This disease is a sudden formation on the foot, which is localized, as a rule, in the area of the joint. Such a tumor causes concern and fear, but often they are groundless, since this pathology is easily cured and diagnosed as foot hygroma.
Description
This is a rounded tumor-like formation filled inside with a viscous transparent or yellowish liquid. Outside, the tumor is surrounded by dense connective tissue. Anatomically, it is associated with the tendon sheath, or joint capsule. That is why the hygroma on the foot is located next to the joint. In terms of the prevalence of tumors of this nature, this formation on the foot ranks second after formations that are localized on the hands. The bump in most cases is formed in the area of the wrist joint, and often it can occur on the back surfaces of the legs.
This pathological neoplasm is formed through the degeneration of normal connective tissue. ATas a result of such a degenerative-dystrophic process, a protrusion of this element begins to occur above the surface of the skin. Specialists in the study of such a formation identified two main types of pathological cells from which it can form: spindle-shaped, which create a capsule, and spherical, which are capable of producing fluid that fills this tumor.
There is only one way to get rid of a neoplasm - by completely removing pathological tissues, since it is almost impossible to cope with such a problem with conservative methods or alternative treatment of foot hygroma.
Causes of occurrence
To date, medical science has not established why the formation of joint hygroma occurs. Nevertheless, doctors identify some risk factors that can lead to its formation.
Hygroma of the foot occurs, as a rule, in the following cases:
- After suffering inflammatory diseases of the tendons (tendinosis, tendovaginitis) or joint pathologies (arthritis).
- Excessive stress on the feet, which occurs most often in people of certain professions, for example, loaders, as well as athletes and people who are forced to be on their feet for a long time.
- Wearing uncomfortable shoes, most commonly seen among women who wear high heels
- After receiving a variety of foot or ankle injuries.
- Geneticpredisposition to the occurrence of this disease.
Traumatologists emphasize that in most cases, hygroma begins to form after a single injury or increased load, which provokes microtraumatization of the articular tissue.
Symptoms of a pathological phenomenon
When forming a hygroma of the foot, visual manifestations are typical, which gives specialists the opportunity to recognize the pathological condition by conducting a routine objective examination, collecting an anamnesis and familiarizing themselves with the main complaints of the patient.
At the initial stages of the disease, a small protrusion appears on the foot in the form of a kind of tumor, slightly rising above the surface of the skin. In most cases, a single cyst is formed, however, there are also cases when multiple lesions of the human foot were observed. Since the capsule is usually located near the joint, in the later stages it begins to interfere with the movement of the foot.
A tendinous cyst has the following characteristic features:
- Soft and elastic structure (in some cases it becomes hard, but this phenomenon is extremely rare).
- This neoplasm has clear boundaries.
- The size of the pathological capsule can be from a few millimeters to eight centimeters.
- The cyst is immobile because it is tightly attached to the adjacent tendon.
- Skin over the formation whenIn the absence of an infectious lesion, they look he althy and move over the cyst, since they are not associated with it.
- Pain syndrome at rest, as a rule, is absent, however, with pressure or during physical activity, pain of a blunted or sharp nature may occur.
- When the tumor compresses the blood vessels, the pulse in the foot begins to slow down, the foot becomes cool and may lose sensation in some areas.
- Small size formations do not limit joint mobility, but may interfere with wearing shoes.
For foot hygroma is characterized by a gradual increase in size over time, but there are cases when the process of formation of such a capsule and its filling with liquid takes a short period of time - several days. When the presence of an anastomosis with the articular cavity is observed, an independent decrease in the size of the neoplasm during rest and an increase during physical activity is possible. Self-resorption of this cyst is impossible.
Diagnosis of disease
As a rule, a pathological formation on the foot is diagnosed very simply, but sometimes specialists may suspect other tumor processes of a malignant or benign nature, as well as concomitant diseases of the joints. In such cases, differential diagnosis techniques and examination of the patient are used.
To the list of methods required to determinediagnosis, includes the following procedures:
- Ultrasound examination of the area in which the neoplasm is localized.
- X-ray of the foot.
- Puncture of contents from pathological capsule.
- Computer or magnetic resonance imaging.
After examining the affected area, as well as listening to the patient's complaints and collecting an anamnesis of the disease, the doctor begins the examination and makes an accurate diagnosis, after which the appropriate treatment for foot hygroma is prescribed. The photos presented in the article clearly show what the tumor looks like.
