Best Treatment for Pain in Arch of Foot in North Seattle

While one of the most common complaints in my podiatry office is heel pain, a close second would be arch pain. Arch pain doesn’t just plague runners and other athletes, but people who are less active as well.

So, you’re probably wondering–what’s causing my foot arch pain?

Let take a closer look at the purpose of the arch.

Purpose of Your Foot Arch

First, you really have two arches in your feet. One is the medial arch found toward the inside of your foot and the other is the lateral arch on the outside of your foot. These foot arches have a big job to do. They have to hold up your weight, absorb shock when you walk, run, or jump, and maintain your balance. Your arches also allow your feet to be flexible so that you don’t injure yourself when you move.

How Your Foot Arch Type Can Cause Painful Foot Problems

Your foot arch type often dictates what types of foot problems you are more likely to develop.

Flat foot or Pes planus

People with flat feet are more prone to develop several different foot conditions including:

• Plantar fasciitis
• Achilles tendonitis
• Bunions
• Hammertoes and overlapping toes

When the arch of the foot is flat you’re more prone to overpronate or roll your feet in every time you take a step. This overpronation leads to excessive pulling on the plantar fascia, the ligament that runs along the bottom of your foot. It can cause pain in your arch and your heel—these symptoms are most commonly seen with the conditions plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis.

Overpronation also leads to foot deformities such as bunions and hammertoes. These conditions develop over time—the big toe moves towards your little toes causing the bump on the side of your big toe. Your little toes can develop into hammertoes or overlap as a result.

Posterior tibial tendonitis is another condition that causes arch pain. A person with this condition also has a flat foot but it develops when the collapse of the arch is more severe. This condition needs immediate attention to avoid rupture of the tendon.

High arched foot or Pes cavus

Like most flat feet, high arches are inherited. People with high arches place more pressure on their heels and balls of their feet. While people with flat feet tend to develop plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis due to overpronation, people with high arches are also at risk but for a different reason—they place more pressure on the heels of the foot when they walk or run. Again, pain can be felt in the heel and in the arch.

Other conditions common among people with a high arched foot are:

• Metatarsalgia
• Calluses on ball and heel of the foot
• Tendency to sprain their ankle when high arches aren’t flexible
• Arthritis

However, none of these conditions necessarily cause pain in the foot arch.

Treating Foot Arch Pain At Home

Fortunately, there is a lot you can do to treat pain in the arch of your foot.

Rest

If you’re noticing pain in the arch of your foot, take a break from your activities particularly if you’re an athlete. See if a few days of rest make a difference.

Treat Your Inflammation

Pain is caused by inflammation. You can treat it by:

• Icing – use an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas and ice for 7-10 mins three times a day
• Massage can bring blood to the inflamed area to help heal it
• Taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) per your doctors instructions

Change Your Shoes

Improper shoes can often cause arch and heel pain. Your shoes should be supportive and not flop around. To find out if your shoes might be the problem, check out my video “How to Test Any Shoe for Stability.” A word of caution–just because your shoes are made by a well known company doesn’t mean they’re more stable. 

Add An Insert to Your Shoes

In addition to buying more supportive shoes, replace the insert that comes with your shoes with an over-the-counter insert such as Powerstep or Redi-Orthotics.

Stretching

Many people who experience arch pain have very tight calf muscles and a tight Achilles. Stretching at home is an essential part of any treatment plan. However, it’s important to stretch enough. See below for more information about stretching.

Treating Foot Arch Pain At the Office

While some people can get relieve from their arch pain using in home remedies, most people will need to see a skilled podiatrist to get better. That’s where we come in.

Reducing Your Inflammation

While icing and anti-inflammatory drugs can help reduce inflammation, often you’ll need more to get your pain and inflammation done. This is essential to get better in moderate to severe cases.

Here are the in-office modalities we use:

• Cortisone injection
• Airheel- this device relieves the pressure on your arch
• Taping the foot- this takes the pressure off your arch
• Walking boot- sometimes this is necessary to immobilize the foot
• MLS laser therapy – this therapy heals the pain and inflammation at the cellular level and is very effective for recurring heel and arch pain.

