Foot pain can be aggravating and debilitating. If you experience foot pain, you are not alone. The University of Maryland Medical Center, located in Baltimore, estimates that nearly 75 percent of the U.S population will have foot pain at some point in their lifetime. This is not surprising due to the complexity of the foot. Each foot has 28 bones, including the two sesamoid bones, and most connect many joints. The foot also has muscles, tendons and ligaments that can also be the cause of pain. With the variability of foot pain problems, foot pain management can be difficult, but there are several foot pain cures that may help.
Limit Activity
Foot pain problems can be hard to cure because of the location of the pain. Most injuries that cause pain require limited activity or rest to heal the injured area. With foot pain, this is most difficult to do if you need to be mobile and walk. For this reason, crutches are often needed to reduce weight bearing and allow limited activity. Regardless, if crutches are used or not, rest is what Massachusetts General Hospital, of Boston, recommends for a variety of foot pain problems.
Elevation
Occasionally, your foot can swell and become painful due to overuse or injuries. According to St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor Hospital, located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, elevation of the affected foot is beneficial for reducing your pain and swelling. A good way to elevate your foot is to prop it on a couple of pillows while you are lying down.
Cold Therapy
Foot pain can develop from inflammation and swelling of your foot. Icing your foot with cold packs will reduce the swelling and pain. Place a thin towel or layer between your skin and ice to avoid frostbite of the skin
Shoe Inserts
Every day you take between 8,000 and 10,000 steps, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The main cause of foot pain is wearing shoes that do not fit correctly or do not form to your feet properly. Taking that many steps in improper shoes can cause a great amount of pain and problems. The Hospital for Special Surgery, located in New York City, recommends orthotic shoe inserts that form to your foot to help correct this problem as well as your pain.
Medication
Some pain may be helped by medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. However, St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor Hospital warns that if you have any conditions, such as liver disease or ulcers, you should not take these medications without discussing it with a doctor. Pain that is experienced for long periods of time need to be discussed with a professional, as long-term use of pain medications may not be good for your health.
Surgery
In extreme situations, your foot pain may not be manageable by regular methods alone and surgery may be needed. Bunion surgery and hammer-toe correction are two surgeries that have a 90 percent success rate at removing pain, according to the Hospital for Special Surgery. Speak to a specialist if you have tried a nonsurgical approach to pain treatment and have not had success.
