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Had Thyroid Cancer. Taking Levothyroxine. Pain On The Heels Of Feet. No Redness Or Rashes. Why?

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Posted on Mon, 28 Oct 2013
Question: Hi, I'm 56 years old male and I am self employed. I'm a farmer.
I have gotten Thyroid cancer back in April. they removed it and now I'm taking Levothyroxine 150 mcg once a day for the rest of my life~! Since than my heels of my feet and especially my left foot of my toes just ache! When I get up in the mornings is the worst. I can hardly walk. I don't have any rash or redness on my feet. Just burning sensation between my toes.
doctor
Answered by Dr. K. Naga Ravi Prasad (2 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Most possibly, it could be PLANTAR FASCITIS.

Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for writing to XXXXXXX

Your symptoms (Pain in the heels after getting up from the bed & pain in the heel after a period of rest) are typically suggestive of Plantar Fascitis. When you are asleep overnight, your plantar fascia tends to tighten up (which is why it is usually most painful first thing in the morning).

This is nothing but inflammation of the Plantar fascia which extends from the sole of foot to the toes infront. Under normal circumstances, your plantar fascia acts like a shock-absorbing bowstring, supporting the arch in your foot. If tension on that bowstring becomes too great, it can create small tears in the fascia. Repetitive stretching and tearing can cause the fascia to become irritated or inflamed.

The management of this condition is as follows -
* Relative rest and simple massage of the foot along with stretching exercises. Regular, gentle stretching of your Achilles tendon and plantar fascia may help to ease your symptoms.
* Use of analgesic antiinflammatory medicines like Advil or Aleve as needed
* Night splints may be useful to keep the foot in plantigrade position
* Shoe inserts - Use of MCR (micronised rubber) or silicon heels (orthoses) in the foot wear so as to produce a cushioning effect and taking off the pain
* Maintaining appropriate body weight so as to reduce the load bearing on the heels
* Avoid wearing flat-soled shoes because they will not provide your heel with support and could make your heel pain worse.
* Quit smoking, if you are a smoker
* At times, a single injection of corticosteroid in to the area of maximum pain will provide good pain relief.
* Extracorporeal shock wave therapy- In this procedure, sound waves are directed at the area of heel pain to stimulate healing. It's usually used for chronic plantar fasciitis that hasn't responded to more-conservative treatments.

Hope I have addressed your query.

Regards



Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. K. Naga Ravi Prasad

Orthopaedic Surgeon, Joint Replacement

Practicing since :1996

Answered : 2148 Questions

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Had Thyroid Cancer. Taking Levothyroxine. Pain On The Heels Of Feet. No Redness Or Rashes. Why?

Brief Answer:
Most possibly, it could be PLANTAR FASCITIS.

Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for writing to XXXXXXX

Your symptoms (Pain in the heels after getting up from the bed & pain in the heel after a period of rest) are typically suggestive of Plantar Fascitis. When you are asleep overnight, your plantar fascia tends to tighten up (which is why it is usually most painful first thing in the morning).

This is nothing but inflammation of the Plantar fascia which extends from the sole of foot to the toes infront. Under normal circumstances, your plantar fascia acts like a shock-absorbing bowstring, supporting the arch in your foot. If tension on that bowstring becomes too great, it can create small tears in the fascia. Repetitive stretching and tearing can cause the fascia to become irritated or inflamed.

The management of this condition is as follows -
* Relative rest and simple massage of the foot along with stretching exercises. Regular, gentle stretching of your Achilles tendon and plantar fascia may help to ease your symptoms.
* Use of analgesic antiinflammatory medicines like Advil or Aleve as needed
* Night splints may be useful to keep the foot in plantigrade position
* Shoe inserts - Use of MCR (micronised rubber) or silicon heels (orthoses) in the foot wear so as to produce a cushioning effect and taking off the pain
* Maintaining appropriate body weight so as to reduce the load bearing on the heels
* Avoid wearing flat-soled shoes because they will not provide your heel with support and could make your heel pain worse.
* Quit smoking, if you are a smoker
* At times, a single injection of corticosteroid in to the area of maximum pain will provide good pain relief.
* Extracorporeal shock wave therapy- In this procedure, sound waves are directed at the area of heel pain to stimulate healing. It's usually used for chronic plantar fasciitis that hasn't responded to more-conservative treatments.

Hope I have addressed your query.

Regards