ACUPUNCTURE FOR TREATMENT OF PLANTAR FASCIITIS
September 10th, 2008
Acupuncture can reduce pain and improve range and function in individuals experiencing plantar fasciitis, one of the most common causes of heel pain. Resulting from inflammation of the plantar fascia, a ligament-like band of tissue that extends from the bottom of the heel bone to the base of the toes, plantar fasciitis is often seen in obese individuals, athletes, people with bone spurs in the local area, and individuals who spend a great deal of time walking or standing.
Repetitive stress or excessive weight causes small tears in the fascia, which results in chronic heel pain. The pain is exacerbated by weight bearing after a period of rest, palpation of the heel, standing tiptoe, and flexion of the toes.
Conventional therapies for plantar fasciitis may include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, rest, stretching, exercising, ice, casting, night splints, injections, and orthotics. However, no allopathic modality has been proven effective in the treatment of plantar fasciitis; individuals undergoing allopathic treatment may still develop disabling symptoms and chronic pain.
Acupuncture can be an effective form of pain relief for a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions, including plantar fasciitis. Repetitive strain disorders, such as plantar fasciitis and carpal tunnel syndrome, as well as many other acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain syndromes, have been effectively treated using acupuncture.
Acupuncture treatment for plantar fasciitis stimulates intramuscular trigger points on the plantar region of the foot, deactivating these points, which results in pain reduction. Acupuncture increases levels of endorphins in the central nervous system, which decreases distribution of the body’s pain signals to the spinal cord level and modulates pain perception.
Acupuncture can produce a significant reduction in pain and an improvement in function with a limited number of treatments. Acupuncture can enhance healing of the plantar fasciitis by decreasing local inflammation. According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory, a stagnation of chi (vital energy) results in pain.
Acupuncture relieves the pain associated with plantar fasciitis by strengthening and balancing the flow of chi into the area where heal pain is occurring. Your acupuncture physician may also utilize moxibustion in addition to acupuncture to alleviate symptomatic pain while treating the root cause of the condition.
Your acupuncture treatment for plantar fasciitis may be followed with Tui Na, a form of TCM therapeutic massage, to warm the affected region and stretch the plantar fascia. Tui Na plays a role in rehabilitation and health maintenance and is effective in the treatment of muscles, tendons and ligaments. Often used in conjunction with acupuncture and Chinese herbalism, Tui Na is an integral part of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM.) Acupressure may also be applied to local trigger points to alleviate pain.
Acupuncture for the treatment of plantar fasciitis may serve as a complementary therapy, integrated into a treatment plan that incorporates both allopathic and TCM modalities.
For more information about acupuncture for the treatment of plantar fasciitis call Dr. Richard Browne, Acupuncture Physician, at (305) 595-9500.
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