What Is Plantar Fasciitis And How To Treat It

Plantar fasciitis is a debilitating condition which involves injury and inflammation of the plantar fascia. This is a thick connective tissue found underneath the foot, which is very important in maintaining the foot's arch.

There a lot of causes of plantar fasciitis but the patients that mostly have this condition are athletes and the elderly. People engaged in sports that involve intensive use of the feet like runners, cyclers, basketball and football players, and the like can injure the plantar fascia due to excessive stress to the feet. The plantar fascia, as with any part of the body, is prone to wear and tear, so it is typical to find elderly patients with foot problems.

Symptoms of plantar fasciitis are heel pain on the first steps after getting out of bed in the morning or stepping out of a car. Pain gradually deceases after a few steps but pain could heighten up again during the day especially after long periods of standing or climbing the stairs.

A thorough physical exam and past medical history is necessary for a podiatrist to properly diagnose foot pain due to plantar fasciitis. There are different causes of foot pain that can show similar symptoms as that of plantar fasciitis. A correct diagnosis is the key to proper treatment.

There are several approaches in treating heel pain and the goal is to relieve the forces that are causing the plantar fascia to be stretched excessively. At home, there are easy ways to relieve foot pain. Resting the foot is an effective way to stop the pain. If the foot is allowed to rest long enough, this can encourage healing of the plantar fascia. Ice packs or cold compress provide quick relief of pain and swelling. If pain still persists after these basic treatments, then a podiatrist should be consulted.

  

What is Peripheral Neuropathy?

Our nervous system comprises a complex network of nerves fibers that sends out and receives signals from other structures of the body. This signal exchange is vital for regulatory, defense and overall homeostasis of the body.

The nervous system is generally composed of two major parts: The central nervous system which consists of the brain and spinal cord, and the peripheral nervous system which involves any nerves outside the central nervous system.

The central nervous system functions as the main processor of the whole nervous system and controls all bodily functions. The peripheral nerves on the other hand have two segments. One segment sends out nerve signals from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles, organs and other bodily structures. The other segment sends back signals from the joints, skin and other organs back to the central nervous system. 

What is peripheral neuropathy?

Peripheral neuropathy is a disorder of peripheral nerves and does not involve the spinal cord and brain. There are several causes that can damage the peripheral nerves like cancer, vitamin deficiency,  alchololism and many more.

The most common cause of peripheral neuropathy is diabetes. Diabetic neuropathy is a major concern because it mainly involves legs and feet. 50% of all foot amputations are due to this condition.

How does diabetic neuropathy occur?

Our nerves and blood vessels work hand in hand to function properly. The blood vessels supply nourishment to the nerves and the nerves give out signals to the brain whether to increase or decrease blood flow to a certain area of the body. In diabetes mellitus, the blood vessels especially the small distal blood vessels get obstructed, minimizing blood flow, this is called microvasculinization. This causes the nerves to malfunction and fail to send important sensory messages to the brain.

Of all the structures of the body, the foot is most prone to this condition because it is most distal to the heart. Decreased sensory function on the foot is dangerous and can be fatal if not treated properly.

First of all, small cuts or blisters could not be felt by a patient with neuropathy of the foot. Since there is minimal blood supply to the foot, there is delayed would healing. This will cause opportunistic bacterium that normally live on the skin to flourish and can infect the wound without the patient knowing it. And since diabetics have high sugar content in the blood, this is a perfect medium for bacterial growth and can lead to septicemia. Septicemia is a life threatening condition where a bacterium are able to penetrate and live within the circulatory system, overwhelming the body’s immune system.