Acupuncture for Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar Fasciitis refers to the swelling of the extended and flat muscle or Plantar Fascia beside the foot’s sole. It runs from the toes through the arch attached to your heel. There may be something wrong with this ligament if you feel pain on the heel or claves. The throbbing is felt while walking or engaging in exercises. Plantar Fasciitis is categorized as a severe sprain or recurring stress injury.
Some of the possible factors that cause this disorder are stretched feet and calves, incorrect athletic training, wrong sizes of shoes, protracted standing or walking, and weakness of the feet. Further diagnosis will reveal that it is a habitual irritation of the foot’s arch because of excessive twisting. Millions of people are affected by this ailment. It usually begins with a slight discomfort that can lead to unbearable soreness. Thus, it needs diagnosis by a medical practitioner.
The treatment of Plantar Fasciitis centers on a prolonged and daily routine of pain management and physical therapy. The initial medical treatment plan consists of rest, arch support, ice packs, ibuprofen, and moderate stretching work-outs. There are more costly techniques such as cortisone (hormone) injections, orthotics (use of foot braces) and splints. Traditional stretching is said to be a good remedy. A recent survey disclosed that more than 80 percent of patients with Plantar Fasciitis went through this program and were treated successfully. In a worst case scenario, surgery may be recommended.
An alternative and generally effective cure is Acupuncture. The needle treatment helps lessen tenderness of the Plantar Fascia. Research studies found out that acupuncture has been effective in dealing with pain especially if it complements regular medical treatment. The success rate is around 80 percent compared to conventional procedures without acupuncture. The proposed treatment schedule is two times each week for three straight weeks. There will be a period of evaluation after this. Simple cases reveal improvement within four to six weeks. Continuous acupuncture should go on for chronic conditions. This should be once every week after the initial three-week therapy.
Acupuncturists say there are points and methods to take into consideration for treating Plantar Fasciitis. It is arranged into four steps. These will make point selection as well as needle techniques simple and very much organized. The “points and techniques” have an instantaneous effect on patients like pain reduction or increase in span of movement. The preliminary step is the Opposite Extremity method for the upper and lower portions. It treats the “Yin” surface of the feet. This point is usually effective for Plantar Fasciitis. It is the first technique employed in this protocol. The patient is asked to walk for five minutes after needle insertion. Once it is successful, the needle stays and the acupuncturist continues with the succeeding steps.
The other processes are described in the acupuncture approach as channel and micro-system points; points that benefit the Qi, Zangfu and blood organs; and local/adjacent points at the location of the impairment. As soon as the treatment is done, it is wait-and see procedure if the acupuncture regimen will be successful.
