When most of us hear the word "diabetes," the first word that pops into our minds is blood sugar but the long-term illness can sneakily damage things behind our backs, particularly in places we hardly pay attention to—such as our feet. One such overlooked complication is Charcot foot, a rare-seen yet serious diabetes side effect.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 29 million Americans now have diabetes and 86 million have prediabetes. In 2012, complications from diabetes cost the nation $245 billion in healthcare expenses and lost productivity.

A recent study in Clinical Diabetes and Endocrinology has uncovered a startling knowledge deficit: a majority of general doctors and non-podium specialists do not know about this life-threatening condition. That degree of ignorance is worrisome, given that when left untreated, Charcot foot has the potential to result in permanent deformity, amputation, or life-threatening infection.

Charcot foot is a potentially severe, though uncommon, complication of diabetic neuropathy, an ongoing high blood glucose level condition that injures nerves—usually in the feet. These damaged nerves cause pain not to be felt, so an otherwise small injury or infection can be ignored and left untreated. Eventually, that undetected injury will launch a chain reaction of bone and joint deterioration, resulting in swelling, structural abnormalities, and in very bad instances, even permanent disability or amputation.

The connection is all in the nerves. With diabetic neuropathy blunting the body's sense of pain, individuals don't even know they've hurt their foot. They just keep going, keep utilizing the damaged limb, and unwittingly continue to traumatize it. The end result? The bones get weaker, joints get knocked out of place, and the foot structure caves in—often called the "rocker-bottom foot."

In advanced stages, Charcot foot, if left untreated, can result in chronic ulcers, infections that penetrate the bone, and ultimately, amputation. Scarier still? Most physicians acknowledge that they aren't aware of the initial signs, allowing the condition to go undiagnosed and treated.

What Is Charcot Foot?

Charcot foot (also Charcot arthropathy) is a serious diabetic complication that results when damage to nerves—diabetic neuropathy—removes sensation in the feet. When there is no pain to warn of injury, a minor break or infection can escalate into a disastrous erosion of joint and bone framework in the foot or ankle. In extreme situations, it results in a total collapse of the arch of the foot, leading to severe deformity.

The American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society reports that the injuries can be painless, but the damage can be limb- or life-threatening if not treated quickly.

How Diabetes Sets the Stage for Charcot Foot?

Diabetic neuropathy causes peripheral nerve damage and typically affects the legs and feet. With time, the damage to nerves results in loss of sensation and makes it difficult—or even impossible—to feel pain, pressure, or heat.

Now let's say you've broken a bone in your foot but you never experience the pain. You just keep walking. Gradually with each step, the damage increases, causing joint malalignment, bone resorption, and distorted foot architecture. That's basically how Charcot foot starts and develops—quietly, insidiously, and frequently undiagnosed.

Why Most Doctors Miss Charcot Foot?

In the survey of 400 non-foot-specialist clinicians, more than two-thirds of them confessed to knowing "little to nothing" about Charcot arthropathy. General diabetic foot care is taught commonly, but specific complications such as Charcot foot are not yet included in general medical knowledge for many specialties.

This implies patients may remain undiagnosed until the condition is well advanced. Authors of the study emphasize the importance of greater awareness and renewed training, particularly given diabetes diagnoses continue to increase worldwide.

Charcot Foot Symptoms to Watch For

While Charcot foot is uncommon, it does have early warning signs. The problem is spotting them before the damage is permanent. Symptoms are:

• Redness or skin color change
• Swelling, with little or no pain
• A feeling of warmth in the foot (especially if one foot feels noticeably warmer than the other)
• Changes in foot shape or structure
• Instability when walking

Remember: even if it doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t mean it’s not serious.

How Charcot Foot Is More Than A Health Complication?

Charcot foot itself is a complication of diabetes, but it can lead to an alarming range of further health issues:

Permanent deformity: The foot can change shape permanently, leading to mobility problems and inability to find shoes.

Ulcers and infections: Changes in the structure of the feet increase the risk of non-healing wounds that develop into severe infections.

Amputation: In severe cases, part or all of the foot must be amputated.

Systemic infection: If infection spreads to beyond the foot, it becomes life-threatening.

These complications highlight the importance of early detection, appropriate footwear, and proactive diabetes management.

Is Charcot Foot Preventable?

If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes, regular foot checks should become part of your daily routine. Early detection is your best line of defense.

If Charcot foot is treated early, walking and mobility can be maintained—albeit with rest, elevation, and not putting pressure on the foot. Swimming or cycling are good substitutes for walking or running. For advanced stages, medical treatment may involve custom orthotic devices, immobilization, or even surgery. Coordination with a podiatrist or diabetes care team is critical in order to avoid permanent damage.

