Dr. Pritesh

Heels are weight bearing part of feet during standing, walking or running. Improper postures or foot wear can cause degeneration of heel and subsequent pain.

Causes for heel pain: 

1. Sprains: Improper exercise and improper footwear like high heels can put unnecessary stress on heels and cause pain. Avoid such conditions by using excellent quality heels and avoiding them as much as possible. Exercise should be done under expert guidance. 

2. Fractures: Stress or hairline fractures can occur even without trauma and cause pain. In such cases, you should immediately consult a doctor. 

3. Plantar fasciitis: A common cause for heel pain, the Plantar fascia at heel can cause severe early morning heel pain. It can be managed with exercises, PRP Injections. 

4. Arthritis: Gout, rheumatoid arthritis and other types of arthritis can affect ankle joint and cause heel pain. This can be managed with medications and exercises. In severe cases injections may be needed for treatment. 

Treatments available 

1. Change in shoes: Shoes play a key role in the development of heel pain. Avoid wearing heels for prolonged period and specially when walking long distances. 

2. Foot supports: There are specialized heel supports and wedges, which you can wear with the footwear. These supports help redistribute weight from the problem areas and uniformly distribute it among the other parts of the foot. Heel cups are also another form of supports you could try. 

3. Pain relief medications: Over the counter analgesics like Ibuprofen or Paracetamol can help in reducing acute episodes of pain. Self - medication for prolonged periods should be avoided. 

4. Ice packs: Application of ice packs decrease pain and stiffness of heel. If you wish to discuss any specific problem, you can consult a pain management specialist.

Surrogacy is the method that is used for reproduction in which a woman other than the woman, who wants to have the baby, agrees to undertake pregnancy and give birth to a child for the couple that appoints her. A couple can opt for surrogacy in the following conditions.

- Infertility
In the case of females who cannot reproduce due to infertility or some other medical conditions that make the process risky for both the mother and the childlike heart diseases, liver infirmities and high blood pressure, surrogacy can opt for so that the couple can experience the bliss of becoming parents.

- If you are a single parent
A single parent can opt for surrogacy in order to fulfil his/her dream of having a child to live for.

- Other factors
There are several other factors when a couple might want to opt for surrogacy. For instance, in couples, where the female is too busy building a stable career for herself and she cannot take the risk of opting for pregnancy, surrogacy can come to their rescue. Also, repeated miscarriages, pelvic disorder, hysterectomy, an impaired uterus or the absence of uterus can act as reasons to opt for surrogacy.

There are a few factors that need to be considered before opting for surrogacy. They are listed below.

Type of surrogacy
Traditional surrogacy and gestational surrogacy are the two options available. In traditional surrogacy, the surrogate mother not only carries the embryo in her womb until childbirth but also donates the egg. However in gestational surrogacy, the egg is taken from the biological mother and impregnated in the womb of the surrogate mother through in vitro fertilization techniques. The intended parents need to take a decision regarding the type of surrogacy that they wish to opt for.

Surrogacy laws
The intended parents must be aware of the surrogacy laws prevalent in their country so as to make sure that they can go through the entire process smoothly. For instance, in India, it is mandatory that the surrogate child should be biologically related to one of the two parents.

Cost of surrogacy
Another important factor that needs to be considered while opting for surrogacy is the cost of the undertaking. It can involve high costs due to the unpredictability of the situations surrounding the process, so the financial stability of the intended parents should be kept in mind. Also, choose the right agency or even if you choose an independent candidate to become the surrogate mother for your child, make a wise choice. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a gynaecologist.