Don’t let foot pain keep you from doing the things you love.
Dealing with achy, tired feet is fairly common. Perhaps you spent too much time on your feet at work this week or you’ve been prepping for a marathon; however, it’s important to recognize ways to ease foot pain, when to reduce activity, and when to turn to our Lincoln Park podiatrist, Dr. Warren Levy, for medication, custom orthotics, or a similar treatment option. Foot pain isn’t something you want to ignore.
Common causes of foot pain include:
- Plantar fasciitis
- Achilles tendonitis
- Heel spurs
- Sprains and strains
- Overuse injuries
- Stress fractures
- Broken bones
- Ingrown toenails
- Blisters
- Corns and calluses
- Bunions
- Flat feet or high arches
- Arthritis
If you are dealing with foot pain, you may choose to ease symptoms on your own first. Some ways to soothe angry feet include:
- Soaking feet in a warm bath or icing the foot
- Massaging feet daily or receiving a professional massage
- Stretching the foot and performing special strengthening foot and ankle exercises
- Avoiding old, worn, and poorly fitted shoes that could be making symptoms worse
- Placing non-medicated pads over bunions, corns, calluses, and blisters to prevent friction and potential infection
- Getting arch support or custom orthotics from our Lincoln Park foot doctor
- Taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications and pain relievers
When to see a podiatrist
So, you’re dealing with foot pain, but you’re not entirely sure if it warrants a trip to our office. While pain may be temporary and eased with simple home care, you may want to turn to us for a proper medical evaluation if your pain is:
- Severe
- Accompanied by tingling, numbness or weakness in the foot
- Unresponsive to rest and home care
- Getting worse
- Not improving after 2-3 weeks of self-care
- Affecting your daily routine
- Causing limited mobility
If you have diabetes, nerve damage in your feet, peripheral neuropathy, or any chronic conditions that could seriously impact the health of your feet, then it’s important that you turn to a podiatrist immediately if you are experiencing pain or other problems.
If you’re interested in learning more about custom orthotics and whether they could prevent foot pain and other problems from happening to you, call Armitage Podiatry Center in Lincoln Park today at (312) 266-6326 to learn more.