Acupuncture works for the treatment of plantar fasciitis, a condition that around 2 million people are diagnosed with each year in the United States. It is common condition amongst athletes, but also those with certain conditions like diabetes or obesity as well. However, it can also be a simple issue of overuse or regular wear and tear. Unfortunately, conventional treatment for plantar fasciitis is limited to options such as rest and medication which many times isn’t enough to mitigate the pain. Acupuncture is a beneficial treatment that can be added to conventional treatments or used as a first line of defense utilizing the body’s natural healing abilities to ease plantar fasciitis.
Plantar Fasciitis Explained
Plantar fasciitis happens inflammation afflicts the thick band of tissue known as the plantar fascia which supports the bottom of the foot most often due to overuse. Many people will feel a stabbing or stretched pain at the bottom of their heel or the bottom of their mid-foot hindering standing or walking especially. The pain from plantar fasciitis isn’t sudden, but develops gradually.
Plantar Fasciitis Symptoms:
Stabbing, sharp pain from the middle of the foot back to the heel.
Worse pain in the morning with the first steps of the day
Pain is agitated by standing for long periods of standing
Little to no pain during exercise, but worse pain after exercise
Stiffness in the arch of the foot making it hard to flex the foot up
Worse pain after inactivity
Potential mild swelling or redness on the heel area
Altered gait to not walk on the painful heel
Although these symptoms are usually felt across the board, the can vary in intensity. This condition can affect anyone, but there are some factors that put people more at risk of developing plantar fasciitis.
Plantar Fasciitis Risk Factors:
Occupations that require a lot of standing – factory workers, teachers, waiters, and any occupation where it is required to stand all day.
Obesity – someone who is overweight can put additional pressure on the bottoms of the feet.
Gait – if you have a high arch, flat feet, or even the way you walk can put pressure on the plantar fascia.
Age – those between the ages of 40 and 60 are more likely to develop plantar fasciitis.
Exercise – running in particular puts a lot of strain on the bottoms of the feet, but also other athletic activities like ballet dancing and aerobic activity.
Luckily, for the most part, this condition rarely leads to anything catastrophic, but is very painful and hindering to daily life. Although there are treatments for this in conventional medicine, they are very broad options that are not specifically targeted to the specific person or condition. Acupuncture, on the other hand, is an individual centered treatment focusing on your unique body makeup and your plantar fasciitis as only you are experiencing it.
Acupuncture for Plantar Fasciitis
Although acupuncture has been practiced for over 3,000 years and originated in the east, it is now been practiced worldwide for many decades providing effective and long since proven methods of treatment of all conditions including plantar fasciitis. Your licensed acupuncturist has trained for many years to learn the specific pathways in the body known as meridians, and acupuncture points along them to determine the proper point combinations to treat your condition.
Acupuncture works for plantar fasciitis by stimulating the nerves in the feet to release both hormones, neurotransmitters, and adenosine (a substance released in the body during acupuncture treatment that encourages blood flow) in the body responsible for regulating pain and inflammation. Fortunately, acupuncture is increasingly becoming the go-to treatment option for a multitude of people who just simply haven’t seen results with conventional medicine, need a natural alternative, or want to add it as a boost on their existing treatment.
Acupuncture helps plantar fasciitis by:
Decreases pain – acupuncture releases healing neurotransmitters and hormones such as endorphins creating an analgesic effect, and healing the body from the inside out.
Decreases stress – acupuncture encourages relaxation both physically and mentally.
Increases strength and flexibility – the microtears created by the hair-thin acupuncture needles allow blood and oxygen to flow to the plantar fascia, creating an anti-inflammatory effect.
What many people don’t realize is that the human body actually has the amazing ability to heal itself far better than we give it credit for. Our cells immediately begin closing up an injury to provide healing, and this is the easiest way to understand how acupuncture works. Needling specific acupuncture points in the body determined by your licensed acupuncturist elicits the same reaction. The needles wake up the immune system to begin healing the body.
Our cells rush their healing properties toward the area your acupuncturist strategically places the hair-thin acupuncture needles to bring relief to your plantar fasciitis or any other condition. The brain’s response to acupuncture has been studied and proven for years now, and is akin to how your brain and body react to over the counter and prescription pain killers. It is likely that if you go in for acupuncture for plantar fasciitis that your acupuncturist will also make some nutritional and lifestyle recommendations for when you are not in the office.
Ways to mitigate plantar fascia pain:
Supportive shoes – if you have to be or are going to be on your feet for long periods of time, get shoes with good arch support and try to avoid high heels if you can. (plantar fasciitis is more common in women than in men.)
Athletes, replace your shoes – if you are an avid runner or athlete of any kind, be sure to replace your shoes regularly as worn out shoes can not only aggravate plantar fasciitis, but also begin to cause problems in the legs and back.
Massage – use the thumbs to massage the bottoms of the feet to soothe pain.
Your acupuncturist may also recommend some herbal formulas that can help the healing process of your plantar fasciitis.
While you’re likely to wonder how many sessions it will take or want to have an exact treatment plan up front, when it comes to acupuncture treatment, this will depend on the patient themselves and their individual conditions. Since acupuncture treatment is so individualized, your licensed acupuncturist will look at your specific health history, your current health, and then how your concern is affecting your body and day to day life. Only after being physically examined can they truly determine the best line of treatment for your plantar fasciitis.
This is a difficult concept for many of us, especially in the United States to understand as we have it so engrained in us that these answers should be readily available on the phone or on a practice website, but the truth is that western medicine is much more of a broad treatment on many conditions. Conventional medicine tends to treat the symptoms of the condition not the individual or looking further as to what is causing the body to react with this condition, and this is where acupuncture and conventional medicine differ. Ultimately, acupuncture for plantar fasciitis is an natural alternative to traditional treatment that is proven effective. Find a licensed acupuncturist to determine if acupuncture for plantar fasciitis is the right fit for you.
