Heel and foot pain from plantar fasciitis can sometimes take a long time to recover from, especially if you have to be on your feet all day. Even though there are treatments available, healing tissues takes time. One treatment that might help speed your healing is acupuncture. It might be worth considering when you have unpleasant side effects from medication or when splints and shoe inserts don't help. Here's why acupuncture might be beneficial.

Acupuncture May Help With Pain Management

Talk to your acupuncturist about help with pain relief when your plantar fasciitis interferes with your daily activities. As your foot heals, your pain will reduce, but the treatments might help reduce your pain due to the nerve stimulation they provide. When the needles are placed in the appropriate energy pathways of your body, the result could be a reduction in pain and an overall improvement in your sense of well being. An acupuncture session is usually calming, and being able to relax is beneficial for pain relief. However, the treatments can also cause a release of natural pain-relieving chemicals in your body that have an effect on your pain.

The Treatments Might Promote Healing

The stimulation of nerves and energy pathways can also cause an increase in blood flow, and this is helpful when you have injured fascia. Acupuncture may help with inflammation and tissue repair so your injured fascia begins healing and your pain reduces. The pain from plantar fasciitis is caused by tears in foot tissue and inflammation. These injuries can cause your foot to feel stiff and painful. You might have sharp pain in your heel or feel like you're walking on rocks. The quicker your tissues heal, the sooner your pain subsides.

Acupuncture Has A Low Risk Of Side Effects

One encouraging reason these treatments are worth considering is their low risk of side effects. Even over-the-counter medications can cause problems with your GI system, so finding a treatment that helps your pain, promotes healing, and doesn't have side effects is important. You may notice some pain relief when you've had a single session, but a series of treatments may provide the most relief, especially since it may take months for your fascia to heal.

If you're not sure about taking the treatments for your plantar fasciitis, then talk to an acupuncturist for advice. They can review your medical history and determine if you're a good match for acupuncture and if the treatments are worth trying for your condition. While it may seem like the treatments will be painful, acupuncture is usually a relaxing experience, so don't let fear of the unknown keep you from finding relief for your painful foot condition.