Heel Pain Treatment: How to Treat Heel Problems

While heel pain is considered to be one of the most common complaints that patients have, this condition is actually caused by several medical factors. Millions of people suffer from this kind of condition. Fortunately, there are several ways to combat this extremely painful condition. However, the right kind of heel pain treatment can only be administered after being able to correctly diagnose the condition by arriving at the main cause of the problem. Since heel pain can be caused by several factors, it is recommended that individuals who suffer from this kind of condition seek medical advice first before proceeding with any type of treatment program.

Heel Pain Treatment: Understanding the Symptoms of Heel Pain First

Before you proceed with any type of heel pain treatment, it is important that you know the different symptoms of heel pain first. By knowing the signs and indications of heel problems, you may arrive at the right kind of treatment for the pain that you are feeling in the heel area of your foot. This will also help your doctor to correctly diagnose your condition in order to provide you with the right treatment method or program to alleviate the pain you are suffering from. Since heel problems can only be treated by knowing its specific cause, make sure that you understand the different symptoms and causes of this medical condition.

In order to accurately diagnose heel problems and administer proper heel pain treatment, one must be able to distinguish the symptoms associated with this condition. Most people suffering from heel problems experience pain in the heel area of their foot after their first few steps the morning after they wake up and get out of bed. The pain is usually presented with a sharp and stabbing feeling at the front or at the bottom of the heel bone. The pain associated with heel problems also vary depending on the severity of the condition. Most of the individuals who suffer from heel conditions experience a much more severe pain during inactivity, specifically when they are at rest during night.

Knowing the Causes of Heel Pain to Arrive at the Correct Heel Pain Treatment

In order for your doctor to provide you with the right diagnosis and heel pain treatment methods for the symptoms you are experiencing, you should understand that knowing the causes of this condition is also of utmost importance. If you are experiencing heel pain, this may be caused by the condition called plantar fasciitis, which is a result of irritation and inflammation of the foot’s plantar fascia. Heel problems may also be caused by heel spurs. Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome can also result in heel pain, wherein a large nerve located in the back area of the foot becomes pinched. Stress fractures can also cause heel pain, but these rarely occur.

Heel Pain Treatment through Self-Treatment Solutions

There are several heel pain treatments that you can administer by yourself before you seek medical advice from a foot and ankle surgeon or specialist. These self-treatment solutions are products of in depth research and have been proven to provide significant relief for people suffering from heel conditions. These self-administered solutions include resting or reduced physical activity, taking anti inflammatory medications, applying ice pack therapy, and performing simple daily exercises.

Resting or reducing the amount of physical activity that you perform such as minimizing the time you spend walking or standing will provide the inflamed tissue on the bottom of your foot with time to recover. You should also avoid sports and running activities to avoid aggravating the pain in your heel. Taking anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen) will help alleviate the inflammation and the swelling of the foot’s plantar fascia. Applying ice packs directly on the affected area will also help reduce the amount of swelling. While only temporary, you will still be able to feel relief on the painful area.

48318

Other Heel Pain Treatment Options

If you are still suffering from heel pain even after several weeks of trying the different self-help solutions, you should already see a foot and ankle surgeon who will provide you with other heel pain treatment options. These may include using foot padding or strapping. Orthotic devices will also correct any underlying abnormalities that may be causing the heel pain you are feeling. Injection therapies such as corticosteroid injections may also be used to relieve pain and reduce heel inflammation. Your foot and ankle surgeon may also advice you to use a removable walking cast that will help rest and heal your foot. Physical therapy may also be used to provide relief.

Heel Pain Treatment through Medical Interventions

If you are still feeling pain in the heel area of your foot even after trying out self-help heel pain treatment as well as the other treatment advice of your foot and ankle surgeon, then medical interventions may already be required. Shockwave treatment therapy is one of the most common medical interventions for heel pain in the US. This is done by targeting the affected area with therapeutic shockwaves. This procedure should be repeated for at least 3 months to take effect. The therapeutic shockwaves will stimulate the inflamed tissue to heal.

While most individuals who suffer from heel problems often respond to heel pain treatment that is non-surgical, there are still some patients who may already need to undergo medical surgery. This is seldom used, thus, is the last resort for patients who have not responded well with non surgical treatments. The foot and ankle surgeon will make an incision on the ligament to release it from excess tension, and if there is a presence of bone spur, it will be removed.

Total
0
Shares
Leave a Reply
Related Posts
Total
0
Share