Optimizing One's Skin&Joints for an Active Lifestyle
In order to be in optimal shape for both exercise and fitness, it’s helpful to have healthy skin and healthy joints. We at Rheumatology and Dermatology Associates PC are a two-physician practice at 8143 Walnut Grove Road, in Cordova, TN, dedicated to helping people have healthy skin and healthy joints in order to maintain an active l
The dermatology end of Rheumatology and Dermatology Associates PC is chaired by yours truly – George Woodbury Jr. M.D. Dermatologists are specialists in the medical and surgical care of the skin, the hair, and the fingernails and toenails. Two important skin conditions that affect athletes and active young people are onychomycosis – or nail fungal infections - and plantar and periungual verrucae – or warts of the bottoms of the feet or around the nails. Both conditions negatively impact the ability of people to remain active.
An athlete with a nail fungal infection.
Having a plantar wart is a bit like walking on a pebble. It leads to a poor gait - which can damage joints. So your skin is really more than skin deep. It's best to get a wart infection evaluated and treated right away, particularly if the problem is a plantar wart.
Onychomycosis is a common fingernail or toenail fungal infection that people often pick up from the gymn floor. A fungus or a yeast gains entrance into the fingernail or toenail protein – called keratin, the result being a separation of the fingernail or toenail from its nail bed. This infection results in discoloration of or thickening of the nail. Onychomycosis is often associated with repeated loss of the nail or even pain. It’s important for active people with early signs of onychomycosis to get the condition properly evaluated, to help in finding the most effective oral medication. Rheumatology and Dermatology Associates PC actually maintains a fungal culture laboratory on site at our facility in Cordova TN to enable us to accurately identify these fungi. In 2019 we have over five oral medications – including griseofulin tablets and terbinafine tablets - to help in treatment.
Effective therapy is also currently available for most cases of plantar and periungual verrucae, also called plantar and nail warts. These lesions are due to a viral infection in the skin, and they’re common among athletes, who often pick them up from the gymn floor from other athletes. Having a plantar wart of periungual wart of one’s foot is often like walking on a pebble – as they become sore of painful with pressure to the skin. And effective treatment is available. Treatment of such infections may involve cryotherapy – which is application of a cold liquid called liquid nitrogen right onto the wart – or sometimes even surgical removal of the wart infection. Early detection and treatment is often helpful in getting these conditions to clear quickly – the road back to being active.
Kids running. Exercise is great for joint health for all ages. And Rheumatologists are all about preserving good joint health.
Rheumatology is the study of conditions of the connective tissues of the body – focusing particularly upon the joints – but also covering the tendons and ligaments. It’s essential for such tissues of the body to remain healthy for people to be able to exercise freely – which also benefits the heart, the lungs, and even one’s sleep pattern. Dr. Cathy Chapman is a Board-Certified Rheumatologist in our practice who is dedicated to keeping people able to function in their lives to the fullest of their capacity. Dr. Chapman often uses testing to help to correctly identify underlieing connective tissue conditions. She employs systemic therapies to help her patients with rheumatoid arthritis and connective tissue diseases like lupus and psoriatic arthritis. She offers joint ultrasound, as well as in-office X-rays and labwork. There are actually over 300 separate diseases in rheumatology, so these tests greatly help Dr. Chapman to diagnose joint conditions and disorders and also to measure a patient’s progress with treatment. So welcome to Rheumatology and Dermatology PC, as we enter our 27th year in Memphis. We look forward to working with you or your
family members.