Hygroma in a child
Children are very rarely affected by this disease. As a rule, the tumor develops in the popliteal region. Hygroma in children can form in the presence of a genetic predisposition, if a combination of certain specific factors contributes to this circumstance. It is most common among children who play sports from an early age.
Clinical signs of hygroma in a child are the same as in adults. When parents find a similar neoplasm on the foot of their children, they need to examine and operate on them in a short time. Removal of the tumor in children is usually carried out under general anesthesia. What is the treatment for foot hygroma?
Methods of treating the disease
Treatment of this pathological phenomenon on the foot can be carried out with the help of some medications and folk remedies, however, in more severe situations, physiological treatment and surgicalintervention. Hygroma therapy methods are determined by a specialist after diagnosing the pathology in each individual case individually. The doctor, when deciding on the treatment of a patient, must necessarily take into account such factors as the size of the neoplasm, the rate of its growth, the symptoms of the pathological process, the duration of the disease and the localization of this tumor. The degree of traumatization largely depends on the location of the hygroma.
So, for example, a tumor located on the top of the foot and not having symptomatic manifestations can be cured with the help of physiotherapy and folk methods. At the same time, such a hygroma, which is located on the sole, is subject to prompt removal, since there is a high probability that a person will injure it while walking and will face some complications. During therapeutic procedures, the load on this area of the foot should be completely excluded. What else is the treatment of foot hygroma?
Operational techniques
The main indications for a patient to have a surgical resolution of this problem are:
- Rapid increase in tumor size.
- Sudden hygroma formation.
- Severe pain syndrome accompanying a pathological phenomenon.
- Impaired movement and mobility of the joint.
During the operation of foot hygroma, surgeons cut the skin and separatepathological capsule from the tendons. After removal, the surface of the wound is sutured for a period of a week. Surgical manipulation of this kind is the most effective way to get rid of hygroma, however, it does not give a full guarantee that the pathology will not recur in the future.
Conservative therapies
When treating such a pathology with traditional methods, there is a high risk that the cyst will form again after a certain time, since the capsule remains and begins to fill with liquid contents again. During conservative therapy, various bandages with ointments are applied to the affected area or pressure bandages are practiced.
Physiotherapy for this pathology
These techniques are used, as a rule, in the postoperative period and are aimed at preventing the development of complications. However, for small neoplasms, they can act as the main treatment. A patient with foot hygroma is assigned:
- Paraffin heating of the skin and tendons.
- Shock wave therapy.
- Laser stimulation.
- Electrophoresis with some medications.
- Ultrasound and magnetic therapy.
Medical practice shows that physiotherapy is not able to completely cure hygroma, but can significantly reduce it in size. Hygroma of the foot is also treated with folk remedies.
Folk treatments for hygroma
The use of traditional medicine gives very little effect, and suchfunds can only be used as an adjunct to the surgical method. For external use, as a rule, home-made ointments, compresses and lotions based on some medicinal herbs, clay, honey and cabbage are used. With foot hygroma, folk remedies should be used only in combination.
Puncture of hygroma
The most common way to get rid of hygroma is a puncture performed with a needle and syringe, which is performed under local anesthesia. At the same time, specialists pierce the capsule and pump out the liquid contents from it. After that, antiseptics or antibacterial liquids are infused into the capsule, especially in the presence of purulent processes.
There is also a modified version of foot hygroma removal, which is called sclerosis. After the fluid is pumped out of the hygroma, a special sclerosing agent is introduced into its cavity, which helps to collapse and stick together its walls, which prevents the subsequent filling of the hygroma and its relapse.
Prevention of this disease
In order to prevent the formation of hygroma, you need to protect your leg from stress and injury. Shoes should be comfortable and fit properly. It is also necessary to diagnose and treat inflammatory pathologies of the joints and tendons in time.
Reviews about foot hygroma
What do people say about this disease? Let's take a closer look at this issue. Observations of specialists of surgical departments, as well as people who have undergone such a pathologicalcondition, like hygroma, reflect the essence of this problem and the causes of its occurrence. It has been noticed that the female half is most often affected by this disease, which is due to wearing uncomfortable shoes and high heels. In men, hygroma occurs less frequently, and its occurrence is most often associated with professional activities or sports injuries. Patients who left feedback on this pathology were treated, mainly by surgical methods, which are based on the removal of a pathological formation of the foot.
