Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is an incredibly painful yet common cause of heel problems. With typical treatments often taking too long to show results or being unsatisfactory, you may be looking for other methods of relief. That’s why many patients with plantar fasciitis turn to Life Balance Clinic in Glenview, IL.
What is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the plantar fascia, a band of tissue that connects your heel and toes. It holds up the arches of your feet and protects other tissues when walking by shock absorption.
Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis
The main symptom of plantar fasciitis is a stabbing pain, which is usually worse when you first get out of bed or stand up after sitting for a while. You may also develop pain after standing for long periods.
What Causes Plantar Fasciitis?
Physical activities that place a large amount of pressure on the foot and heel can cause plantar fasciitis. They include ballet, long-distance running, and professions such as teaching or surgical nursing that involve long hours of standing.
Additionally, being overweight places more pressure on your arch and heel, while the low oestrogen levels that develop with menopause mean less connective tissue support.
Regardless of the cause, tension on the plantar fascia causes the tissue to tear, and the resulting inflammation increases the more you stand on it. Standing first thing in the morning may cause partially healed tears to reappear, which is why it’s the most painful time of day.
How Does Acupuncture Help for Plantar Fasciitis?
Acupuncture can be an effective treatment for plantar fasciitis. For example, one study found that acupuncture reduced pain by 3.8 points on a 10-point scale, while supportive shoe soles and stretching had no benefit. Another showed that pain scores in the acupuncture group dropped by two-thirds while the painkillers and stretching group saw no results.
From a Chinese medical perspective, plantar fasciitis involves the Kidney channel as it runs through the center of your sole. A stagnation of Qi and blood causes the pain and damage, while acupuncture aims to unblock these problems and allow for healing.
What to Expect During Your Acupuncture Treatment
During acupuncture treatment for plantar fasciitis, your doctor will first ask questions about your condition and overall health. As acupuncture works on the body’s meridian channels, which run throughout your body and affect multiple organs and tissues, this holistic approach is necessary.
Then, Dr. Vadim Dekhtyar, DACM will prescribe a series of acupuncture points to be used in each treatment. Sessions may take up to 30 minutes, where the points are stimulated by tiny steel needles. You may feel a tingling sensation around the points, and it is an overall relaxing experience.
Treatment courses may take 4-12 weeks, and can initially involve sessions 2-3 times per week. They are spaced out more as your condition improves.
Safe and Effective Treatment at Life Balance Clinic
At Life Balance Clinic, Dr. Vadim Dekhtyar brings years of experience to treating Chicago patients’ heel pain. With 33 years of Chinese medical experience, he has seen many patients with plantar fasciitis and other heel problems and has had continued professional education in pain relief.
To book an appointment or learn more, contact us at 847-724-1777.