MRSA is simply an acronym for “Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus”. When you break it down, Methicillin is a type of antibiotic and Staphylococcus Aureus is nothing more than a type of bacteria. So, when put together, MRSA is just a type of bacteria that is resistant to certain types of antibiotics. Unfortunately for us, there aren’t a lot of good options for treating MRSA; however, fortunately for us, the ones we do have can be very effective.

There are, generally speaking, two types of MRSA: community-associated and hospital-acquired. These vary in ways other than the setting in which it is contracted, but these differences aren’t necessary to explain in this setting. What you should know is doctors have been diagnosing community-associated MRSA infections with increasing frequency.

Staphylococcus bacteria, or Staph for short, are common. In fact, 1 in 3 people carry these pesky bacteria. They live on your skin and in your nose and can be spread through skin contact. When this bacteria becomes a major problem is when it gets inside the body. Even minor tears in the skin’s surface open the door to bacteria and infection. Common skin conditions such as athlete’s foot, calluses, corns, eczema and psoriasis can create these open portals in the skin for bacteria to enter the body. Walking barefoot increases the risk of cuts and puncture wounds. Here are a few simple steps you can take to help prevent community-associated MRSA infections: Wash cuts and cover them promptly with a bandage, see a doctor within 24 hours for any puncture wound, never perform “bathroom surgery” to cut or dig out  an ingrown toenail or foreign body (like a splinter), and keep your feet clean and dry to prevent fungal infections like athlete’s foot.

Hopefully you have a better understanding of MRSA now. The best thing to do if you have an infected cut or scrape on your foot or ankle that doesn’t heal in a timely fashion is to see a podiatrist and get it checked out.

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There are many different causes which can lead to irritations between the toes. A common suspicion is “Athlete’s foot” which is a fungal infection of the skin. However, fungal infections which affect the web spaces can actually be caused by several different types of fungus which are each treated differently. Furthermore, fungal infections need to be distinguished from bacterial and parasitic infections which also have a predilection for the inter-digital spaces and are, of course, treated differently. Even metabolic diseases and autoimmune disorders need to be considered when assessing symptoms. Finally, friction and mechanical stress caused by a mal-aligned toe or inappropriate shoes may be causing the problem and should be ruled out.

Common symptoms that people may experience include burning, stinging, or itching sensations between the toes. They may also encounter certain changes as the skin becomes scalded, beefy red, cracked, or scaly. Of course, there are many other possible symptoms-each of which depends on the particular underlying cause. For this reason, podiatrists do a thorough assessment-which may include taking skin scrapings and using other simple measures-to determine what that cause is. From that point, the appropriate regimen is implemented which may range from oral or topical treatments to shoe-gear adjustments to changing the medications that you are currently using.

When one considers how often we wash our hands compared to our feet throughout the day, it’s not surprising that our feet are frequently susceptible to attack from microscopic organisms and other potential risks. Keeping your feet clean and dry as often as possible is a big step you can take to prevent infections. Thankfully, when serious irritations do occur, appropriate treatments are available.

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