Heel Pain / Plantar Fasciitis
Painful heel condition that needs special attention by a foot specialist.
Heel Pain / Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is often due to wear and tear and is common among athletes who run and jump a lot, and also those who are overweight, stand for prolonged periods, or work on hard surface floors. It can also be due to regular wear and tear. For example, teachers or factory workers may be more susceptible to this injury. A recent change in activity or some physical stress on the feet may have brought on the heel pain.
The most important task is having your feet physically examined by a specialist doctor who has decades of experience treating patients with similar issues, and has the expertise to figure out the underlying cause of your pain. It can be arch issues, bone issues, shoe issues, or a myriad of other problems that are unique to your anatomy and situation. Instead of guesswork, see a professional.
Dr. Farajian is a board-certified specialist and has successfully treated thousands of patients who suffer from this condition, and our office has an extensive set of painless, modern procedures to get you back on your feet. Treatments are designed to relieve inflammation and pain, heal the damaged tissue, and prevent future complications. Conservative treatments are designed to prevent surgical procedures which are treated as last resort. Usually, the longer one waits to get treatment, the longer it takes for healing to take place. Call us today.
The treatments at our office include:
Painless Cold Laser Therapy – One of the most popular treatments at our office, this painless procedures uses laser light, infrared light, and electric stimulation simultaneously to reduce inflammation, increase blood-flow, and speed up the reproduction of healthy cells in the damaged tissue. All without any pain whatsoever. Several treatments are usually recommended. Enjoy a complimentary treatment of MR4 cold laser for your first visit so you can see why so many of our patient come again and again for this service.
Custom medical grade orthotics – All the weight of the body is on your feet, and if there are bio-mechanical issues such as low or high arches etc., the alignment of the bones in your foot and ankle, knees, hips and back may suffer. Custom orthotics are highly effective in correcting many foot problems, especially with plantar fasciitis. If Dr. Farajian recommends them for you, we will get an impression of your feet and a professional orthotics lab will create a custom pair for you in about a week. Many insurance companies will cover part or all of the costs for this procedure.
Cortisone Injection and medication – When the swelling and pain become severe, cortisone injections are offered to our patients. Plantar Fasciitis takes months to heal and sometimes you may need to have temporary relief for special events. Each patient reacts differently to cortisone injections but the relief is often immediate, though temporary. Anti-inflammatory medications can also be prescribed by Dr. Farajian in order to reduce the inflammation in the heel and arches of your feet, and ease the pain.
Tissue Function Improvement – After 3-6 months, the body gives up on the injured area. Advanced techniques are used to take advantage of the body’s ability to heal its own wounds and to combine this natural healing ability with modern medical technology.
Healing Therapy – Specialized injections are virtually pain-free procedures and have been successful in treating patients with tendon and ligament damage, as well as for degenerative arthritis. Treatments are considered safe and non-controversial, and these non-surgical procedures are designed to treat plantar fasciitis and other conditions as minimally invasive as possible, and usually deliver excellent result in 80% of our patients. Ask us for more information.
Procedures for Chronic Heel Pain – If conservative treatments don’t heal plantar fasciitis, may recommend a procedure that removes the diseased tissue through very precise microscopic cutting. It takes only about fifteen minutes and is a minimally invasive procedure for soft tissue damage. Usually performed in a surgery center, it’s covered by most insurance plans and recovery may be as little as one or two weeks. Usually our patients are able to do light weight-bearing exercises in about two weeks.
Night Splints – Dr. Farajian may dispense hybrid night splints, or the Equinus Brace, for plantar fasciitis. The goal of this splint, worn at night while you sleep or while you rest, is to keep the calf and Achilles stretched so that morning pain is minimal. We dispense the hybrid splint which allows you to increase or decrease the pressure if needed.