We have all had a cough at some time. It’s annoying, uncomfortable, and can stop you from doing things you love. A cough can sap your energy, and lay you low for weeks.
coughs are annoying
Eventually when things are not improving you decide to get some help for your cough. Your local pharmacy will offer products to stop the tickle, or relieve the wheeze. Your doctor could listen to your chest or test your breathing with a spirometer. They may even send you for an Xray. This is because your cough can have many different causes. It could be a simple viral infection, or something more serious like emphysema. The thing is, without the right tests and your doctors diagnosis, all you have is a cough, and no idea of the right way to treat it.
heel pain is annoying
Heel pain is very similar to a cough in that it is a symptom, not a condition. You will often be told that heel pain is a “spur” or even that scary sounding “plantar fasciitis”, and there are thousands of websites that promise a cure for heel pain.
Just like a cough, there are many different causes of heel pain. Some are more common (like a viral cough) but it takes specific testing and diagnosis to establish the cause, and the best treatment plan.
Your heel pain could be caused by a spur, or thickening of the plantar fascia, but may also be due to over thirty other conditions ranging from nerve entrapment to bone tumours. The thing is that not all heel pain conditions are treated the same way. You can spend time and energy, not to mention money, on treatments that simply don’t work.
If your heel pain is not improving after a few weeks then it is time to get professional advice. With a detailed clinical history, appropriate tests and assessments, and footwear review we can establish a diagnosis and treatment plan.
