Likhitha Diagnostic Center

Heel pain is a common problem in the body where the affected person experiences pain radiating from the heel bone. Heel pain usually progresses slowly over time, it is recommended to consult a medical professional, if heel pain turns severe. The pain tends to most severe after one has been inactive for some time such as after waking up in the morning.

Causes
Heel pain is usually caused when tissues present in the bottom of the heel (Plantar fascia) is damaged. These tissues connect the heel bone with the bones of the feet and help in absorbing shocks. Tears are formed in these tissues when they are damaged or when they get thicker. These tissues are at an increased risk of wear and tear for those who are over 45 years old. The risks also tend to increase if the person is obese or whose occupation requires standing for lengthy periods of time.
Among other causes of heel pain are heel bone fractures, fat pad atrophy (a condition where a layer of fat present under the heel bone is reduced) and bursitis (inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs present around the joints). Peripheral neuropathy is a condition where damage occurs in the peripheral nerves (that transmits signals between the central nervous system and the rest of the body), this can cause pain in the heel.

Symptoms
The symptoms of heel pain include:

1. Experiencing pain while jogging or walking
2. A feeling of pins pricking the heels after waking up in the morning
3. Inability to bend the heel
4. Painful swelling
5. Pain in the heel accompanied by fever

Prevention and treatment
Heel pain can be prevented by taking certain preventive measures such as restricting usage of high heeled shoes without proper support and stretching the heel regularly. Medications such as painkillers are used to treat symptoms of heel pain. If you wish to discuss any specific problem, you can consult a physiotherapist.

Acupressure is an ancient Chinese healing therapy for curing a host of chronic diseases and ills, from headaches to back pain, infertility and menstrual cramps.

It is built on the concept of maintaining the balance of various body elements including blood, nutrients and the energy force known as ‘chi’ which flows along lines called meridians in the body for optimum health. Putting pressure by finger placements at designated points from where these meridians can be accessed, is supposed to unblock the flow of energy to get rid of chronic pain and disease.

Acupressure for pain-relief

• Acupressure is used for a variety of ailments. One of its most common uses is to relieve pain, such as back pain, sciatica, menstrual cramps and headaches.
• It can also be used to help with nausea and vomiting, fatigue, stress, weight loss, and even addictions.

Acupressure helps relieve pain in different ways, like

• It is believed to cause deep relaxation and a decrease in muscle tension and is thus useful in relieving low back pain, post-operative pain, and headaches.
• L4 point, for example, is commonly used for stress, facial pain, headaches, toothaches, and neck pain.
• It is located on your hand between your thumb and the index finger.
• Liver 3 point (LV3) is also used for stress, lower back pain, high blood pressure, menstrual cramps, insomnia, and anxiety.
• This point is located in between your big toe and second toe, in the soft flesh.
• You can press these points yourself for about 4 seconds and then steadily reduce pressure to experience relief from pain.

How does acupressure work?

• Studies have been done and are still being done to understand how acupressure relieves pain.
• They suggest that acupressure releases endorphins and promotes anti-inflammatory effects, helping with pain due to arthritis like back and limb pain.
• Endorphins are the pleasure-inducing, painkilling chemicals that flood the brain and numb pain signals.
• A few theories also call acupressure something that’s all in the mind and no more than a placebo. But either way, it does provide relief to patients when done over long periods of time.
• Acupressure is also an effective way to treat depression during pregnancy, and to reduce the pain of menstrual cramps, according to a new research done at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Similarly, a recent Korean study has found that acupressure treats menstrual cramps more effectively than pain killers. If you want to benefit from acupressure, you need to press the pain points over time as each time you manipulate the pressure points, you help balance your ‘chi’. Some people may see results immediately, and sometimes results are seen after some time. Pain can also return. You have to keep pressing the pressure points to keep the pain away forever. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a doctor.

Common cold as well as flu can give rise to various symptoms like body ache as well as a runny or stuffy nose. These symptoms may also arise as a part of other ailments like allergic cold or hay fever. Mild to moderate fever may be experienced in such conditions. One should be able to treat these symptoms at home so as to be more comfortable until the flu or cold abates. Here are a few ways in which you can treat a runny nose and body ache.

