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Trench foot is a condition in which the sweat glands of the bottom of the foot are over productive resulting in excessive perspiration. Perspiration in trench foot is so excessive that the skin of the bottom of the foot becomes thickened, macerated and painful. This condition is most common in adolescents and young adults.
Each of us has a set point for our metabolism somewhat like the thermostat in our homes. Some folks have a higher set point than others. For some, a high set point may be due to anxiety, stress, hyperthyroidism, hypoadrenalism or excessive fluid intake. For others, it's just their natural metabolic set point that results in excessive perspiration.
Quite often we'll see that a person's occupation contributes to trench foot. Workers who wear boots, particularly rubber boots, are most suseptible to trench foot. The jungles of Vietnam and combat boots were a 'shoe in' for trench foot.
Trench foot, also called hyperhydrosis or immersion foot, often results in an embarrassing odor called bromhydrosis. The distinctive odor of smelly tennis shoes is actually caused by bacteria helping to decompose the perspiration and dead skin cells on the foot and those that are left in the shoe. How many pairs of tennis shoes do you have in the garage or on the back porch due to bromhydrosis?
Those from the alternative side of the healthcare fence will be reluctant to inhibit perspiration as a method of treating trench foot. Their philosophy is that perspiration is a natural way that the body is ridding itself of toxic material. Inhibiting perspiration by any means will result in the accumulation of free radicals and other metabolic waste. For most folks who suffer from trench foot, decreasing perspiration would be considered blessed relief from the pain, perspiration and embarrassment of hyperhydrosis.
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