Signs and symptoms of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease may include: 
Weakness in your legs, ankles and feet
Loss of muscle bulk in your legs and feet
High foot arches
Curled toes (hammertoes)
Decreased ability to run
Difficulty lifting your foot at the ankle (footdrop)
Awkward or higher than normal step (gait)
Frequent tripping or falling
Decreased sensation or a loss of feeling in your legs and feet
 As Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease progresses, symptoms may spread from the feet and legs to the hands and arms. The severity of symptoms can vary greatly from person to person, even among family members. Causes Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is an inherited, genetic condition. It occurs when there are mutations in the genes that affect the nerves in your feet, legs, hands and arms. Sometimes, these mutations damage the nerves. Other mutations damage the protective coating that surrounds the nerve (myelin sheath). Both cause weaker messages to travel between your limbs and brain. Risk factors Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is hereditary, so you're at higher risk of developing the disorder if anyone in your immediate family has the disease. Other causes of neuropathies, such as diabetes, may cause symptoms similar to Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. These other conditions can also cause the symptoms of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease to become worse. Medications such as the chemotherapy drugs vincristine (Marqibo), paclitaxel (Abraxane) and others can make symptoms worse. Be sure to let your doctor know about all of the medications you're taking. Complications Complications of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease vary in severity from person to person. Foot abnormalities and difficulty walking are usually the most serious problems. Muscles may get weaker, and you may injure areas of the body that experience decreased sensation. Sometimes the muscles in your feet may not receive your brain's signal to contract, so you're more likely to trip and fall. And your brain may not receive pain messages from your feet, so if you've rubbed a blister on your toe, for example, it may get infected without your realizing it. You may also experience difficulty breathing, swallowing or speaking if the muscles that control these functions are affected by Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.  

  




 


 
 By Mayo Clinic Staff By Mayo Clinic Staff Request an appointment Request an appointment   Diagnosis & treatment Diagnosis & treatment Diagnosis & treatment 
    March 08, 2023
 Print Print  Share on: FacebookTwitter Facebook Twitter Show references
Klein CJ. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and other hereditary neuropathies. Continuum. 2020; doi:10.1212/CON.0000000000000927.
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Charcot-Marie-Tooth-Disease-Fact-Sheet. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020.
Kang PB. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease: Genetics, clinical features and diagnosis. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020.
Facts about Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and related diseases. Muscular Dystrophy Association. https://www.mda.org/disease/charcot-marie-tooth. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020.
Neurotoxic medications. Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association. https://www.cmtausa.org/living-with-cmt/managing-cmt/medications/. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020.
Simon RP, et al. Sensory disorders. In: Clinical Neurology. 10th ed. McGraw-Hill; 2018. https://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020.
Kang PB. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease: Management and prognosis. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020.
Rossor AM, et al. Are we prepared for clinical trials in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease? Brain Research. 2020; doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2019.146625.
Pareyson D, et al. New developments in Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy and related diseases. Current Opinion in Neurology. 2017; doi:10.1097/WCO. 0000000000000474.
Important foot care for people with CMT. Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association. https://www.cmtausa.org/living-with-cmt/managing-cmt/important-foot-care-for-people-with-cmt/. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020.
Pedicure pointers. American Podiatric Medical Association. https://www.apma.org/Patients/HealthyFeetTips.cfm?ItemNumber=9859. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020.
 Show references 
Klein CJ. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and other hereditary neuropathies. Continuum. 2020; doi:10.1212/CON.0000000000000927.
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Charcot-Marie-Tooth-Disease-Fact-Sheet. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020.
Kang PB. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease: Genetics, clinical features and diagnosis. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020.
Facts about Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and related diseases. Muscular Dystrophy Association. https://www.mda.org/disease/charcot-marie-tooth. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020.
Neurotoxic medications. Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association. https://www.cmtausa.org/living-with-cmt/managing-cmt/medications/. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020.
Simon RP, et al. Sensory disorders. In: Clinical Neurology. 10th ed. McGraw-Hill; 2018. https://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020.
Kang PB. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease: Management and prognosis. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020.
Rossor AM, et al. Are we prepared for clinical trials in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease? Brain Research. 2020; doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2019.146625.
Pareyson D, et al. New developments in Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy and related diseases. Current Opinion in Neurology. 2017; doi:10.1097/WCO. 0000000000000474.
Important foot care for people with CMT. Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association. https://www.cmtausa.org/living-with-cmt/managing-cmt/important-foot-care-for-people-with-cmt/. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020.
Pedicure pointers. American Podiatric Medical Association. https://www.apma.org/Patients/HealthyFeetTips.cfm?ItemNumber=9859. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020.
 
