Preventing Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

Deep vein thrombosis is a blood clot that forms in the deep veins of the legs most commonly, but can also occur in the veins of the upper extremities. That is because the blood cot, which usually forms in a calf or thigh deep veins can partially or completely block blood flow back to the heart and cause damage to the one-way valves in the veins.

The clot can also break free and travel through your blood to major organs, such as your lungs, which can be fatal. By visiting your podiatrist in Sammamish, WA you can better understand DVT and how to properly prevent it from occurring.

To lower your risk and help prevent deep vein thrombosis, follow these important steps:
 

• Maintain an active lifestyle and exercise daily.
• Manage your weight by exercising and eating a healthy diet.
• If you smoke, it is important to quit.
• Check your blood pressure regularly, and check steps to lower it if necessary.
• Report any family or personal history of blood-clotting problems to your podiatrist in Sammamish, WA.
• Discuss alternatives to birth control pills or hormone-replacement therapy
• If you are on an airplane for more than 4 hours, either walk or do leg stretches in your seat and also stay well hydrated and avoid alcohol consumption.

Visit Dr. Howard Schaengold your Sammamish, WA podiatrist for further information on deep vein thrombosis and for more tips on how to prevent DVT from developing.

Often, the problems in your feet and ankles go away with time, rest, ice, anti-inflammatories and shoe gear changes. However, sometimes these problems just won’t go away, and that is when you should visit your podiatrist in Sammamish for further diagnosis and treatment.

When Should I See a Podiatrist?

If you are having a specific foot problem, your best bet is to visit your podiatrist in Sammamish for the best care available.  Several serious conditions, such as diabetes and peripheral arterial disease, can show up in your feet first, making it more important than ever to visit your podiatrist.

A Wound or Sore Does Not Heal

If you have an open sore on your foot or ankle, you should visit your Sammamish podiatrist immediately.  This is especially important if you have diabetes, as it usually takes you longer to heal.

Aging Feet

Some changes to your feet are normal as you age, but having pain isn’t one of them.  As you begin putting more miles on your feet, you may notice that your feet may change shape, lose cushioning, experience skin changes; develop arthritis, and an array of other complications. 

Pain Increasing with Activity or Lasting more than 24 Hours

If you are experiencing pain that gets worse with activity, this may be a sign of a stress fracture.  You should not try to work through the pain; instead it is vital that you visit your podiatrist in Sammamish.  If you treat a stress fracture early, you can potentially avoid more serious problems such as a stress fracture that will not heal, or one that turns into an actual broken bone. 

Don’t ignore your foot or ankle pain.  Visit your Sammamish podiatrist for immediate diagnosis, and treatment, as well as prevention of the worsening of symptoms.  

Drop a can of soup on your foot or whack your toe into a wall—we have all been there before.  While you may not think anything of these common “stubs,” you may begin to experience a throbbing, swollen, broken toe.  A broken toe is painful, so don’t suffer through it—visit your podiatrist in Sammamish for a diagnosis and proper treatment plan.

Conservative treatments can often help decrease the pain and swelling to help the fracture heal properly.  Your Sammamish podiatrist offers these at home solutions to help with healing your broken toe:

• Elevation – by keeping your foot raised above the level of your heart, you can help decrease swelling and discomfort. Prop your foot up on some pillows, especially when sleeping.
• Ice – put ice in a plastic bag and apply it to your injured toe for 15-20 minutes every 1-2 hours for the first couple days.  Don’t forget to place a towel between the skin and the ice to protect your skin.
• Rest – avoid any strenuous exercise, prolonged standing, or walking.  Crutches or a special show may be needed when walking to avoid placing extra weight on the broken toe while it heels, which can be determined by your podiatrist in Sammamish.

Depending on the location and severity of your broken toe, your Sammamish podiatrist might need to splint or cast your toe.  Contact us at Howard Schaengold, DPM for further diagnosis and treatment planning for the proper healing of your broken toe so that you can get back to your normal day-to-day schedule. 

The foot contains 26 bones and more than 30 joints, which can create multiple areas for pain to originate.  Swelling, tenderness, stiffness, redness, bruising, and/or increased warmth may accompany the pain in the affected joints. Your podiatrist in Sammamish describes joint pain as being caused by trauma, infection, arthritis, bursitis, gout, or structural foot problems.

When you first notice any joint pain in your foot and ankle, your Sammamish podiatrist may initially treat your pain with the conservative treatment, RICE, which stands for:

• Rest
• Ice
• Compression
• Elevation

Your podiatrist in Sammamish will also recommend a limitation of walking and weight bearing on the painful foot to ensure further damage does not develop.  Use of steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, and ice can also help to reduce local inflammation and pain.  Custom orthotics may also be prescribed to support the foot and reduce the pain. 

Howard Schaengold, DPM can best determine the cause of joint pain and recommend the appropriate treatment.  If you are experiencing joint pain in your foot or ankle, schedule an appointment today to ensure a speedy recovery. 

Have you ever twisted your ankle while participating in a sport?  Or maybe you simply slipped while walking?  Either way, ankle sprains and fractures should not be ignored.  Ankle sprains are common injuries that occur when ligaments are stretched or torn, with nearly 85% occurring laterally, or on the outside of the ankle joints. By visiting your podiatrist in Sammamish, you can receive the care you need to get back on your feet.

Symptoms of a Sprained or Fractured Ankle

Your symptoms upon spraining your ankle may vary depending on the severity of your pain and how it occurred. The symptoms of an ankle sprain may include:

• Pain or soreness
• Swelling
• Bruising
• Difficulty walking
• Stiffness in the joint

All ankle sprains will produce some level of pain at the time of your injury and the joint will also feel tender, beginning to swell.  If your sprain is mild, you may experience a slight loss in the function of your joint.

With a more serious sprain, you will most likely fall during the initial impact of the injury.  It will often be difficult to move or put weight on your injured ankle, producing bruising and swelling from the ankle to the foot.  Once you have had ankle sprains or other ankle injuries before, you may have a weakened joint that creates more of a chance for future injuries to take place.

Common symptoms of an ankle fracture are similar to ankle sprains, and include:

• Pain to touch
• Swelling
• Bruising
• Inability to walk on the leg
• Deformity around the ankle

Treatment and Prevention

Treatment for your ankle sprain begins with self-care.  The RICE evaluation is highly recommended upon the initial onset of your injury:

• Rest
• Ice
• Compression
• Elevation

When your podiatrist feels you are ready to begin participating in sports and exercising, you can help prevent further sprains and fractures by wearing an ankle brace during the first initial months of being back on your ankle.  Special wraps are also available to protect your ankle. 

If your symptoms still persist after taking the initial step of at-home-care, or if you suspect you might have a fracture, a visit to your Sammamish podiatrist may be in order.  With a consultation with Howard Schaengold, DPM, your ankle sprain or fracture can be treated and further prevented.  There is no need to put an end to your athletic lifestyle with recurring ankle injuries.