Heel pain can be difficult for patients and physicians alike. It can provide a challenge for all parties involved. I have seen hundreds or maybe even thousands of second opinions for heel pain. Over the years I have learned many valuable lessons that can be extremely beneficial to treating heel pain.
One of the first lessons I learned was to listen to the patient. Often patients provide great clues to the cause and origin of heel pain. The history and story a patient tells often paints the perfect picture for how the pain is continuing to cause discomfort. Not all heel pain is the same and although plantar fasciitis is the number one cause remain open to other sources. This leads me to lesson number two.
Lesson number two not all heel pain is plantar fasciitis. I have seen so many other causes and as a provider we need to be diligent. The back can be a source of chronic heel pain. Patients with back issues can have manifestations in the feet. Another common cause is nerve pain. Over the years I would say this is the most common reason heel pain does not get better. The clinician is missing a nerve entrapment. This is not all of the other reasons for heel pain but a few examples to illustrate the importance of recognizing there are other sources of heel pain.
Lesson three is to understand not all heel pain can be treated the same. I have seen patients over the years that have similar heel pain but similar treatments do no work. This is why it is important to treat all patients as individuals. To make sure to look at foot structure, gait cycles and daily routines to see how each individual can be treated for the best possible outcome.
If you have heel pain and are in need of a second opinion or are just fed up with daily pain make an appointment with me today I can help. Give us a call at 425-391-8666 or make an appointment online.
Sincerely,
