Neurotherm: Chronic Heel Pain Treatment

What Causes Heel Pain?

Footwear selection is critical: narrow shoes that compress the foot, high heels that place unnatural stress on your feet and inadequate support and cushioning can all lead to heel pain. Additionally, being overweight, walking with an uneven or unbalanced gait and spending hours on hard, unyielding surfaces, such as concrete or tiled floors, are all negative factors for heel health.

Heel pain, also known as neuroma, occurs when one of the nerves in the foot, generally the nerve that terminates between the toes, becomes entrapped or pinched. The nerve can become inflamed, stretching and swelling to the point where the patient experiences a sharp, piercing pain.

Neurotherm: A New Treatment Option For Chronic Heel Pain and Neuroma

If you experience chronic heel pain, the first step toward relief is to schedule a consultation with a podiatrist. You should do this even if you’ve talked with a doctor previously about your heel pain and been told that nothing can be done. There have been significant advances in podiatry, which means that you can do more than “learn to live with the pain.”

One of the most exciting and effective advances is the Neurotherm treatment. Neurotherm treatment is also known as radio frequency neuro ablation, and is used to eliminate the inflamed nerve’s ability to transmit feelings of pain and discomfort to your brain. If your brain doesn’t get the signal to feel pain, you don’t feel pain. This is a proven technique that has long been used to alleviate the suffering of patients who experience head and spinal injuries. Now, the technology has evolved to meet the needs of patients suffering from chronic heel pain, plantar fasciitis and neuroma. Neurotherm treatment is also used to alleviate interdigital neuritis, which is pain that manifests at or in between your toes.

Experiencing Neurotherm Treatment

Neurotherm treatment is an outpatient procedure that requires no anesthesia. Your physician will insert a fine needle into your foot, which will transmit the radio frequencies that are used to disrupt the nerve’s ability to communicate pain. The procedure may be repeated at various points along the nerve to guarantee enhanced effectiveness. Your physician may ask you to ice your feet for a few days before hand to reduce inflammation. Generally, patients are able to walk out of the office without assistance after the procedure, however you may wish to take it easy for the rest of the day. Some soreness related to the procedure may occur, generally at the site of the injection, and can last up to four days. Total pain relief occurs in over 90% of all patients within a month.

What About Heel Pain in Children?

Although it is comparatively rare, children can also experience heel pain. The majority of complaints come from children who are between 10 and 14 years old, particularly those who are heavily involved in athletic activities. Pain occurs when there is a disturbance to the growing area at the back of the heel bone where the strong Achilles tendon attaches to it. The condition is known as Sever’s Disease or calcaneal apophysitis, and in the majority of cases, resolves as the child grows into adulthood. This condition should be monitored by your pediatrician, who may in turn refer you to a pediatric podiatrist.