Trench Foot, Immersion Foot

Trench Foot (Immersion Foot) is necrosis of the skin and toes, which can develop due to prolonged exposure of the feet to cold water or simultaneous exposure to dampness and cold.

The cause of the development of this disease is damage to the small vessels and nerves of the foot under the influence of cold and moisture. This leads to impaired blood circulation and innervation of the tissues of the foot.

Symptoms include numbness, tingling, and pain in the feet, which may become waxy and pale over time. The skin becomes soft and easily damaged. As the disease progresses, blisters, ulcers, and tissue death develop.

The main risk factors are prolonged wearing of wet shoes, exposure of feet to cold water, high humidity and low temperatures. More often, trench foot occurs in military personnel working in wet conditions.

Treatment includes gradual warming of the feet, elevated position of the legs, and the use of dry dressings. In severe cases, surgery may be required.

Prevention consists of wearing warm and dry shoes, regularly changing socks, and using water-repellent products for shoes and feet.

Necrosis of the skin and tissue on the foot is a dangerous disease called “trench foot.” It usually occurs in people who spend a lot of time outdoors, such as fishermen, mine workers, or military personnel.

Typically, this occurs due to exposure of a person's feet to low temperatures and humidity. Cold water can dry out the skin, which leads to dryness and further dehydration of the skin, reducing its protective ability against external influences. In case of prolonged exposure to a wet/cold environment, the skin loses its ability to retain moisture and, as a result, dryness and cracks occur on the skin and in the fingers themselves.

Trench foot usually occurs on the fingers, big toes, or foot. Cases with soles and heels are also known. Men are most often affected, but cases in women are also common. However, the diseases do not have gender differences.

1. Introduction

Trench foot, or immersion foot, is one of the most common infectious diseases of the lower extremities, resulting from prolonged exposure of the feet to a wet or dirty environment, causing inflammation and necrosis of the skin. Usually caused by the bacterium Ecthyma major, which thrives in conditions of high humidity, low temperature and dirty

What is trench foot

Trench feet (eng. trench foot, immersion foot) is the inability to feel some parts of one’s own body, most often the limbs. In medicine, there are 2 subtypes of this pathology: the first, when the foot suddenly becomes numb, cold and painful, and the second, when the limb becomes numb and stops hurting. By “temporary” we also mean temporary, but at the same time significantly dependent on various circumstances - a person’s mood, the environment, etc.

Causes of the disease

The causes and accompanying conditions for the development of paresthesia (also known as numbness, numbness, coldness) include the following:

decreased sweat production; cold water in the swimming pool; direct contact with a draft; staying in damp areas for a long time; untimely removal of feet, leading to wet feet; unswept puddle; malicious neglect of walking on the ground barefoot (hunting, fishing, gardening). Somatic diseases such as thrombophlebitis, impaired blood flow, diabetes, leukemia, and thyrotoxicosis can contribute to the occurrence of symptoms. A sore may appear due to Botkin's disease, AIDS. Pregnancy is one of the reasons for the lack of blood supply, which even affects nerve impulses. This pathology does not occur without injuries in athletes under severe physical exertion. It is found among professionals working in confined conditions (miners, scuba divers, hospital patients).