It should not be ignored if you are suffering from foot pain in Santa Maria, CA. You need to see a board-certified podiatrist for all your foot and ankle needs. Dr. Peter Fillerup and Dr. Casey Fillerup of Foot & Ankle Center of the Central Coast have a comprehensive podiatric practice to provide all the services you require.
Common Causes of Foot Pain
Foot pain in Santa Maria, CA, has many causes. The foot is complex and has 26 bones, 33 joints, and over a hundred ligaments, tendons, and muscles. That is a lot of potential for pain. On average, just walking applied 1.5 to 3 times the entire total body weight in pressure on the foot. A person weighing 100 pounds would apply between 150 and 300 pounds of pressure; no wonder more than 80% of humans suffer from foot pain at some point.
Some common causes of foot pain are arthritis, a fractured or broken bone, gout, tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, bunions, Morton's neuroma, fallen arches, bunions, and bursitis. Some can be treated at home.
Treating Foot Pain
Rest, ice, and NSAIDs will go a long way toward relieving some of the causes of foot pain. You can purchase orthotics at the drug store and pads to place on your bunions. You can wear shoes that provide better support and allow enough room in the toe box. If you have tried these treatments and you are still in pain, it is time to make an appointment to see a podiatrist.
A cast may be necessary for foot fractures or breaks. Broken toes are usually just strapped to the next toe until they heal. Plantar fasciitis may be treated with customized orthotics and exercises that help stretch the damaged ligament. Arthritis may be treated with a cortisone injection, which can remove some of the inflammation in the joint. Gout may require a prescription and some modifications to diet if it doesn't respond to more conservative treatment methods.
Some foot conditions that cause pain may require surgery to remove the pain. When bunions cause severe discomfort that makes walking and even standing painful, it is time for surgery.
Your feet are the base for your entire structure, and when they are causing you pain, it can affect your ability to go about your normal activities and your stability and balance. Don't suffer in pain needlessly; help is available.
For help with your foot pain in Santa Maria, CA, Dr. Peter Fillerup and Dr. Casey Fillerup of Foot & Ankle Center of the Central Coast provide a full array of food and ankle services. Give our office a call at (805) 934-0570 to make an appointment.