Treating Abnormal Foot Mechanics

While all the methods above are critical to decrease your pain in the short term, you’ll likely need to treat your abnormal foot mechanics. We use traditional custom orthotics and Custom 3D Printed Orthotics to properly align and support your feet. Dr. Berg will determine which orthotics are best for your condition and level of activity.

In addition, if you’re diagnosed with posterior tibial tendonitis you’ll need a special brace to keep your arch from collapsing, It’s called an Arizona brace.

Treating Tight Calf Muscles and Achilles

Of all the factors causing foot problems, a tight calf/Achilles is one of the most destructive. While stretching is a critical component to your recovery from foot arch pain, stretching enough is often difficult. That’s because you need to stretch for long periods of time to make a difference – around 30 minutes.

We provide our patients with an Achilles splint to use while sitting watching TV or reading.

If you’re experiencing arch pain, call us at 206-368-7000 or request an appointment online.

Arch Pain- Causes, Treatments, and Prevention

Arch pain is common in everyone, not just athletes. The arch of the foot absorbs the shock when you walk and bears your weight when you stand. Standing for long periods of time can predispose you to pain in the arch of the foot. Arch pain can also be caused by injury to the foot, as well as the wrong footwear, standing incorrectly, and flatfoot.

Arch pain refers to pain between the ball of the foot and the heel. The arches of the foot are made of muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Overuse, injury, weight gain, flatfoot, as well as other medical conditions can all cause pain in the arch. The most common causes of arch pain in adults include:

• Plantar Fasciitis
  This condition is more common in the heel, but it can occur in the arch of the foot. Plantar fasciitis occurs when a band of tissue that runs from the heel to the arch becomes irritated and inflamed. The pain from plantar fasciitis is very localized to the arch and is worse in the morning when you get out of bed. After walking around for a few minutes, the arch stretches, and the pain is relieved.
• Pinched Nerve
  Nerves in the feet can get pinched, and this causes pain in the arch. The pinched nerve is actually located below the ankle, but the pain radiates to the arch of the foot. The pinched nerve causes sharp pains, aching, or foot cramps. Pain occurs at any time, even while at rest.
• Tendinitis
  Tendinitis is inflammation or strain of a tendon. This will cause pain while walking. Tendinitis is more common in those with flatfoot, as they are more likely to strain the tendons in the foot. Pain occurs in the arch, the bottom of the foot, the inner part of the ankle, and on the top of the foot.
• Sprains
  Though not as common as ankle sprains, arch sprains can cause significant pain. Because these can be difficult to diagnose, early evaluation by a foot and ankle specialist is necessary to prevent long term problems.
• Stress Fractures
  Stress fractures occur when your bone swells from overuse and cracks. Pain and swelling will typically be felt at the top of your arch, making closed shoes and walking uncomfortable.
• Arthritis
  Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints that can occur anywhere in the body. Arthritis in the arch is often associated with bone spurs and can cause aching and throbbing pain with every step.

Arch Pain Treatment

Foot pain is never normal. If you suffer from occasional arch pain, you may find relief with some home remedies, such as rest, icing the foot, and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications. If your pain persists or worsens, you are unable to bear weight because of the pain, or you develop redness or swelling to the foot, it’s time to make an appointment with your 1Foot 2Foot podiatrist. After diagnosing the underlying cause of your pain, your podiatrist will develop a treatment plan that may include the following:

• Specialized athletic strapping
• Modification of activity
• Foot-type specific arch supports or custom orthotics
• Bracing or cast protection
• Prescription medications
• Physical therapy
• Steroid or amniotic injections
• Regenerative medicine techniques such laser or shockwave therapy
• Surgical intervention

Recovery time will depend on the cause of your arch pain and the treatment necessary to resolve it. Your podiatrist will be able to provide you with an estimated recovery time once an accurate diagnosis is made.

Arch Pain Prevention

You can prevent arch pain in a few different ways, First, ensure you are wearing the proper footwear for your activity and that the shoe fits properly. Avoid going barefoot, as the lack of arch support while barefoot can trigger arch pain. Maintain a healthy weight to alleviate some of the stress on your feet. Warm up before exercising. Your podiatrist can show you stretches that you can incorporate into your routine. Lastly, take your time and pace yourself and rest when you need to.

