Do you wake up to foot pain in the morning? When you exercise, do you find yourself having to power through heel pain or stop entirely?

Pain is how your body tells you that something is wrong. When it comes to heel pain , it pays to listen – and to get an evaluation by a doctor. This way, you will be able to find out what is causing your pain, receive treatment, and ultimately avoid any further complications.

Heel Pain Causes and Effects

If your heel starts to hurt for no apparent reason, it could indicate that you have a health condition that needs to be addressed. Heel pain is usually caused by one of these two types of inflammation:

• Plantar fasciitis — pain at the bottom of the heel
• Achilles tendonitis — pain above and behind the heel

In either case, chronic and severe foot pain can significantly hinder your ability to walk. You may also find yourself changing your posture while walking or standing in order to avoid putting pressure on that heel. However, changing your posture like this can lead to developing poor posture, which can cascade into complications in your hips, knees, or back.

Foot pain can also be indicative of other issues:

• Physical Trauma

Your heel may have sustained damage because of repeated stress on your feet from your daily activities or because you participate in high-impact sports. This damage might be a fracture in your calcaneus (heel bone) or small tears in the plantar fascia along the bottom of your foot.

• Arthritis

Arthritis can affect the tissues around your heel, especially the joint area, causing inflammation and chronic pain.

• Heel Spurs

Heel spurs can occur when your heel bone develops a calcium deposit, creating a bone growth that can cause pain. This may be due to chronic inflammation. However, not everyone who has a heel spur experiences foot pain.

• Neurological Problems (Pinched Nerve)

You may also experience a tingling sensation or numbness in your heel due to a pinched nerve. If the nerves in your heel become compressed or pinched, it can cause pain.

Methods of Treating Foot Pain

Just two of the many solutions for treating foot pain are custom orthotics and foot surgery.

Orthotics are inserts for your footwear. These inserts help to provide proper cushioning and support, alleviating pressure on your heel. Custom orthotics are uniquely tailored to your own feet to ensure that your foot problems are addressed properly.

Severe conditions such as advanced arthritis, a ruptured tendon, or a fracture in your heel may require surgery to provide pain relief that lasts. Your doctor may recommend minimally invasive arthroscopic or endoscopic surgery, which fosters a relatively quick recovery.

Heel Pain Solutions in Cincinnati, Ohio

If you’re experiencing foot pain, don’t wait for it to get worse. While it might feel relatively minor initially, untreated heel pain may indicate more severe conditions or cause further complications.

At Cincinnati Foot & Ankle Care, our doctors stand ready with the latest technology and techniques to relieve your foot pain and to prevent it from happening again. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, call our location near you or request an appointment via our online form now. We look forward to helping you get lasting relief from the pain so you can get back to living!