Klein CJ. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and other hereditary neuropathies. Continuum. 2020; doi:10.1212/CON.0000000000000927.
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Charcot-Marie-Tooth-Disease-Fact-Sheet. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020.
Kang PB. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease: Genetics, clinical features and diagnosis. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020.
Facts about Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and related diseases. Muscular Dystrophy Association. https://www.mda.org/disease/charcot-marie-tooth. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020.
Neurotoxic medications. Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association. https://www.cmtausa.org/living-with-cmt/managing-cmt/medications/. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020.
Simon RP, et al. Sensory disorders. In: Clinical Neurology. 10th ed. McGraw-Hill; 2018. https://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020.
Kang PB. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease: Management and prognosis. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020.
Rossor AM, et al. Are we prepared for clinical trials in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease? Brain Research. 2020; doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2019.146625.
Pareyson D, et al. New developments in Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy and related diseases. Current Opinion in Neurology. 2017; doi:10.1097/WCO. 0000000000000474.
Important foot care for people with CMT. Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association. https://www.cmtausa.org/living-with-cmt/managing-cmt/important-foot-care-for-people-with-cmt/. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020.
Pedicure pointers. American Podiatric Medical Association. https://www.apma.org/Patients/HealthyFeetTips.cfm?ItemNumber=9859. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020.
 Klein CJ. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and other hereditary neuropathies. Continuum. 2020; doi:10.1212/CON.0000000000000927. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Charcot-Marie-Tooth-Disease-Fact-Sheet. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020. Kang PB. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease: Genetics, clinical features and diagnosis. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020. Facts about Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and related diseases. Muscular Dystrophy Association. https://www.mda.org/disease/charcot-marie-tooth. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020. Neurotoxic medications. Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association. https://www.cmtausa.org/living-with-cmt/managing-cmt/medications/. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020. Simon RP, et al. Sensory disorders. In: Clinical Neurology. 10th ed. McGraw-Hill; 2018. https://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020. Kang PB. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease: Management and prognosis. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020. Rossor AM, et al. Are we prepared for clinical trials in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease? Brain Research. 2020; doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2019.146625. 2019.146625 2019.146625 Pareyson D, et al. New developments in Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy and related diseases. Current Opinion in Neurology. 2017; doi:10.1097/WCO. 0000000000000474. Important foot care for people with CMT. Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association. https://www.cmtausa.org/living-with-cmt/managing-cmt/important-foot-care-for-people-with-cmt/. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020. Pedicure pointers. American Podiatric Medical Association. https://www.apma.org/Patients/HealthyFeetTips.cfm?ItemNumber=9859. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020. 
Related

Associated Procedures


Electromyography (EMG)


Gene therapy


Genetic testing


Knee braces for osteoarthritis


Show more associated procedures


Products & Services


Book: Mayo Clinic Family Health Book, 5th Edition


Newsletter: Mayo Clinic Health Letter — Digital Edition


Show more products and services from Mayo Clinic

 Related 
Associated Procedures


Electromyography (EMG)


Gene therapy


Genetic testing


Knee braces for osteoarthritis


Show more associated procedures
 Associated Procedures 

Electromyography (EMG)


Gene therapy


Genetic testing


Knee braces for osteoarthritis

 Show more associated procedures 
Products & Services


Book: Mayo Clinic Family Health Book, 5th Edition


Newsletter: Mayo Clinic Health Letter — Digital Edition


Show more products and services from Mayo Clinic
 Products & Services 

Book: Mayo Clinic Family Health Book, 5th Edition


Newsletter: Mayo Clinic Health Letter — Digital Edition

 Show more products and services from Mayo Clinic 
Charcot-Marie-Tooth diseaseSymptoms & causesDiagnosis & treatmentDoctors & departments
 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease Symptoms & causesDiagnosis & treatmentDoctors & departments