity, pregnancy, prolonged standing and just plain aging can all lead to these larger veins. So, here’s the better question, what do we do about them? There are a few simple everyday things that you can do that will greatly reduce the swelling in your legs. The first thing you can do is very easy, just elevate your legs. By putting your legs up higher, you are allowing gravity to assist your valves and return the blood back to your heart. Compression stockings will also help, because they will provide more pressure evenly on your legs to assist the blood. As far as lifestyle changes, losing weight will help reduce the pressure on your veins and walking will assist your muscles.

Now, here’s the trouble with swelling, it can be a result of many different things, including infection, heart failure and blockage. So, it is very important that when you notice swelling in either or both of your feet, ankles or legs that you visit your doctor immediately. It is important that your condition be assessed so that the proper steps can be taken to take care of your condition. If you experience any of the above symptoms, our office staff would be more than happy to help you schedule an appointment. Dr. Wachtel serves the Middleton, Stoneham, Chelmsford and Lowell, Massachusetts areas.

Do You Feel Like There is a Pebble in Your Shoe?

Have you ever had the sensation of a pebble in your shoe when nothing is there or a burning, tingling sensation between your toes that goes away when you rest? If you have, then you may have a neuroma. A neuroma occurs when part of your nerve becomes entrapped and the constant rubbing against it causes inflammation and a scar like substance to build up on your nerve. In an area that is so small, this build-up can cause a great deal of discomfort. Depending on how large it is or how small your foot is, the pain can be downright unbearable. In the foot, the most common place for a person to get a neuroma is in between your 3^rd and 4^th toe.

Neuromas are a bit of a conundrum, because they can be tricky to diagnose and treat. However, many people have had a great deal of success and relief after treatment. As with most things, we always want to start with the simple treatments first. This means anything that is going to potentially relieve your pain without operating. So, for a neuroma, this includes orthoses that have padding built in to cushion your neuroma, wider shoes so that your toes are not pushing against the nerve, and steroid shots to numb and treat the neuroma.

Sometimes, conservative treatment doesn’t work though, and we are left with surgery as our last option. Typically before this point though, an x-ray and other imaging modalities will be used to determine if there is another cause for your pain or not. If it is indeed a neuroma then the surgical procedure is pretty straight forward and gets you back on your feet quickly.

If you or someone you know has been experiencing pain between their toes, our office would be more than happy to schedule you an appointment. We see people in the Methuen, Reading, North Andover and Tewksbury, Massachusetts area. Through a thorough clinical evaluation and diagnostic studies, Dr. Wachtel will be able to determine your diagnosis and the best treatment plan for you and your lifestyle.

The Lowdown on Hiking Boots

It’s starting to cool down just a little bit and it is the perfect time for you to go hiking. As many of you know, when you are go hiking you should always wear sunscreen, bug spray and bring a bottle of water. What many people forget is that you should wear a sturdy pair of hiking shoes.

Hiking trails are known for their rocks, limbs and uneven terrain. With all of these different things contributing to your hiking trails means that there are many opportunities for your ankles to twist or for you to step on something that could puncture the sole of your shoe. When you are looking for sturdy hiking boots, one trick that you can use is to turn the shoe upside and hold it at the toes and heel and bend the shoe. If it only bends at one area then these shoes are sturdier and will offer you better support, however, if they just crumple up, these shoes won’t offer you the support you need for the hiking trail.

Many people think that they can take the shoes that they use to run, bike or walk in everyday and that they can be used in any circumstance. However, shoes are designed with specific activities in mind. For instance, hiking boots have a thicker sole that prevents thorns from puncturing through the sole, they have increased strength and cushioning around your ankle to help prevent rolling, and they are often made out of waterproof material to allow you to hike any terrain.

If you are having any trouble with discomfort in your shoes, Dr. Wachtel would be able to recommend the best type of shoes for your particular sport. There is a wide range of shoes that are available that will offer you the greatest support and comfort allowing you to perform at your best. Our offices serve the Tewksbury, Reading, Methuen, and Lowell, Massachusetts area. Our office staff would be more than happy to help schedule you an appointment.

Kinesio taping and Minor Injuries

Dwight Freeney of the Indianapolis Colts was injured on Sunday during their game against the Chicago Bears. The Colts are concerned as to whether or not their player will be able to get back into the game next week or even this season. This will all depend on the severity of the injury to his ankle. Since ankle sprains can vary greatly in their severity, the injury could mean resting for a few days to an entire season.

A popular treatment that we have seen on our televisions lately is kinesio taping. Think back to the Olympics and the colored tape that you saw all over the swimmers and volleyball players. This type of tape has become popular quickly due to the personal testaments of the Olympic and professional athletes. The tape is used to assist injured joints and muscles to allow the athlete the ability to play with minor injuries.

Kinesio taping is applied along the length of a muscle or around a joint to offload the area and provide increased support allowing the injured area assistance. It is a waterproof tape that can be left on the skin for 3 days. There are no known contraindications to using the tape other than some fair skinned people may have a mild reaction. The tape can be bought at any of your local sports stores, but in order to learn how to properly apply the tape you must schedule a visit with your podiatrist. They can properly show you how to apply the tape as well as examine your injury.

It is important to assess the level of injury in order to determine the treatment that is best. Although, kinesio taping can be very helpful for mild injuries or for sore muscles anything that is more severe requires physical exam. After an exam, your podiatrist will be able to determine what extent of treatment you need as well as how long you will need to rest.

If you or someone you know is interested in kinesio taping, Dr. Wachtel would be more than happy to help determine what the best treatment would be for you. Our offices treat the Tewksbury, Reading, Methuen and Lowell, Massachusetts area.

