Footnotes: Blog of ETFA
Toenail Fungus – Onychomycosis
One of the most common foot conditions Dr. Sowell sees everyday is painful onychomycosis. That is to say that fungal nails have become very common in our society today and it is estimated that over 35 million people have fungal toenails in the United States alone. ...
Neuropathy
Neuropathy is a term that is often heard when discussing foot complications. It seems that patients generally understand that neuropathy is a change in the nervous system often times in the foot but they have a terrible time describing how it feels. “My feet tingle...
Viral Attacks – Warts and Your Feet
Just a quick note of explanation concerning wart infections of the feet. There are many theories concerning how a wart survives on a foot that can often confuse our understanding of treatment. I like to explain to my patients that a wart is a viral attack on the...
Gout
Gouty arthritis, or hyperuricemia is a common type of arthritis that occurs when uric acid builds up in blood and causes joint inflammation. In my practice, the most common descriptors patients present with are a painful, hot, swollen and red joint in the foot. The...
Diabetic Neuropathy
Diabetic neuropathy is a peripheral nerve disorder caused by diabetes or poor blood sugar control. The most common types of diabetic neuropathy result in problems with sensation in the feet. It can develop slowly after many years of diabetes or may occur early in the...
Charcot Foot
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is one of the most common inherited neurological disorders, affecting approximately 1 in 2,500 people in the United States. The disease is named for the three physicians who first identified it in 1886 - Jean-Martin Charcot and Pierre...
Athlete’s Foot
Probably one of the most missed diagnosis of the foot I see is Chronic Dermatophytosis, aka Athlete’s Foot. We all seem to recognize the acute form many get in high school where the feet itch excessively and the skin between the toes is wet and has turned white, aka...
Haglund’s Deformity – The Old Pump Bump
Haglund’s deformity is a bony enlargement on the back of the heel. The soft tissue near the Achilles tendon becomes irritated when the bony enlargement rubs against shoes. This often leads to painful bursitis, which is an inflammation of the bursa (a fluid-filled sac...
The Gift of Pain
As a podiatrist I see many foot wounds. Many of them due to an accident or an injury but most often due to a lack of pain. It is hard to think of pain as a gift but in the case of the neuropathic foot it is. When walking our brain receives thousands of messages...
New Practice Paradigm at Sowell Podiatry
I’m sure most of you read the papers, watch the news and realize that the landscape of medical practice in America is rapidly changing. Sometimes in small subtle changes within particular specialties, rules concerning various types of care, and sometimes in massive...
Amputation prevention in East Texas
As a podiatrist, amputation prevention is one of my primary goals. Every day I see patients with serious wounds, infections, injuries and insults that put them at risk of losing a toe, foot or limb. Patients that are lacking adequate circulation and/or have lost...
Fungal Toenails aka Onychomycosis at Sowell Podiatry
Onychomycosis is an infection of the nail by fungi that include dermatophytes, non-dermatophyte molds and yeasts. The nails become thick, yellow, opaque, brittle and dystrophic. This can become painful over time and often spreads from nail to nail or skin. ...
Medicare Changes on Toenail Debridements
In August 2011 our regional version of Medicare made significant changes in how podiatry is practiced. Unfortunately, in my opinion, it is not for the better and I feel obligated to try to explain it to my patients because there is much confusion surrounding the...
Regents Academy Eagles Win Their First High School Basketball Game!
Many of my patients know that I am actively involved with Regents Academy in Nacogdoches. In fact, I currently have the honor of serving the school as Board Chairman. A lesser known fact about my involvement at the school is that I am the high school basketball...
Dr. Sowell Back at the Keyboard!
First of all, my apologies for not blogging in a while. My excuse is two-fold...lol. My trip to Ireland in August was wonderful (I'll post some pictures later) but it caused me to take a break from blogging that I never recovered from. The second reason I have not...
Sowell Podiatry Core Value #4
Sowell Podiatry Core Value #4. We strive to reduce diabetic foot complications for our patients, and our community, through education, prevention and early detection of diabetic foot risks.