CAUSES

Traumatic causes of foot pain

A number of common injuries can cause foot pain including:

• Broken bones
• Burns
• Injuries related to overuse
• Sprains and strains
• Stress fractures

Inflammatory causes of foot pain

Inflammation can cause foot pain that is restricted to one foot or even a specific location on one foot. Examples include:

• Blisters
• Bursitis (inflammation of a bursa sac that cushions a joint)
• Bunions
• Gout (type of arthritis caused by a buildup of uric acid in the joints)
• Osteoarthritis
• Peripheral neuropathy (disorder of the peripheral nerves that lie outside your brain and spinal cord)
• Plantar fasciitis (inflammation of the thick, fibrous tissue on the bottom of the foot)
• Skin ulceration
• Tendonitis (inflammation of a tendon)
• Rheumatoid arthritis (chronic autoimmune disease characterized by joint inflammation)
• Vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels)

Infectious causes of foot pain

Infectious processes can also cause foot pain including:

• Abscess
• Cellulitis (skin and soft tissue infection)
• Ingrown toenail
• Osteomyelitis (bone infection)
• Plantar warts (caused by papillomavirus infection)

Other causes of foot pain

Foot pain can also be caused by problems that affect multiple body systems including:

• Alcohol abuse
• shoes that don’t fit properly
• Wearing high-heeled shoes
• Benign or malignant tumors
• Blood clots
• Bone spurs
• Buerger’s disease (acute inflammation and clotting of arteries and veins)
• Congenital deformities
• Diabetes (chronic disease that affects your body’s ability to use sugar for energy)
• Loose fragments of bone or cartilage within joint spaces
• Obesity
• Peripheral artery disease (PAD, also called peripheral vascular disease, or PVD, which is a narrowing of arteries due to a buildup of fat and cholesterol on the artery walls, which limits blood flow to the extremities)
• Raynaud’s disease (spasms of small blood vessels of the fingers and toes, reducing blood circulation; has no known cause)

SYMPTOMS

Pain in the feet may accompany other symptoms affecting any of the structures of the foot including:

• Bleeding or bruising
• Burning or tingling sensation (paresthesia)
• Difficulty moving the foot, ankle or toes
• Joint pain
• Numbness
• Stiffness
• Swelling (edema) of the foot or joints

Foot pain may accompany symptoms related to other body systems including:

• Back pain
• Leg pain
• Muscle cramps or spasm
• Pain, swelling or stiffness of other joints

In some cases, foot pain may occur with other symptoms that might indicate a serious or life-threatening condition that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting. Seek immediate medical care by Dialing: +91 9884746916 or Visit:drbharathsacuheal.com if you, or someone you are with, have any of the following symptoms:

• Chest pain or pressure
• Palpitations
• Paralysis or inability to move a body part
• Respiratory or breathing problems, such as shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, labored breathing, wheezing, not breathing, or choking
• Sudden change in vision, loss of vision, or eye pain
• Sudden, severe headache

DIAGNOSIS

Proper evaluation and diagnosis of foot pain are essential in planning treatment. The types, causes, and severity (sharp pain versus a dull ache) also are good indicators of the seriousness of the injury.There are four grades of pain:

• During activity
• Before and after, and not affecting performance
• Before, during, and after athletic activity, affecting performance
• Pain so severe that performance is impossible
• Feet will be physically and visually examined at rest, with weight- and non-weight-bearing movement by the medical professional.
• The foot and arch will be touched and manipulated and inspected to identify obvious deformities, swelling, tender spots, or any differences in the bones of the foot and arch.
• The medical professional will examine how the muscles of your foot function. These tests may involve holding or moving your foot and ankle against resistance; you may also be asked to stand, walk, or even run.
• The skin will be inspected for any signs of bruising, break in skin, or infection.
• The nerves in the foot will be tested to make sure no injury has occurred there.
• An X-ray, MRI, or bone scan of the foot and arch may be taken to determine if there are abnormalities of the bone and/or soft tissues.
• A blood test may be ordered to rule out systemic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout, or diabetes.

