I recently was shovelling the drive-way for a long period of time and I wasn't wearing the best boots. When I came in to warm my feet up I noticed that my feet were very red and itchy. Could this be Chilblains?
Chilblains is a painful reaction of the blood vessels in the skin when exposed to cold temperatures. The cold exposure damages capillary beds in the skin, which can cause redness, itching, blisters and inflammation. When they are warmed too quickly, your blood vessels expand in the response to the heat. As a result, your blood vessels become inflamed , which causes chilblains.
Chilblains is usually the result of an abnormal reaction of the body to cold. It tends to develop on skin that is exposed to cold and is then warmed too quickly. It can occur after, for example, warming hands directly in front of a heater or fire. The cooling and rapid heating can cause small blood vessels under the skin to expand more quickly than your blood vessels can handle. It results in a blockage and blood leaking into nearby tissues. It is unclear why this occure in certain people.
The signs and symptoms of Chilblains:
- Burning sensation on the skin
- Changes in skin color from red to dark blue, accompanied by pain
- Inflammation of the skin
- Possible blistering
- Possible ulceration
- Small, itchy red areas on the skin
- Swelling
- Avoid or limit exposure to cold. Dress Warm!
- Cover all exposed skin when going outside in cold weather
- If skin is exposed to cold, be sure to warm gradually
- Improve blood flow by using alternating hot and cold footbaths
- Keep active. This helps improve circulation.
- Make sure damp winter shoes are dry before wearing them. Do not put on cold, humid shoes.
- Moisturize feet regularly. This stops them from drying out and the skin from cracking.
http://www.drrobertrosenstein.com/
And Remember........."When your feet hurt, you hurt all over!"
No comments:
Post a Comment