Heel pain affects around 10% of the American population today. It’s one of the most common foot ailments, and also the most undertreated. At Northwest Foot and Ankle Institute, board-certified podiatrists Michael Czurylo, DPM, and Hyowon Choi, DPM, use the latest innovative treatments to help you walk without wincing again.
Your heels may be small, but they do quite a lot to support your body weight. Unfortunately, this means that heel pain is often enough to force you off your feet until you get help. There are several causes of heel pain, including:
Other things, such as overexertion and wearing shoes that don’t fit, can also contribute to heel pain. If you have diabetes, you may have an increased risk of nerve damage, causing various symptoms, including tingling, numbness, and pain.
At Northwest Foot and Ankle Institute, the skilled podiatrists review medical history and current health as well as performing a full clinical foot exam. They’ll ask you questions about your lifestyle and routines to help isolate potential reasons for your heel pain.
Your podiatrist may also use the in-office X-ray and ultrasound imaging machines to look for bone and tissue changes in and around your heel. After considering all these factors, your podiatrist makes a diagnosis and recommends a treatment plan.
At Northwest Foot and Ankle Institute, your podiatrist typically recommends conservative care techniques to help you heal the root cause of your heel pain.
By healing inflammation and damage within the painful ligament, tendon, or other tissue, you can ease the pain and reclaim your mobility. Treatment options may include:
You might also benefit from custom orthotics, which can protect your heel and prevent future injury. Northwest Foot and Ankle Institute has a state-of-the-art digital orthotic foot scanner on site.
Chronic nerve pain treatment depends on a few different factors, including its underlying cause and the amount of damage it causes to your feet and body. Your podiatrist may recommend:
EPAT is a non-invasive, evidence-based treatment in which your podiatrist delivers acoustic pressure waves directly to your heel. These safely induce microtrauma in the affected tissues, causing your body to begin its powerful injury response.
This injury response includes natural regenerative effects that heal connective tissue and bone damage to end your pain. Sessions take 10 minutes or less, and most patients feel better in just three to five weekly sessions.
Northwest Foot & Ankle Institute provides expert podiatric care to help you live pain-free and stay active. Serving Bellingham and surrounding communities with compassionate, patient-centered treatment.
