Charcot's syndrome - what is it and how does it manifest itself? It is to these questions that we will devote this article.
Description of the disease
Charcot's syndrome (or intermittent claudication) is a disease that is characterized by the occurrence, as well as increased pain and weakness in the lower extremities while walking. Such manifestations often make the patient stop, because at rest these symptoms practically do not bother. Most often, people experience this deviation as a result of:
- excessive addiction to alcoholic beverages and tobacco;
- overweight;
- high blood cholesterol;
- heredity, etc.
Main symptoms
Charcot's syndrome is a rather painful condition that causes discomfort to the patient and significantly impairs the quality of his life. With such a deviation, a person often complains of a feeling of fatigue, as well as discomfort and pain in the lower extremities while walking, especially in the gluteal region and calf muscles. There are also cases when pain is localized in the muscle tissues of the thighs and lower back. According to patients diagnosed with Charcot, the disease partially subsides and weakens immediately aftershort rest.
With such a disease in the distal parts of the lower extremities, the patient often has trophic and vegetative-vascular disorders (for example, acrocyanosis, coldness of the feet, marbling of the skin and their dystrophic changes, lack of pulse on the arteries of the feet, as well as gangrene of the fingers, which often extends proximally).
Among other things, Charcot's syndrome is also characterized by degenerative-dystrophic changes in bones and joints (hypertrophy of individual sections, cartilage degeneration, bone sequesters, osteophytes, intra-articular and spontaneous fractures of tubular bones). In addition, looseness and reduced sensitivity of the joints significantly increase the risk of traumatic injuries.
Causes of occurrence
Charcot's syndrome is a disease caused by damage to the arteries of the legs (thrombangiitis, obliterating atherosclerosis, peripheral form of nonspecific aortoarteritis, etc.). Pain in the patient occurs due to insufficient blood flow to the muscle tissues of the lower extremities. Also, the disease can occur as a result of compression of the cauda equina in spinal stenosis, less often due to spinal cord ischemia in arteriovenous malformation or atherosclerosis of the aorta.
Treatment of disease
Therapy for intermittent claudication is the direct treatment of the main source of the disease, namely the arteries. As a rule, in such situations, doctorsadvise their patients to give up all bad habits, reduce weight and follow a strict diet. Patients are also prescribed a special set of physical exercises that will help overcome the signs of the disease.
As for conservative methods of treatment, they include taking various medications. Their action gives an analgesic and vasodilating effect. Pharmaceutical products also help lower blood cholesterol and thin it.
In case of urgent need, surgical intervention is used, during which the lumen of the artery is expanded by inserting a special catheter into it.
Charcot-Marie-Tooth Syndrome
This deviation is a group of hereditary diseases characterized by degeneration of peripheral nerve fibers. It should be especially noted that different variants of the named syndrome can be based on different genetic defects. Most of these diseases are inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. However, variants of diseases associated with the linkage of the X chromosome have now been identified.
With such a diagnosis as Charcot-Marie syndrome, the patient's spinal cord and peripheral nerves are affected. Axonal neuropathy or demyelinating neuropathy may develop depending on the specific genetic defect.
Most often, the presented deviation begins to develop in adolescence or adolescence. The symptoms of this group of the disease increase over time, and the disease progresses, resulting in a moderate degree.non-fatal disability.
Symptoms of deviation
This disease begins to manifest itself with atrophy of the distal muscle tissues of the legs and weakness. Over time, the feet become deformed, and the fingers become hammer-shaped and large. Children with this diagnosis almost always have a delay in physical development.
Treatment of hereditary disease
There is no specific therapy for this pathological condition. However, to improve the patient's well-being, doctors often prescribe therapeutic exercises and occupational therapy. In addition, patients with such a diagnosis actively use all kinds of medical devices to eliminate pain symptoms. For example, with a hanging foot, an orthopedic brace is used to strengthen the lower leg, and so on. Genetic counseling is also quite important.
Von Willebrand disease
It should be especially noted that not only Charcot's syndrome belongs to hereditary diseases. von Willebrand disease can also be passed from immediate family members.
As you know, the presented deviation is the most common type of hereditary disorders leading to impaired blood coagulation or coagulation process. However, often this disease also occurs during life as a result of the action of other diseases (that is, the acquired form).
Disease symptoms
The risk of bleeding with this deviation is significantlydiffers depending on the type of disease. The main signs of this hereditary disorder are periodic nosebleeds, causeless appearance of hematomas and bruises, bleeding gums, and so on. Women may have heavy periods, and there is a risk of losing large amounts of blood during childbirth.
Treatment of disease
Patients with this diagnosis do not require any treatment, but they are always at increased risk of heavy bleeding. Thus, the patient may be recommended drugs that reduce this overt symptom of the disease. If the patient is scheduled to undergo a surgical operation, then doctors will definitely carry out preventive treatment.