Although we always discuss high blood sugar, the complications downstream thereof—including those that influence your nerves, kidneys, eyes, skin, and yes, your feet—receive no less notice.

It's time to think beyond blood sugar levels. Charcot foot is a good example of how diabetes can quietly ruin your body in ways that will never be reversible if it isn't detected on time. The best part? With heightened awareness, early detection, and ongoing care, many of the worst consequences can be prevented.

If you or a loved one lives with diabetes, don’t overlook the feet. What seems like a little swelling could be a big red flag. Speak to your healthcare provider, schedule regular foot screenings, and remember: feeling nothing doesn't mean there's nothing wrong.

Ben Sasse, former Senator, on Tuesday shared that he has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. His diagnosis came at Stage 4.

Is Ben Sasse's Cancer Terminal?

The former two-term senator, 53, revealed this in a social media or X, message: “This is a hard note to write, but since many of you have already sensed something, I’ll get straight to it: Last week I was diagnosed with metastasized, stage-four pancreatic cancer, and I am going to die.”

Stage 4 cancers are terminal and his terminal diagnosis was "hard for someone wired to work and build, but harder still as a husband and a dad," he said.

Stage 4 cancers are terminal because the cancer has metastasized, which means it has spread from its original site or the primary tumor to distant organs and tissues. This makes it extremely difficult to cure with localized treatments like surgery or radiation.

However, the American Oncology Institute does note that stage 4 cancer always does not have to be terminal, especially with breakthrough treatment options like targeted therapy, immunotherapy, or precision medicine. There are now also advanced surgical techniques that use minimal invasion procedures.

Also Read: Ben Sasse Diagnosed With Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer: What We Know About His Diagnosis

What Is The Chance Of Survival In Stage 4 Cancer?

According to the American Cancer Society, pancreatic cancer makes up about 3 percent of all cancers in the United States but accounts for roughly 8 percent of cancer-related deaths. Most patients are diagnosed at Stage 4, and the disease is widely regarded as largely incurable. Prostate cancer, by contrast, is the second most common cancer among men, and the majority of those diagnosed do not die from it. The five-year relative survival rate for non-metastasized prostate cancer is 97.9 percent, dropping to about 38 percent once it spreads. These figures highlight how early detection and effective treatment options make prostate cancer far more survivable than pancreatic cancer.

What Are The Treatment Options For Ben Sasse At Stage 4 Cancer?

While treatments including chemotherapy, radiation, and in rare situations surgery are available, stage-four pancreatic cancer is still considered largely incurable. The absence of effective early screening contributes to delayed diagnosis, and although a small number of patients, such as Ruth Bader Ginsburg, have lived longer following surgery, these cases are rare. Well-known individuals including Alex Trebek and Aretha Franklin also battled the disease, which remains one of the deadliest cancers in the United States.

Former senator and former University of Florida president Ben Sasse announced on Tuesday, Dec. 23, that he has been diagnosed with terminal stage 4 cancer, as per CNN News.

In the deeply personal message, the former Republican lawmaker from Nebraska described the diagnosis as a “death sentence,” while expressing appreciation for the steady support of his family and close friends.

“I’m fortunate to have incredible siblings and half a dozen friends who are truly like brothers to me. As one of them said, ‘Yes, you’re on the clock, but all of us are.’ Death is a cruel thief, and none of us escape it,” he added.

For many men trying to conceive, testosterone sounds like an obvious answer. It is often linked with strength, vitality, and male health, so the assumption is that higher levels must also support fertility. In reality, the opposite is often true. Medical experts caution that using testosterone, especially without supervision, can interfere with sperm production and quietly lower the chances of becoming a father.

To know more about the same, we got in touch with Dr. Ambavarapu Divya Reddy, Fertility Specialist, Nova IVF Fertility, LB Nagar, Hyderabad.

Can Increasing Testosterone Help You Conceive?

Dr. Ambavarapu Divya Reddy said, the short answer is no. Testosterone is a male sex hormone, but it does not support fertility in the way many people assume. In fact, taking testosterone can work directly against sperm production. For men who want children, using testosterone without expert guidance can quietly reduce fertility rather than improve it. Here is what doctors want patients to understand.

Why Testosterone Does Not Boost Fertility?

Testosterone is fundamentally opposed to male fertility when taken from outside the body. Using testosterone injections, gels, patches, or pellets suppresses the natural communication between the brain and the testicles that keeps sperm production going. Dr Reddy said, “When this system is switched off, sperm counts fall and in some cases drop to zero. Fertility declines instead of improving.”