Conclusion

Occasional arch pain is common; however, if the pain and discomfort persist, it is time to seek medical intervention. The award-winning podiatrists at 1Foot 2Foot know how to relieve your arch pain and will develop a treatment plan specifically for your foot condition. Contact us today to schedule your appointment.

Pain. What is this? How can you help someone in pain? — Health Olympus

Pain has been known to the world since the beginning of life. Every living organism, when exposed to excessive environmental factors (high and low temperatures, trauma, chemical damage, etc.), must react and defend itself. It is pain that is the red flag that the body throws out so that the human consciousness reacts and reduces the volume or strength of the damaging effect. Thus, pain is a shield that reduces damage. After all, if we did not feel that we burned our finger, we would burn out completely. But, unfortunately, pain is not only protective.

Let’s touch on a few definitions of “pain”.

Pain is an unpleasant or painful sensation, an experience of physical or emotional suffering. Serves as a signal of real or perceived tissue damage or psychological distress; pain can also be caused by disorders in the functioning of the nervous system. It is one of the symptoms of a number of diseases.

Pain is a kind of mental state of a person, determined by a combination of physiological processes in the central nervous system caused by a strong stimulus.

These definitions show that pain is always subjective. Only the sufferer feels it, and no one, even an experienced doctor, can see it and fully appreciate it.

Personally, I like this definition. Pain is a psychosocial phenomenon that disrupts a person’s habitual lifestyle and is associated with unpleasant subjective sensations.

Pain is often caused by a disease or injury. Having cured this condition, the doctor, according to the logic of things, should remove the pain. But some diseases are not completely reversible (curvature of the spine, chronic herpetic neuropathy, cicatricial deformities, amputations of body parts) and lead to chronic pain or, in simple words, to a constant sensation of pain of varying degrees of intensity. In this case, pain is no longer one of the symptoms of a causative disease, it itself manifests itself as a powerful damaging factor and leads to serious changes in the physiology of the body, as well as in the psychosocial background of the individual. The work of all human organs and systems is changing (sleep disorder, intestinal disorders, fluctuations in blood pressure, increased stress on the heart). The psyche of the individual changes significantly. People lose their jobs, family relationships are disorganized.

In this situation, the pain itself needs to be treated. The red flag has already been thrown away, the person has realized where and how it hurts. Perhaps even the cause that provoked the pain disappeared.

Everyone knows the names of drugs for pain relief. They are available in tablet and injectable form and belong to the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The drugs act on the entire body, regardless of the form of administration. The mechanism of action is associated with blocking the enzyme COX 1 and COX 2 and reducing the inflammatory response.

In ordinary acute conditions (bruises, injuries), these drugs are successfully used. However, complications rarely occur. Painkillers do not always help in an acute process, for example, in radicular syndrome, the cause of which is the infringement and injury of a large nerve trunk that exits through narrow foraminal openings. There is severe back pain that is not amenable to conventional treatment.

A key feature of the use of NSAIDs is the need for good blood flow in the area of ​​pain. Inflammation and pain go hand in hand. And where inflammation is present, blood flow is always reduced. Accordingly, only a small concentration of the drug will fall into the zone of inflammation and pain. Skin patches also cannot deliver the drug to the focus of pain, since the depth of penetration of drugs through the skin is very low, only 1-2 centimeters. For example, with radicular syndrome, pain is localized at a depth of up to 11 centimeters from the skin. Increasing the dose of the drug in injections or tablets will not have an effect, but will only increase the toxic effect (stomach ulcers, blood clotting disorders, kidney and liver damage).

The only effective way to deliver the drug to the site of pain in this case is an injection into the area of ​​inflammation itself. For this, deep blockades are used.

Blockades differ in their method and purpose. Some doctors perform therapeutic blockades “blindly”, using only the patient’s anatomical landmarks. The effectiveness of such a blockade is always low, the likelihood of complications increases and there is no diagnostic value at all. After all, the doctor in such a case does not know where the tip of the needle is and, accordingly, where the drug will be delivered.