PREVENTION

Follow these tips to help prevent ongoing foot pain:

• Choose comfortable, roomy, and well-cushioned shoes.
• Avoid shoes with high heels and narrow toe areas.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Stretch before engaging in vigorous exercise.
• Practice good foot hygiene.
• Always wear footwear when you’re outdoors to protect your feet.

Although foot pain is common, it’s not a normal part of life. You should seek medical help if you have foot pain that hasn’t resolved after a week or two of at-home treatment.

RISK FACTORS

• have overweight or obesity
• are pregnant
• have a foot injury such as a sprain, fracture, or tendinitis

COMPLICATIONS

• Abscess
• Amputation
• Blood clot (thrombosis)
• Deformity
• Difficulty walking
• Gangrene
• Sepsis (life-threatening bacterial blood infection)
• Shock

TREATMENT

Treatments are optimally directed toward the specific cause of the pain.

• When you first begin to notice discomfort or pain in the area, you can treat yourself with rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE).
• Appropriate use of commercially available ankle and foot supports may provide rest, comfort, and support to the affected area.
• Compression and elevation will help prevent any swelling of the affected tissues. Excessive swelling can cause stretching of the nerve fibers in the affected area, which can cause more pain. Therefore, decreasing swelling often provides some degree of pain relief.
• There are two types of over-the-counter medications that may help with the pain and swelling of foot pain.
• Acetaminophen will help reduce the pain, while a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory.
• NSAID such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen can help lessen the pain and as well as reduce the inflammatory response.
• A corticosteroid injection can be helpful.
• Shoe sizing should be assessed as well as sock construct and material.

EFFECTIVENESS OF ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT

Whether performed by a Chinese acupuncturist or a western doctor practicing, acupuncture for foot pain is no doubt the best remedy. May it be a mild foot pain caused by a long period of standing or walking, or already a serious chronic pain, acupuncture has proven its role in effectively treating pain.Acupuncture, is one of the natural ways to heal body pains and even illnesses.Acupuncture points or also known as acupoints, are points in the body where needles are inserted in various depths to improve the flow of blood and relieves pain.

The acupuncture points on the feet are also may not be the same as the acupressure points used in reflexology, except that acupuncture uses needles to trigger the points instead. These acupuncture points have links to vital organs in our body that hold the key to improve human well-being. Acupuncture foot points include other points throughout the body.

MECHANISM OF ACUPUNCTURE

Acupuncture is a successful treatment to relieve pain, restore flexibility, and prevent structural deterioration of the feet. The acupuncture reduces local inflammation and enhances blood circulation in the feet. In addition, acupuncture has a homeostatic effect by balancing the parasympathetic and sympathetic nerve signals in the feet. In this way, the acupuncture sends a signal to the brain to stop inflammation and swelling and to begin the recuperation process.Acupoint chosen are LR 4, LU 5, LI 11, and KI 27 for traditional reasons—left LR 4 and LU 5 are Oketsu points and LI 11 is an immune point.The remainder of the points were chosen for their proximity to peripheral nerves. Acupuncture shows promising results for those suffering from foot pain.

BEST CURE FOR FOOT PAIN

Looking for the best relief for foot pain in Chennai, here’s why you should reach out to the expert Acupuncturist. A. Shaji Bharath from the best rated clinic Dr.Bharath’s Acu Heal. He is currently treating patients for a wide range of conditions. As a best acupuncture practitioner with 15 years of experience, and having worked with several orthopedician and neurologists Acupuncturist. A. Shaji Bharath can create the treatment plan for the best cure for foot pain to manage the condition that's tailored to your needs, which can break a cycle of long-lasting pain in the foot. As the top acupuncture doctor in Chennai he has witnessed acupuncture doing wonders for people suffering from foot pain. The effectiveness rate increases several times just with one course of Acupuncture. So, take some time to find the right pain management and best remedy for acupuncture approach that suits you. Most of the people swear by acupuncture, citing it as a best cure and a ‘miracle’ to improving their quality of life. To contact the top acupuncture doctor in Chennai, Dial: +91 9884746916 or Visit: drbharathsacuheal.com for more details.

