How Can Plantar Fasciitis Embolization Relieve Chronic Heel Pain?

Plantar fasciitis is the leading cause of chronic heel pain — pain in your heel that persists or keeps flaring up for months. Once plantar fasciitis sets in, it can be difficult to go about your daily life.

Plantar fasciitis embolization provides a minimally invasive way to find lasting relief. If conservative treatments haven’t sufficed or you wish to avoid surgery, you may be a strong candidate.

With his expert team at Midtown Manhattan practice, double board-certified vascular and interventional radiologist Dr. Yosef Golowa provides plantar fasciitis embolization to ease your symptoms long term.

Here’s a closer look at plantar fasciitis, including how this advanced procedure works.

Plantar fasciitis basics

Your plantar fascia is a band of tissue that connects the bones in your feet and forms your arches. When you have plantar fasciitis, the tissue band has been stretched too far or overused. Both of these happenings fuel inflammation and pain.

Plantar fascia symptoms include:

• Heel pain, such as stabbing pain or a dull, lingering ache
• Foot arch pain
• Heel and foot stiffness
• Swelling around your heel
• Achilles tendon tightness

Your heel pain may flare up when you first stand up – in the morning or after sitting – and diminish within a few minutes of walking. Shooting pain may strike when you put pressure on the affected heel. Wearing high heels can exacerbate your pain, too.

Plantar fasciitis is especially common between ages 40-60. Carrying excess weight, playing sports that stress your feet, or having flat feet or high arches also increase your risk. The same goes for vocations that keep you on your feet, like teaching, hairdressing, and factory work.

Plantar fasciitis treatments

Plantar fasciitis treatment often starts with home care, such as resting, applying an ice pack, wearing supportive shoes or custom orthotics, and taking over-the-counter pain medication.

When symptoms carry on or worsen, treatment may involve steroid injections, physical therapy, surgery, or a less invasive procedure, like plantar fasciitis embolization.

How plantar fasciitis embolization relieves heel pain

During plantar fasciitis embolization, Dr. Golowa inserts a thin tube (catheter) into a blood vessel in your foot. Next, he injects an embolic agent into the tube, guided by digital imagery. This substance stops blood flow to the problematic area. As a result, you’ll experience less pain and inflammation.

In a study involving 10 patients, plantar fasciitis embolization was shown to be successful 100% of the time. Six months after the procedure, none of the recipients needed additional treatment or experienced a relapse.

To learn more about plantar fasciitis embolization, or to find out if it’s right for you, call our office. You can also book an appointment with Dr. Golowa through our website.