Your podiatrists in Woodbridge, Sterling, and Chantilly, VA, and Crofton, MD, can help when you suffer from heel pain.
Heel pain can be uncomfortable, and severe heel pain can even be debilitating. Fortunately, your podiatrist is an expert at treating heel pain, and can help you and your feet feel better.
The podiatrists at Potomac Podiatry Group offer a wide range of foot and ankle services, including treatment of heel pain. They have four convenient office locations in Woodbridge, Sterling, and Chantilly, VA, and Crofton, MD, to help you and your feet.
Heel pain may go away on its own, without professional treatment, however, you should be concerned about heel pain if you have:
- Heel pain that doesn’t resolve
- Heel pain that is increasing
- Difficulty walking due to heel pain
If you have any of the symptoms listed above, or if you can’t perform daily activities at home or at work due to heel pain, you need to see your podiatrist.
Your heel pain could be caused by:
- A heel bruise, from walking on hard or sharp objects
- A heel spur, from excess calcium deposits on your heel
- Plantar fasciitis, which is inflammation of the tissue on your heel, known as the plantar fascia
If your heel pain is mild, it may go away on its own, with a little help from you. You can try:
- Icing your heel several times each day
- Stretching your arches several times each day
- Wearing heel inserts inside your shoes
- Taking over-the-counter pain and anti-inflammatory medication
If you have moderate to severe heel pain, don’t wait for your heel pain to get worse. See your podiatrist for professional treatment. Your podiatrist may recommend:
- Custom-made orthotics and footwear
- Prescription strength anti-inflammatory medications
- Physical therapy and stretching exercises
- Extracorporeal Shock Wave Treatment (ESWT)
For severe, persistent heel pain, surgical therapy may be indicated. Surgery is performed to release a section of the plantar fascia.
To find out more about the causes and treatment of heel pain, call the podiatrists at Potomac Podiatry Group. You can reach them in Woodbridge, VA, at (703) 583-5959, or in Sterling, VA, at (703) 444-9555, and Chantilly, VA, at (703) 490-5599, or in Crofton, MD, at (410) 721-4505, so call now.