If you are experiencing a stabbing pain in your heel when you take those first few steps in the morning, you might be suffering from plantar fasciitis. This is an inflammation of the tissue that connects your heel to your toes. The condition is very common in runners. However, with the right treatment, it can heal in a few months. Visiting a doctor or a Rockville chiropractor could be a good idea if you want to rule out other injuries and speed up your recovery.

The first thing a doctor would do when you visit him, is to examine your foot and figure out where the pain is coming from. Once you explain your medical history, he or she will be able to diagnose your condition accurately. If there is a pinched nerve or a broken bone suspected, your doctor might even order a few imaging tests.

Here are a few treatments doctors generally suggest to treat plantar fasciitis:

NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)

Most doctors prescribe medications to reduce your pain and bring down the inflammation of plantar fascia. You may be advised to take multiple doses for a couple of weeks. In case the pain is too severe, your doctor might give you a steroid injection. Although a little painful while given, this will ease your pain and keep the inflammation down for more than a month or so.

Physical therapy

Medication, rest and some amount of icing should help reduce the pain and inflammation associated with plantar fasciitis. But if this doesn’t help enough, it would be better for you to see a physical therapist. Physical therapy for plantar fasciitis involves a few stretching and strengthening exercises. In some cases the physical therapist may also use ultrasonography, contrast baths, and massage if the pain persists for a longer period of time. More often than not, it is the runners who are affected by plantar fasciitis. However, it is also common in people who are overweight and those who wear shoes that don’t provide enough support.

Surgeries and procedures

Doctors would recommend this only if you don’t show any progress after several months of treatment. There are basically two options here: shock-wave therapy and tenex procedure. Shock-wave therapy is aimed at using sound waves to stimulate the blood flow in your foot and help your tissue heal. It stops pain by stunning your nerves. In the tenex procedure an ultrasound is introduced through a small cut to target and remove the scar tissue. The procedure takes only about a few minutes and helps you get back to your normal routine in about 10 days or so.

Plantar fasciitis is not a condition you can ignore. Left untreated, this can lead to a lot of complications, making it difficult for you to walk. So make sure you get diagnosed and treated as early as possible.