Diabetic Ulcer Prevention with Orthotics

Diabetic foot care is all about the prevention of ulcers, neuropathy and the quick treatment if any of these conditions develop. Ulcerations is a huge concern for diabetic patients because a break in the skin of a diabetic patient can quickly lead to a medical emergency and amputation. It is not a matter that should be taken lightly and it requires immediate attention from a podiatrist.

Once a person with diabetes develops an ulcer, they are at risk for an ulcer in that location for the rest of their life. This is due to the fact that when skin heals, it will never return to its original strength. Since we have learned this, podiatrists work to take special precautions with these areas of the foot. One way that we do this is through orthosis. Many times when people hear about orthotics they think about inserts that change the position of the foot, diabetic orthosis are a little bit different. They are molded to fit the shape of your foot exactly so that there is no space between your foot and the surface of the orthosis. This serves to prevent any areas of increased pressure. Now, if you have an area that has had an ulcer in the past or is more prone to one, then your podiatrist will take the proper steps to provide extra accommodations for that area.

It is also necessary to come in for routine care every 2-3 months so that your podiatrist can keep an eye on you. They will be able to check between your toes and on your feet for any signs of ulcers or areas that may be prone to getting an ulcer. Through the relationship you form with your podiatrist you will be able to work together to help prevent any medical complications. It is very important that you maintain this relationship.

If you or someone you know has diabetes, our office would be more than happy to help you schedule an appointment. Our offices serve Billerica, Dracut, Westford and Methuen, Massachusetts. Dr. Wachtel would be more than happy to form a relationship with you to provide the best diabetic preventative care he can.

Diabetes Prevention

An interview with the CEO of EKF Diagnostics was recently interviewed about the prevention of diabetes. In recent studies, they have suggested that patients should be using a test known as HbA1C rather than a glucose stick test to monitor their sugar. A HbA1C is a test that looks at your sugar average over the past 2-3 months rather than a glucose stick test that just looks at it right now. By looking at an average over the past several months, your clinician is better able to tell if your body is processing your sugar the way that it should be or not.

If your HbA1C is high, then it will allow you to be able to make minimal adjustments such a diet monitoring, adding exercise to your daily routine and being more aware of your body before you become diabetic. As a result, you may be able to prevent diabetes and with it prevent all of the problems that result, such as hear conditions, loss of sensation, and kidney problems.

Diabetes is a difficult disease because it is a gateway disease that opens the door to all kinds of health issues throughout your entire body. Since it can cause so many additional issues, it is important to prevent diabetes and if you are diagnosed, to keep it under control. The best way to do this is through weight control. Each of us have extremely busy schedules and it can be difficult to fit exercise into our daily routine, but small changes can make a huge difference. So, when you get to work, take the stairs instead of the elevator, when you go to the grocery store, park at the end of the parking lot instead of trying to fight for the closest spot, and encourage family activities like hiking, biking, or taking an evening walk. All of these activities will not only promote a healthy lifestyle for you, but it will help your family members to be healthy as well. It is important that we learn these concepts from an early age so that we can lead as healthy of a life as we can.

If you are concerned about the health of yourself or someone you know, our office would be more than happy to schedule you an appointment. Dr. Wachtel can teach you the signs and symptoms of diabetes as well as the best preventative steps that you can take. Dr. Wachtel also has a book that you can receive for free titled Diabetes and Your Healthy Feet. Our offices serve the Burlington, Chelmsford, Newburyport and Lowell, Massachusetts areas.

How to Tell Athlete’s Foot vs. Dry Skin

Athlete’s foot stems from a fungus that lives in dark, moist areas. We have all heard the tips that we should be wearing flip flops when we use public showers, unfortunately this is not the only way to catch athlete’s foot. Walking through any area that is moist, such as a puddle, a river, or even the Amazon can get your socks and shoes wet and allow the fungus to flourish inside your shoes. This is why it is so important to keep your feet dry. So, after you have walked through a wet area or showered, it is important to dry off your feet, but don’t forget the spaces between your toes. For some people, they naturally have sweaty feet. So, if you are one of these people, then it is very important for you to change your socks several times throughout the day to keep your feet dry.

Now what about dry skin vs. athlete’s foot? Well, that can be a hard one quite frankly. Typically we think of athlete’s foot as being itchy, but dry skin can also be itchy. Athlete’s foot also has a tendency to burn and tingle, but it may not also have these characteristics. Now as for the tell-tale signs, there are only a couple.

1.       The appearance of the dry skin

a.       In athlete’s foot, you will tend to have a moccasin distribution of your dry skin, which means that you will have a ring of dry skin around your heel and on both sides of your foot and up to the toes. There will also be dry skin on the bottom of your feet.

2.       Another tell-tale sign is dry skin moving into the spaces between your toes. This is never going to be a normal presentation.

The key to remember is that dependent upon the severity of your athlete’s foot will depend on the presentation. In a very mild case, it really will just look like dry skin, the moccasin will not appear until your athlete’s foot has progressed pretty significantly. But, if you have dry skin in between your toes, that is cause to come in right away.

So, how do we treat this pesky fungus? There are some over the counter creams and sprays, but they don’t always work for everyone. At that point we can turn to prescription antibiotic cream and an over the counter spray/powder to disinfect your shoes. Worse case scenario is an oral antibiotic if it is a difficult case.

If you or someone you know in the Methuen, Reading, North Andover or Lowell, Massachusetts area has had symptoms consistent with athlete’s foot, we would be happy to schedule you an appointment at one of our offices.