People do not have to live with chronic heel pain. A person can seek effective treatments to relieve the pain of plantar fasciitis. When a person is suffering from heel pain, they can take several steps to relieve the problem. It is still advisable to seek medical treatment from the family physician or a foot care specialist.
How To Relieve Chronic Heel Pain
1. Special Socks May Help
A foot specialist will examine a person’s feet and determine which treatments will work best. One step they might recommend is the wearing of special socks, including Kite Rite Direct Adult Afo Socks. These prosthetic and orthotic socks can help reduce heel pain and support the foot. Wearing these socks might be the first treatment option or part of a treatment plan.
2. Ways For a Person to Relieve Heel Pain
Often, the heel pain or plantar fasciitis will go away with some simple home treatment steps. When it does not, medical help may be needed. But, try these home treatments at the first sign of heel pain.
· Use an ice pack to reduce swelling, pain, and inflammation.
· Use an over-the-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
· Rest the feet for a few days by staying off them as much as possible.
· Try using foot exercises. These exercises might be recommended by the medical professional you are seeing. They involve flexing and stretching the foot.
· Apply lavender essential oil to the foot with a messaging motion.
· Avoid walking on uneven surfaces
· Adjust your shoes with inserts to support the arch and the heel of the foot. Special socks can also help with the support and relieving the pain.
· Replace worn athletic shoes regularly
· Massage the feet arches and heels with several simple massage techniques
· Lose a few pounds. Extra weight places more pressure on your feet and plantar fasciitis. Have your doctor help you plan a healthy diet and exercise plan to lose weight and keep it off.
3. Other Treatments For Heel Pain and Plantar Fasciitis
When those steps don’t work well enough, there are other treatment possibilities.
· A doctor or foot specialist might recommend wearing special orthopedic socks, wearing special splints at night, physical therapy, or changing to custom shoes for a while. Orthotics can be the shoe or a special insert for the shoe.
· TENs or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation therapy uses low-voltage electric stimulation to relieve foot pain. It is not invasive and can be done at home with a TENs unit or by a professional.
· There are cortisone shots that reduce inflammation. They help but are painful to administer.
· Extracorporeal shock wave treatments are a newer treatment option. This option uses external shock waves directed at the inflamed foot areas to relieve pain.
4. Surgical Procedures
There are several surgical procedures to use as a last resort to relieve heel pain. These procedures are only used after all other treatment options have been tried and the pain is still present.
5. Take Appropriate Steps Now
The main thing to remember is that you do not have to suffer from heel pain. It does not have to limit your life or mobility. You can try simple home treatments to get relief. When home treatments don’t work after a few days, contact your physician for an appointment where they can evaluate your foot pain problem and recommend effective treatments.