1. Rest: One of the first and most important thing that you need to do in such a situation is to take ample rest so that your body gets to rejuvenate rather than getting overworked even in these trying conditions. With the help of sleep and rest, you will be able to feel fresh and the body ache will be reduced as well.
2. Diet: To begin with, one will need to drink plenty of fluids in order to remain hydrated. This is one of the most important ways of treating cold and flu as the body can get severely dehydrated due to the ailments. Replenishing the body fluids can ensure that the immunity does not suffer. Also, you should have plenty of soup and vegetables so that your immunity gets a boost even as the digestive system is not overworked with overly heavy food which it may have trouble in processing due to the general weakness of the body. But you must remember to eat well and frequently as the body will not go away unless you put sufficient fuel in your system.
3. Steaming: Taking hot water steam with a towel draped over your head can help in treating the runny nose. Ensure that you are sitting down at a sturdy table with the steaming kettle or pan in front of you, so that there are no upsets which can lead to burns and accidents.
4. Medication: Along with these measures, you must see a doctor so that the condition may be diagnosed properly. The doctor will also check your symptoms and carry out lab tests in order to ensure that there is no infection at play. Also, the doctor can prescribe medicines accordingly with anti-allergy medication like antihistamines to treat rhinitis and peramivir, zanamivir, or other such drugs to treat the flu. These medicines can also make you drowsy and induce sleep which will help your body in getting adequate rest.
5. Emergency cases: If the body ache and runny nose come with other symptoms that persistently grow, you must call the doctor immediately. These include constant painful coughing, tightness in the chest, severe sore throat, vomiting, and persistent high fever.

Heat and cold are some of the most common types of non-addictive pain relief therapies for treating muscle and joint pain. Depending on whether the pain is a new one or a recurring one, a medical practitioner will prescribe either heat therapy or cold therapy. A new injury causes inflammation and swelling. Here cold therapy is used as the ice will lower the amount of blood flow to the injured area, thus reducing the inflammation and swelling. Recurring pain can be treated with heat. This is because heat will cause blood to flow towards the injured area and thus promote healing.

Heat Therapy: Heat is used to open up blood vessels, thus increasing blood flow and supplying oxygen and nutrients so as to reduce pain in joints and help relax sore muscles, tendons and ligaments. The warmth of the heat also helps to decrease muscle spasms and can increase the range of motion. By applying superficial heat to your body, you can also improve the flexibility of tendons, reduce muscle spasms and reduce pain.

Most sources of heat either supply dry or moist warmth. Dry heat sources will dry the skin. Moist heat helps to penetrate even better. Heat can be applied by using an electric or microwave heating pad, gel packs or hot water baths. The heat supplied should be warm, not be too hot and should be kept at a consistent temperature. Consult your doctor or physical therapist about the heat source, which would be best for you.

Heat should be applied if one has stiff joints or joint pain. Never apply heat directly to the skin, instead always trap the hot device in a thin towel.

Cold Therapy: Cold slows down or reduces the blood flow to an injured area, thus reducing pain and swelling of the area. Cold therapy slows blood circulation, reducing inflammation. It should be used when the area is swollen or bruised. Cold is generally applied by an ice or gel pack.

Any cold treatment should always be used 24 to 48 hours after an injury. Cold therapy is useful for sprains, bumps and bruises that may occur during sports or lifting. You can apply the cold packs or ice bags to the injured areas for 20 minutes. It is advisable to remove the cold pack for a ten minute interval and then apply it again to the injured area.

While using cold therapy, use the ice pack for not longer than 20 minutes at a stretch. Wrap the ice or ice pack in a thin towel before applying it on the injured area. Do not use ice pack on the left shoulder in case you have a heart condition. Never use ice packs around the front or side of the neck region. Both cold and heat therapy are important and their usage depends on the type of injury and pain.

Achilles Tendon pain is an orthopedic condition that can originate from tears and ruptures to the AchillesTendon, which is known as one of the strongest and also the longest tendon in the human body. It is a band of tissues that decides the quality of your movements and motions to a great extent, as it connects the heel with the calf. Therefore, any injury to this tendon can decrease the strength and support to the muscles and create a painful situation. So how can you deal with this pain? Read on to know more.

• Rice Therapy: Rice is a commonly used term by orthopedic specialist. It refers to Rest, Ice, Compression with a bandage, and finally Elevation. The patient must take lots of rest as well as use ice packs to deal with the injury and acute pain. Finally, the area must be compressed with a bandage and kept elevated on cushions.
• Surgery: For very severe cases, the orthopedic specialist can recommend surgery as well. This kind of surgery aims at reattaching the displaced or ruptured tendon which may have reached such a fate through a sports or any other kind of injury. The doctor may also place your leg in a cast for a few weeks to keep it at complete rest. 
• Pain Medication: The doctor can also prescribe pain relievers that contain Ibuprofen as well as acetaminophen or even naproxen. These medicines should be taken in moderation as per the doctor's prescription. Usually, this kind of medication is taken only when unbearable pain is experienced by the patient.
• Thermotherapy or Heat Treatment: The use of heat for chronic pain or even pain that has been ailing for over 48 hours is known as thermotherapy. This therapy uses heating pads and hot water bottles to help relieve the pain. One must be careful while applying anything hot to the site of the injury. Use a towel to wrap the hot water bottle or heating pad so that there is no scalding or leaking on to the skin.
• Footwear: It is important to prevent continuous injury and pain to the already injured Achilles tendon. To do this, you must wear supportive and comfortable footwear that has heel lifts and other customized orthotics built into the shoes. 

Taking care of Achilles Tendon pain is a matter of taking various precautions and supportive actions that lead to better healing. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an orthopedist.