| Though it is our first instinct to think that this disease | | | | degeneration can also occur. |
| has something to do with either a woman named | | | | CMT3 is characterized by infancy on set. While most |
| Marie or teeth, because of the name, this is not the | | | | CMT patients show symptoms during the first two |
| case. Yes this disease has a funny name but it is not | | | | decades of life, infancy onset shows up in the first |
| funny for those who have it. Charcot-Marie-Tooth | | | | two years of life. This variation is very sever. It is |
| disease (aka CMT) is the most common inherited | | | | also characterized by segmental demyelinaiton as well |
| neurological disorder, so common that it affects 1 out | | | | as myelin thinning. |
| of every 2,500 Americans. Though it is an inherited | | | | CMTX also known as CMT4 is carried on the X |
| disease it can also be caused by spontaneous | | | | chromosome. This variation is also characterized by |
| mutation. It was given the name CMT because of | | | | demeylinating neuropathy. |
| the two sets of people who first described it in 1886. | | | | CMT occurs in the lower extremities first. This can |
| Professor Jean Martin Charcot and his student Pierre | | | | cause clumsiness or create a lack of desire to be |
| Marie described this disease as peroneal (the nerves | | | | active. Severe muscular degenerating is a major |
| in your extremities) muscular atrophy (the wasting | | | | symptom of this disease. A variety of foot |
| away of body parts). That very same year Howard | | | | deformities can occur because of the lack of nerve |
| Henry Tooth described this disease as peroneal | | | | communication between the brain and the feet. Foot |
| progressive muscular atrophy. He was the first to | | | | drop resulting in the patient having to pick up their |
| attribute the symptoms correctly to a neurological | | | | feet very high in order to get their feet off the |
| problem instead of a spinal or bone marrow problem. | | | | ground is very common as well as hammertoes and |
| As the years progressed we have learned more | | | | pes cavus (high arches). |
| about this disease but we still don't have a cure. We | | | | Though there is no cure for CMT yet there are |
| have only found out more ways to help cope with | | | | several different methods to help slow the |
| the symptoms of CMT. | | | | degeneration as well as ease the pain caused by foot |
| There are several different types of CMT. | | | | deformities. Physical therapy and strength training are |
| CMT1 is a disorder that affects the gene that makes | | | | two very helpful forms of therapy for patients with |
| the myelin proteins in the foot. Myelin is a protective | | | | CMT. Braces, shoes with good ankle support, |
| barrier on the axon which is the portion of the nerve | | | | podiatric surgery, stretching, and painkillers are also |
| that sends information to the rest of the body. The | | | | valuable ways to help cope with CMT. |
| myelin sheath that is created in patients with CMT is | | | | If you know no someone with CMT give them a little |
| easily broken down causing low conduction velocity in | | | | extra attention today... This is not an easy disease to |
| the feet and then the hands. This leads to weakness | | | | suffer from. If you think you or someone you know |
| and numbness in these extremities. | | | | might have Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease go see a |
| CMT2 is an axonal neurological disorder. In this | | | | Podiatrist. There are ways to test and ways to cope |
| variation the peroneal muscular atrophy occurs | | | | with the symptoms associated with this disease. |
| because the axon's in the feet die. Wallerian | | | | |