If heel pain is dictating how you live your life, we are here to help.
Heel pain, it really is a nuisance. It makes it difficult just to get around and run errands let alone enjoy your normal workout. Fortunately,
you’ll be happy to hear that heel pain often goes away on its own if you ease off the foot and give it a chance to heal. Of course, in some situations, heel pain doesn’t get better. This is when our Camp Springs/Clinton, MD, podiatrists Dr. Michael Frank, Dr. Marc Goldberg and Dr. Adam Lowy can help.
What can cause heel pain?
Heel pain is often the result of plantar fasciitis, a condition that results in inflammation of the plantar fascia (a thick band of tissue that runs from the toes to the heel). Plantar fascia is an overuse injury, which means that it often comes about gradually. This can often occur if you suddenly increase the intensity of a run or workout without slowly working up to it.
Other causes of heel pain include:
- Achilles tendinitis
- Heel spurs
- Bursitis
- Sprains and strains
- Stress fracture
When should I see a podiatrist?
If you’ve experienced heel pain before then you probably know how to best treat your symptoms until the problem goes away. Of course, if your symptoms are severe or don’t ease up after a few weeks of care then it’s time to visit our Camp Springs/Clinton, MD, foot doctors to find out how to treat your heel pain. Sometimes heel pain can be recurring or chronic, so it’s important to have the issue evaluated as soon as possible.
How is heel pain treated?
There are several ways in which to ease your symptoms until the condition heals itself. Try some of these simple at-home treatments:
- Take over-the-counter pain relievers
- Ice the heel for 15 minutes at a time 3 times a day
- Rest and avoid certain activities
- Wear compression or supportive socks to reduce swelling
- Consider a night splint
- Wear proper footwear
If at-home care doesn’t help then it’s time to talk to a podiatrist about other more aggressive techniques such as shockwave therapy or corticosteroid injections to ease symptoms and to promote healing.
Family Foot and Ankle Associates of Maryland has four locations in Kensington, Olney, Silver Spring, and Camp Springs/Clinton, MD, to ensure that everyone is able to get the proper foot and ankle care they need. If you are dealing with heel pain that isn’t responding to at-home care, give us a call today.