Plantar Fasciitis: A Common Cause Of Heel Pain

One of the common causes of heel pain is plantar fasciitis. This is due to an inflamed ligament called the plantar fascia. 

The plantar fascia is a strong connective tissue that attaches to the calcaneus bone or heel bone to the toes of the foot. The plantar fascia is very important because it maintains the arch of the foot.

When the plantar fascia undergoes tremendous stress, especially among athletes, microscopic injuries can occur anywhere in the planter fascia. This small injuries can get irritated and can cause can cause swelling and pain.

Typical Causes of Heel Pain

Plantar fasciitis is common among athletes like runners, basketball players, those who play football or baseball, and anything that requires the use of the foot. This is due to the enormous physical demand needed in these sports which usually put a lot of strain on the feet causing injury to the plantar fascia.

Another cause of plantar fasciitis is if you have weak foot ligaments. You don’t have to be an athlete to have plantar fasciitis. If your plantar fascia is weak, then this will get injured easily. Also, plantar fasciitis is common among the elderly due to natural wear and tear of the ligaments.

Also, wearing the wrong footwear can lead to plantar fasciitis. If your shoe is too small or large, wearing high heels, shoes that are too soft and don’t provide arch support, all of these factors can cause foot pain due to plantar fasciitis.

Symptoms

The most common symptom of plantar fasciitis is severe pain below the heel when you take your first step out of bed in the morning, or when your get out of the car after a long drive. But the pain gradually reduces after a few steps; however, pain can still recur during the day.

Diagnosis

The best way to diagnose this condition is to visit a foot specialist or podiatrist. The symptoms of plantar fasciitis can be similar to other foot conditions, so it is important to accurately diagnose the condition to provide the right medical treatment.

Two Common Causes Of Heel Pain

We may not know it, but our foot is constantly under tremendous amounts of pressure when we walk, run,  lift weights - anything involving the use of the foot. We only notice this when our foot gets injured, which really involves a lot of foot pain. A little bit of pressure can sometimes make you jump back to your seat.

One of the most common cause of heel pain is plantar fasciitis or inflammation of the plantar fascia. The plantar fascia is a thick fibrous strand of connective tissue that attaches below the calcaneus bone or heel bone to the metatarsals of the foot. This strong connective tissue is responsible for maintaining the arch of the foot, which means the plantar fascia is constantly under pressure during activities involving the use of the foot.  This is the reason why the plantar fascia is commonly injured. Pain in plantar fasciitis involves the lower foot, especially in the first steps after getting out of bed or sitting for a long time.

Another common cause of heel pain involves the injury of the Achilles tendon which is called Achilles tendinitis. The achiles tendon is found at the back of the foot, it also attaches the heel bone to the calf muscles above. Though this injury is common among athletes, a lot of women get Achilles tendinitis because of prolonged use of high heels. High heels, which keeps your foot at a tiptoe position shortens the Achilles tendon. When the heels are taken off, the Achilles tendon stretches more than usual causing injuries like a tear. Pain in Achilles tendinitis usually starts as a mild discomforting sensation that can gradually worsen. A ruptured tendon involves severe abrupt pain.

Both of these heel pain conditions can be treated by using the RICE (Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate) method. Resting is very important in treating any injury of the foot. This allows the tears or injuries to heal. Ice or cold compress decreases any swelling which help accelerate healing. Elevating the injured foot above the heart can also relieve foot swelling; this prevents pooling of fluids to the foot.

If pain persists better seek medical attention and call a podiatrist or foot specialist.

Treat Peripheral Neuropathy With Thiamine

Neuropathy or peripheral neuropathy is a medical term signifying damage to the peripheral nervous system. Patients with this type of disease experience pain, numbness, or weakness of the hands and feet. Pain is usually referred to as a tingling or burning sensation, while numbness is described as wearing of a glove.

There are several causes that can damage the peripheral nerves like an infection, direct physical injury to the nerve or trauma, toxins and metabolic problems, but the most common cause of peripheral neuropathy is diabetes.

The nervous system is composed of two parts. The central nervous system, which is composed of the brain and spinal cord, and the rest of the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord are the peripheral nerves. Peripheral nerve damage affects the nerves that receive feelings like pain, heat or touch. It also affects the nerves that are responsible for muscle movement causing muscle weakness.

Typically, the first nerves affected by peripheral neuropathy are the long nerves, a good example are the nerves going to the tip of the toes. Symptoms differ depending on which type of nerves are affected. The signs and symptoms are: Slow onset of tingling and numbness of the feet or hands, burning pain, sharp jabbing pain, sensitivity to touch, lack of coordination and weakness or paralysis of the foot or arm. 

With the right neuropathy supplement, peripheral neuropathy can be treated and the symptoms can improve with time, especially if the underlying condition is treatable. Usually, a patient can improve his or her neurologic function with thiamine intake.

Thiamine or vitamin B1 is part of the B-complex water soluble vitamins. Thiamine has numerous roles in the body. It helps carry electrolytes to travel in and out of the muscle and nervous cells, ensuring proper functioning of the muscles and nervous system. So it is important to take thiamine daily to counter the effects of peripheral neuropathy.