Rash on feet and lower legs

[Melissa]

My father has had a rash on both his feet and above the ankles for a year now.  It is a red rash with no pimples that darkens to a brown color.  He has light itching.  Dr said no big deal and gave cortisone cream.  Lately he has experienced numbness and small amount of swelling.  Blood test revealed elevated WBC and CEA.  He is going for a EMG/NVC next week.  Are the elevated  counts caused by the rash?  What does this sound like to you?

[Amy Roberts]

I also have a rash on my foot. It only comes during the summer months. It starts out as just itchy on my foot with no visible signs but when rubbed of scratched comes up in very small water pimples. These water pimples grow in size if rubbed until the burst under the pressure of shoes or catch on something when barefoot. The doctors have told me that it is just a summer allergy thing I have to learn to deal with, but the whole foot feels constricted when I have the rash, like someone is giving me a 'chinese burn' on my foot when I walk. The only way I have found it goes away is to let it falre up completely and have all the skin scratched off, then there is a chinese liquid my chinese herbalist gives me that stings like hell, but after all this the rash heals for a few weeks. Nfortunately this doesn't actually solve the problem. It usually comes about 3 times a summer. I would be interested to hear from anyone with something simillar, or with an idea on how to cure it. please email me on ***@****

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Melissa:

A rash like the one you describe in your Dad sounds like stasis dermatitis.  This comes from circulation changes with age, but doesn't need much more than some cortisone cream.  It is not associated with internal disease, and I can't think of a connection with the blood test results you list.  I wish him and you success with his internal evaluation.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff