A lot of people believe that foot pain is normal following a long day at school or work. Some types of food pain may require just over-the-counter pain medications, but chronic pain in the foot may indicate a serious health issue. Thus, if you have persistent foot pain, you should consider seeing a foot and ankle specialist in Maryville, IL to get a proper diagnosis and treatment. Read on to learn more about the common causes of foot pain:
Bunions
Bunions develop when bones in the foot misalign. The skin over them may be sore and red. Typically, bunions result from wearing narrow-fitting and tight shoes. Also, they can develop due to medical conditions such as arthritis or the shape of your foot.
Often, bunions are treated with conservative treatment like wearing well-fitting shoes, pain relief, or orthotics. Orthotics and well-fitting shoes give your feet correct support. Also, surgery is an option when conservative treatments do not work. Typically, bunion surgery is meant to remove the swollen tissue around the affected bone.
Ingrown Toenails
These foot issues result from the growth of a toenail in a way that pushes into the soft flesh of the toe. While you may be able to handle most cases of ingrown toenails, more complicated cases may require a foot specialist’s attention.
Heel Pain
When you are up and working all day, you could experience heel pain. When your help pain occurs because of overexertion of the feet, you may just give yourself proper rest to deal with it. But medical conditions like Achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis may also cause chronic foot pain.
Achilles tendonitis occurs because of a rupture or strain in your Achilles tendon. It often impacts runners, particularly those who perform long-distance runs or high-intensity runs. A podiatrist may recommend over-the-counter pain relievers or at-home remedies to prevent or relieve pain associated with Achilles tendonitis. Meanwhile, plantar fasciitis develops when the tissue that connects the heel bone to the toes is inflamed. A podiatrist may prescribe medications and splints for plantar fasciitis. But if such treatments fail, surgery may be necessary.
Fractures and Trauma
You may experience chronic foot pain because of physical fractures and trauma because of an accident. Such injuries could be a broken toe or foot. Also, old injuries remain painful even if they have healed. This can happen when a fracture does not heal in the right position or is not set correctly.
