Ingrown toenails are best treated by eliminating the ingrown side of the nail altogether. Simply cutting the nail back along the corner to reduce the pressure, soaking the toe, or using an antibiotic if there is infection usually only results in temporary relief. However, for those with poor circulation, a poor immune system, or are…
Plantar fasciitis and heel pain in general can seem to go away on it’s own without treatment, sometimes briefly and sometimes for months or years. This is not due so much as to an actual healing of the condition as much as it is due to a decrease in the inflammation that causes the pain. …
Yes, the two conditions have very similar causes and symptoms. Both involve restriction of a pathway that a nerve follows to reach the end of a limb, in the case of tarsal tunnel it is the route the nerve takes into the foot from the leg, and in the case of carpal tunnel syndrome it…
Read more Is tarsal tunnel syndrome similar to carpal tunnel syndrome?
Injections of corticosteroid medication in the heel do not have a length of effectiveness as many people assume. The medication either works or it does not. The steroid medication will alter and disrupt the chemical process that allows inflammation to take place. The medication will either reduce all the inflammation, some of it, or none…
Stress fractures differ from regular fractures in a very distinct way. Regular fractures of bone in the foot result from traumatic injuries like twisting injuries, heavy weight on the foot, or smashing the foot against a harder object, resulting in force that is strong enough to break bones. Stress fractures are caused by much more…
Read more What is the difference between a stress fracture in the foot, and a regular fracture?
Most cases of plantar fasciitis develop due to a problem with the foot’s structure that leads to gradual strain of the plantar fascia itself. This strain eventually worsens to the point that fasciitis and pain appear. Even when plantar fasciitis is cured by medical treatment, the risk is still there for it to redevelop, as…
Read more Why are orthotics used to treat plantar fasciitis?