BEST ACUPUNCTURE DOCTOR NEAR ME

To choose the Best doctor for Acupuncture, it's important that the Acupuncturist should have a decade of experience and treated at least 1000 to 2000 patients.

You can also search for the Best Acupuncture Doctor near me or ask your primary care physician to refer an experienced Acupuncturist nearby. Once you find the Best Acupuncture Doctor in Chennai, you may go through their google reviews first and then fix an appointment with the doctor only when you are satisfied with the reviews.

The Best Acupuncture Doctor should address your concerns and help you feel more comfortable before your first session. Acupuncture usually takes numerous sessions or several weeks to get a complete cure in any ailment but within 3 or 4 sessions the patients will experience positive differences.

BEST ACUPUNCTURE CLINIC NEAR ME

There are numerous clinics popping up and it is sometimes skeptical to choose the best or even the safe one. To address such concerns, you can look into the following points to choose the best acupuncture clinic for treating foot pain. Acupuncture is also offered in hospital pain clinics and by healthcare organizations but it is ideal to visit the best Acupuncture Clinic. If you are not sure, it would be a good idea to contact your local doctor to see if they would be prepared to refer to the best rated acupuncture clinics.Acupuncture is offered in top rated acupuncture clinics near me because conventional treatment has failed or produces unacceptable side effects. Most of the best acupuncture clinics will spell out very clearly what type of acupuncture they practice and how professional they are - at present anyone can set themselves up as an acupuncturist but reputable practitioners will belong to an organization. So while you are filtering the best clinics for acupuncture that treats foot pain, you can look out for these factors. Treatment without surgery for foot pain is possible through Acupuncture and it gives the best result.

We have been rewarded a 5-star rating from Google & Practo. You can also check the reviews there.

THE BOTTOM LINE

When the pain begins to interfere with your activities of daily living or if you cannot perform your desired activities without pain, you should consider seeking medical attention. Indicators that you should seek medical care are if the area looks deformed, you have a loss of function, change of sensation, a large amount of swelling with pain, prolonged change of skin or toenail color, the affected area becomes warmer than the surrounding areas, becomes exquisitely tender to the touch, or is causing you to move differently. Dial: +91 9884746916 or Visit: drbharathsacuheal.com to make an appointment to sort your pain.

SCIENTIFIC REFERENCES:

• Zhang SP, Yip TP, Li QS. Acupuncture treatment for plantar fasciitis: a randomised controlled trial with six months follow up. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2011;2011:154108.
• Kumnerddee W, Pattapong N. Efficacy of electro-acupuncture in chronic plantar fasciitis: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Chin Med. 2012;40:1167–76.
• PTillu A, Gupta S. Effect of acupuncture treatment on the heel pain due to plantar fasciitis. Acupunct Med. 1998;16:66–8.

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FAQ:

What are the services provided for foot pain by Dr. Bharath’s Acu Heal?

The Acupuncturist will start the treatment after examining the patients thoroughly and listening to their health issues and symptoms. If the foot pain occurs in the toes, heels, arches, or soles, then it is due to the broken bones, strains, or injuries related to overuse, stress fractures, etc. Some of the inflammatory causes like gout, osteoarthritis, peripheral neuropathy, plantar fasciitis, tendonitis, rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis is occurred due to a blood clot, a bone spur (calcaneal spur), diabetes, obesity, etc. The treatment will be given according to the symptoms like pain, numbness, stiffness, swelling, etc so that it gets reduced gradually.

What are the benefits of acupuncture for foot pain?

This is a drugless therapy and there are no side effects. After completing the course of treatment any form of medication can be stopped.

How many sessions do you need for foot pain?

It takes around 30 to 40 sessions in a period of 4 to 5 months.