It is very hot, and as a result, we minimize the surface of the skin or other materials that cover the feet. So they are not protected from various external aggressions such as bacteria, fungi, bumps, wounds and what the podiatrists of the Illustrious Official College of Podiatrists of the Valencian Community (ICOPCV) call “strange bodies”.
Connected
And how do you explain Jorge Escoto, orthopedist and member of the Board of Directors of ICOPCV.
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We can define how “weird body” to any element that enters our body in any of the natural ways, whether it be the skin or any opening, and this prevents the proper functioning of the organ, which can cause various types of damage.
And although this may seem like a minor issue, the truth is that orthopedic consultations many patients suffer from discomfort or pain, because of these foreign elements stuck in the lower extremities.
What are the “most common foreign bodies”?
Most often this sharp objects that get stuck in the skinusually on the soles of the feet.
Most often, orthopedists discover during their consultations:
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Small chips.
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Cactus thorns or thorns.
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Crystals.
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Animal hair.
“Obviously, summer is the time when such cases occur the most, because pwe roast barefoot more time and when we use shoes, they do not fully protect the foot, as it happens with winter shoes,” says Jorge Escoto.
How do we know if we have a “foreign body” stuck in our leg?
There are times when a nuisance can make us think we cut ourselves or just clicked on something.
To find out if this thorn or this crystal is still inside the skin, the main thing is:
- Determine if pain occurs when touching this area. Orthopedists note that when you click on this area, you can notice something, even if it is not visible.
- There may also be redness of this area, an infection. or even bleed. This will depend on the type of pinned object.
“If these symptoms occur, it is important go to the orthopedist because it has the necessary illumination, knowledge and tools to extract it, whatever its nature may be.
An orthopedist is a specialized specialist to ensure that the removal of the foreign body is carried out correctlywithout damaging other surrounding tissues.
We do not have to treat these lesions at home.
Experts insist that no matter how many people try to fix it on their own, such injuries should not be treated at home. And as the orthopedist explains:
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“No matter how much you think about it, this is not a domestic problem that anyone can solve without problems, and the consequence of this is that later, at the consultation, we see problems that are greatly aggravated precisely because of this.”
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“The case can reach very difficult extremes, as in the case of people with diabetes, who, in addition, have great difficulty with treatment and can form ulcers.”
And that’s what sometimes it’s so hard to extract that shard or that crystal what the specialist needs during the consultation itself resort to scouting from this area with ultrasound area or plain radiograph.
After removing the sharp element, the orthopedist, if necessary, may prescribe some kind of medical treatment (as in cases of infection) and that it is necessary to control the lesion.
What not to do in case of a possible “foreign body”
While it’s true that these types of injuries are very small and usually not serious, being confident that we can treat them at home can complicate matters.
For this reason, Valencian orthopedists indicate everything you should NOT do at home if something is stuck in your legs:
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The first thing don’t click on the zonetherefore, the only thing we can achieve is that the foreign body penetrates the skin much deeper.
- Never you should try to remove the foreign body with your nails. In addition to being very difficult, we can further destroy this territory.
- Do not do this with regular tweezers. because it is possible that we end up trapping a “foreign body” in them, but the problem is that in doing so we can overtighten, which very often happens without sanitary knowledge, and break a splinter, hair or glass, making it difficult to remove it later medical worker.
Special caution in diabetics
“Patients with diabetes should be given special attention and be careful with such injuries as in many cases they can be punctured by a foreign body and lack of sensation in the foot to detect it and identify the pain that it can cause, even if they are not aware of this deficiency, ”emphasizes Jorge Escote.
So for diabetics summer recommendation:that they wear shoes most of the time and that they only go barefoot at certain times and in places that are safe for their feet.”
“Except, the soles of the feet should be inspected or checked daily and if you suspect something is pinned down or you have a cut on the sole of your foot, see a trusted podiatrist for proper examination, retrieval, treatment and control,” insists the podiatrist.