New Research: The Plantar Fasciitis Cure

Debilitating foot or heal pain limits many of us - regardless of age or activity level. One thing is for certain, while there are numerous regimens for this (read more below), our experience at Health On Point demonstrates that acupuncture is an incredibly successful option for treatment. With the warming weather, many of us are increasing our activity. Should you or someone you know suffer from food or heal pain, please call our clinic to schedule an appointment!
Recent research indicates acupuncture is an effective and safe treatment for heel pain. Heel pain is a common foot condition often characterized by intense pain, especially when placing weight onto the foot. Pain on the back of the heel often indicates achilles tendinitis and pain on the underside of the heel often indicates plantar fasciitis.
One of the most common causes of heel pain, plantar fasciitis involves pain and inflammation of the band of tissue running across the bottom of the foot. New research indicates that acupuncture is effective for plantar fasciitis, achilles tendinitis and many other forms of heel pain.
Biomedical approaches to heel pain treatment include behavioral therapy, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroid injections, small needle knife therapy, block therapy, shockwave therapy and surgery. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) historical records document success in the treatment of heel pain using acupuncture. This new scientific investigation confirms the historical data.
The researchers from Guangzhou Dongsheng Hospital and Guangzhou Social Welfare House examined 19 separate clinical investigations and discovered that 16 of the 19 studies made extensive use of ahshi ("trigger point") acupuncture points to achieve optimal patient outcomes. In one investigation carried out by Xu Xuemeng et al., 66 patients were randomly divided into an acupuncture group and a control group. The acupuncture group received filiform acupuncture needle method treatment and the control group received injections and local blocking therapy. The results were assessed six months following the treatment. The acupuncture group achieved an effective rate of 97% and the drug therapy group had only a 76% effective rate.
Based on the 19 reviewed studies that were performed in the past five years, the researchers conclude that acupuncture is safer, easier to apply, and more effective than conventional treatments for heel pain.