A new treatment option that may one day be of great help to all those suffering from heel pain in Columbus has been making news for its success in a clinical trial. The study focuses on an injection that shows potential for being used to treat individuals with plantar fasciitis who have not had significant pain relief with other treatments.
Luckily for the time being, patients suffering from plantar fasciitis can visit their podiatrist for a variety of treatment options that, for the majority of individuals, will provide great pain relief. The first step in treating your plantar fasciitis is to determine if you in fact have plantar fasciitis. While plantar fasciitis is one of the more common causes of heel pain, there are many other problems that occur relatively frequently that can also cause heel pain. Some of the cardinal signs of this condition include the most intense pain of the day occurring when you take your first step out of bed in the morning and pain localized primarily to the bottom of the heel, at the front edge of the heel fat pad, on the side closer to the opposite foot. A nerve entrapment can also cause similar pain on the bottom surface of the heel. A nerve entrapment in this area typically involves what is known as “Baxter’s nerve” which supplies sensation and power to a muscle that allows movement to the smallest toe. When the nerve is compressed, it is similar to a bruise and is called neuropraxia. This bruise of the nerve then causes pain and decreases its ability to transfer information. If the entrapped nerve is caught and treated, recovery occurs in around three to four months. In areas around the heel that could cause heel pain in a location very near to the pain of plantar fasciitis also include fractures, and tendonitis.
Once your plantar fasciitis has been correctly diagnosed, there are a variety of treatment paths to begin with. While treatment varies for each individual, most people begin treatment with a conservative approach using the least invasive options available to start. Some of the conservative treatment options include: stretching, taping, icing, and wearing orthotics. All of these treatment options can have great success in many patients if performed correctly. The next step in treatment for plantar fasciitis that has not responded to the previously mentioned treatments can be an injection of a steroid with numbing agents. This is done in addition to continuing conservative treatments. The steroid is injected for its anti-inflammatory properties which serve to “soothe” the aggravated plantar fascia and relieve pain. While surgery would typically be the last treatment resort as a plantar fascia that is still painful, the aforementioned research study provides a potential new option. It has suggested that injecting plasma rich protein actually provides greater pain relief and healing potential than injecting steroids. Hopefully this new research will continue, and the information gained can allow patients to receive the highest quality treatment options from their podiatrist!
Please visit www.ColumbusFoot.com for more information or call 614-885 FEET (3338) to schedule an appointment with a podiatrist in Columbus, Ohio. Columbus Podiatry & Surgery is located on the North side of Columbus, Ohio near Worthington.