Modern algology routinely uses visualized (“visible”, not blind, accurate) therapeutic and diagnostic blocks. The doctor performing the procedures has special equipment in his arsenal (ultrasound scanner and / or C-arm X-ray machine, neurostimulator, radiofrequency destruction device), as well as specialized certified training in working with chronic pain. Due to this, the doctor sees the tip of the needle in the deep tissues of the patient at the time of injection and injects the drug exactly on target. Needle position control is carried out in real time, which eliminates complications from manipulation. Due to the local administration of the drug, the effect on the body is reduced to zero. Therefore, these procedures are not contraindicated even for patients with pathology of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, liver, cardiovascular and hematopoietic systems of the body. The therapeutic effect is long-lasting and, if necessary, increases with the help of ablation techniques (temporary shutdown) of the nerve fiber.

An absolutely important aspect of the procedure is its diagnostic value. The doctor establishes a preliminary diagnosis of the cause of pain, conducts an accurate blockade. The result of the blockade is evaluated, and the doctor, knowing the area of ​​the previous impact, can always change his tactics and the place of impact for the best result with a second blockade. This is especially important in the treatment of chronic (long-term disturbing) pain.

In conclusion, I would like to note that prolonged pain is now in itself a cause of disability. With the right approach, together with the patient and an interdisciplinary team of specialists, it is possible to return a person in pain to a full life, work and joy.

Author of the article:

Vodolazsky Nikolay Yurievich

Head of the Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care end unknown

Previous article | Next article

Why teeth hurt in braces

// ✅ Content checked by doctor

In modern dentistry, bracket systems are widely used today to correct occlusion and other dental anomalies. This technique is very effective and shows good results not only in children, but also in adults, even with advanced defects.

Contents

• Main causes
• How long the pain lasts and what sensations are present
• What to do to reduce pain

Unfortunately, braces are not without drawbacks. Many patients complain that after installing the system, their teeth start to hurt . Let’s figure out what are the main causes that can cause pain, what to do to reduce it, and how a dentist can help.

Next, consider the main reasons why discomfort occurs.

Main causes

• The pressure exerted by the arc. Any correction of malocclusion is carried out due to the continuous pressure of the bracket design on the teeth. The impact force is constant, and the pressure will continue until until the teeth in the row are in their correct positions .
  This process is quite complicated and cannot be painless, especially in the early stages. The patient may feel aching pain in the jaw, which creates discomfort during chewing and talking, increased salivation.
  There are cases when severe pain is observed when the bracket system is incorrectly installed . This leads not only to pronounced sensations, but to the aggravation of malocclusion, dysfunction of the jaw joint.
• Injuries of the oral mucosa. In some cases, the design of brackets can injure the mucous membrane, which makes it difficult for the patient to maintain hygiene, and this in turn provokes the growth of pathogenic bacteria.
  The inflammatory process leads to the development of periodontitis and gingivitis. In this case, soft tissue edema develops, sores appear in the mouth, an unpleasant odor is felt .
• Carious lesions of the teeth. This is another cause of pain when wearing braces. Caries develops with insufficient oral hygiene and plaque deposits. The initial stages of the disease may not be noticeable, especially since part of the surface of the teeth is covered with a bracket system.
  The gradual destruction of the enamel leads to an increase in sensitivity and the development of uncomfortable sensations . Therefore, during the control visit to the orthodontist, the doctor examines the teeth for the presence of caries.
• Increased tooth sensitivity . Various factors lead to it: frequent polishing of tooth enamel, consumption of products with a high content of organic acids, too hot or cold food, improper installation of the braces arc. The influence of one or more factors cause pain when wearing braces. Therefore, the patient needs to visit a dentist who will prescribe the necessary procedures or a course of remineralization therapy.

How long the pain lasts and what sensations are present

Normally, after the installation of the system, moderate soreness and discomfort is allowed in the first few days . Then, the patient adapts to the new design and does not experience discomfort.

The main symptoms are:

• Pressing pain when the whole jaw is affected by the wire. It has a moderate character, the intensity gradually decreases.
• Burning sensation and tissue swelling – possibly on the first day after the installation of the correction arc. The reason may be an allergic reaction to the material of the braces.
• Soft tissue discomfort or pain 5-6 days after system installation. It develops as a result of injury to soft tissues by parts of the structure. Prolonged irritation of the mucosa requires a mandatory visit to the doctor.
• Sharp pain on contact with sour, cold or hot food.

What to do to relieve pain

If the pain does not improve after a few days of insertion, should seek medical attention . The orthodontist will examine the structure, which may need to be loosened.