Chemotherapy can cause hand-foot syndrome, with symptoms including numbness, swelling, pain, blisters, and hardened skin. Sickle cell anemia can also cause the condition. Precautions and treatments include avoiding hot water and friction, using ice packs and topical lotions, and taking medications and vitamins.
Hand-foot syndrome sometimes occurs after a patient has received certain types of chemotherapy. Some of these types of chemotherapy include doxorubicin, cytarabine and fluorouracil. In some cases, the therapy causes changes in the temperature and cellular development of the hands and feet. Chemotherapy can increase the division of the top layer of skin cells. Hand-foot syndrome is a painful condition and the symptoms can make it easy to identify.
Symptoms of hand-foot syndrome usually develop within the first three weeks of receiving chemotherapy. At first, the patient may feel numbness in the feet or hands. This usually affects the palms of the hands or soles of the feet. After a period of time, the hands may start to feel warm and swelling and pain can be seen. As hand-foot syndrome progresses, blisters may begin to form and the skin hardens.
Sickle cell anemia is a molecular disease that affects blood cells. It is a genetic condition that can change cell structure. These changes can cause a variety of medical problems, including hand-foot syndrome, although the symptoms may be different from those experienced by a patient who has undergone chemotherapy. Hand-foot syndrome caused by sickle cell disease causes swelling and redness on the backs of the hands and feet. This can produce severe pain in the fingers and toes, along with a fever.
Certain precautions can be taken to avoid the painful symptoms of hand-foot syndrome. After a chemo procedure, a patient should refrain from prolonged exposure to hot water. The plastic gloves used for cleaning must not be worn as they can increase the temperature of the hands. All hand tools such as kitchen utensils or gardening tools should be avoided as they can cause friction on the skin. Exercise or any activity that produces sweat should also be kept to a minimum.
Treatments for hand-foot syndrome include keeping your body temperature down. Ice packs can be used to reduce any swelling in the hands or feet. Topical lotions and ointments can also be used to keep moisture in the skin and also help reduce discomfort and pain. Medications are sometimes prescribed for patients suffering from hand-foot syndrome, which can significantly reduce any pain. Some vitamins can also help speed up the healing process because they benefit the skin.
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