This is why men who plan to have children should never begin testosterone therapy without speaking to a specialist.

How Does Sperm Production Work?

Sperm are produced in the testicles with the help of testosterone that is made inside the testicles themselves. This internal testosterone is tightly controlled by the brain through a hormone called luteinizing hormone, or LH.

Dr Reddy told us, when external testosterone is introduced into the body, the brain senses enough hormone is present and stops releasing LH. As a result, the testicles reduce their own testosterone production and sperm production slows or stops altogether.

In real-world practice, many men on testosterone therapy develop extremely low sperm counts or complete absence of sperm, known as azoospermia, often without any obvious symptoms. This is a well-recognised cause of male infertility and one that is largely preventable.

Low Testosterone And Fertility: What Doctors Do Instead

If a man truly has hypogonadism, meaning he has symptoms along with low testosterone levels on blood tests, treatment is still possible but must be handled carefully. Current guidelines from the AUA, ASRM, and endocrine societies strongly advise against starting standard testosterone replacement in men who want children in the near future.

Instead, specialists use treatments that can raise testosterone levels while allowing sperm production to continue. These include clomiphene, human chorionic gonadotropin or hCG, and other targeted therapies that stimulate the testicles rather than shutting them down. Updated guidance for 2024 and 2025 stresses identifying the cause of low testosterone and choosing options that protect fertility.

If you think you have low testosterone but want children

a) Do not self-prescribe testosterone.

b) Consult a reproductive urologist or endocrinologist.

c) Ask about fertility-preserving treatments such as clomiphene or hCG and consider sperm banking if timing matters.

d) If you have already used testosterone, request a semen analysis and hormone tests. Acting early can help guide recovery or fertility treatment.

Testosterone may seem like an easy solution, but external testosterone is a common and avoidable cause of male infertility. If having children is important to you, proper testing and specialist care matter. The treatment that relieves symptoms is not always the one that protects your ability to become a father.

A little-known virus is spreading steadily across different parts of the world, prompting growing concern among health experts. Often described as “untreatable” because there is no targeted antiviral medicine available, adenovirus is drawing attention due to how tough it is and how quickly it can pass from person to person.

Eric Sachinwalla, medical director of infection prevention and control at Jefferson Health, has cautioned that while most healthy individuals develop only mild illness, people in high-risk groups may face more serious health problems. This raises an important question: just how contagious is this mystery illness that is spreading?

Adenovirus: How Contagious Is It?

Yes, adenovirus is highly contagious and spreads with ease in several ways. It can pass through respiratory droplets released during coughing or sneezing, close physical contact such as hugging or shaking hands, and contact with contaminated surfaces like toys and towels.

It can also spread through fecal matter, particularly during diaper changes, and in some cases through water. According to the CDC, the virus spreads quickly in crowded settings such as schools and daycare centres and can survive for long periods on surfaces, making good hygiene especially important for young children and people with weakened immune systems.

Who Do Adenoviruses Affect Most?

Adenoviruses can infect people of all age groups, but they are most commonly seen in children under the age of five. In babies and young children, the virus often spreads in daycare environments where close contact is common. Children are also more likely to put shared objects in their mouths and may not wash their hands as regularly.

Among adults, adenoviruses tend to spread in crowded living conditions. People staying in dormitories or military housing may have a higher risk of infection. The virus is also known to circulate in hospitals and nursing homes, as per CDC.

Those with weakened immune systems are more likely to become seriously ill from an adenovirus infection. This includes people who have undergone organ or stem cell transplants, as well as those living with cancer or HIV/AIDS. Individuals with existing heart or lung conditions may also face a higher risk of severe illness.

Adenovirus: What Are The Symptoms Of An Adenovirus Infection?

The symptoms of an adenovirus infection depend on the part of the body affected. Most commonly, the virus targets the respiratory system. When it infects the airways, it can cause symptoms similar to a cold or the flu. These may include:

• Cough.
• Fever.
• Runny nose.
• Sore throat (pharyngitis).
• Pink eye (conjunctivitis).
• Ear infection (otitis media).
• Swollen lymph nodes.
• Chest cold (bronchitis).
• Pneumonia.

Adenoviruses can also infect the digestive system. When this happens, diarrhea may occur, along with gastroenteritis. Gastroenteritis is inflammation of the stomach or intestines and can lead to stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.

In rarer cases, adenoviruses can affect the bladder or the nervous system. Infection of the bladder may result in urinary tract infections. When the nervous system is involved, it can lead to serious conditions affecting the brain, including encephalitis and meningitis.