What are Plantar Fasciitis Treatments?
Plantar Fasciitis can be a dilapidating condition which is difficult to miss. The tenderness, itching, swelling and pain that can occur during instances of plantar fasciitis can affect the quality of life of a person. Hence, it is imperative that these symptoms are not ignored but treated immediately where feasible. Early detection of plantar fasciitis is a key element to being able to treat it and also minimize the pain and other symptoms that could be experienced. The fact that plantar fasciitis is a common occurrence with one out of every ten people developing plantar fasciitis during their lifetime, there can be a variety of treatment possibilities needed to address the various levels of the condition.
The treatment of plantar fasciitis can range from techniques and activities like exercise which people can do at home to more invasive medical treatments like surgery. There could also be treatments for the injured plantar fascia tissue that include medication and the use of orthotic devices. Since the distress to the plantar fascia can manifest as an inflammation, there is medication that particularly suited to tackle inflammatory conditions. This includes the use of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) that manage pain symptoms. Pain medication can have various grades or levels and in some cases, plantar fasciitis symptoms may require very powerful pain medication beyond the more common over-the-counter drugs like ibuprofen or aspirin. There are corticosteroids, for example, which are higher-level inflammation treatments which are administered in a medical establishment. There could also be natural ways to address the inflammation that occurs at the plantar fascia and this includes the use of various herbs, plants and foods that naturally contain high anti-inflammatory properties.
Addressing the Root Cause of Plantar Fasciitis
While treating the symptoms of plantar fasciitis may provide relief and enable a person function in some capacity while suffering from the condition, it can be better to tackle the condition by addressing the root cause of plantar fasciitis. If emphasis is entirely placed only on the symptoms of plantar fasciitis rather than on the root causes, the condition can deteriorate. In addition, the use of medication for the temporary relief of symptoms could gradually begin to get more and more ineffectively as the condition worsens. At a certain point, increasing treatment through methods that do not affect the root cause will only become more and more ineffective as the body becomes accustomed to such temporary treatment mechanisms.
Treating the root cause of plantar fasciitis can include the use of orthotic-related devices such as inserts for shoes or shoes that were already manufactured with such add-ons that focus on attempting to correct the problem with the affected tissue. Sometimes, a custom-designed orthotic device may be necessary to treat a particular type of plantar fasciitis or people may need specific devices that match foot size and level of tissue discomfort. There could also be situations where a person’s feet are deformed and require special treatment options and this is where custom devices are particularly useful in addressing individual needs. Orthotic devices for treating plantar fasciitis can also include splints for stretching or relieving pressure around the plantar fascia tissue. Where there has been severe damage to the plantar fascia, surgery may be needed to fix the problem through the use of incisions in the feet.
