Ok i have plantar faciitis and i'm seeing a foot doctor and have done the stretching, ice, ankle brace, meds and i'm still in pain so the shot comes next. i've heard horror stories about how painful it is to get these.............

any feedback?
thanks

Dear Lisa,
Unfortunately, it is not the most pleasant experience. However, the pain depends on the patient, their pain tolerance and sometimes the use of a "cold spray" to lessen the sting of an injection. Typically when I give an injection I usually tell the patient that they will feel a cold spray, then something sharp (the needle) and the last is, a burning sensation created by the medication. It's not as bad as you think. Try not to psyche yourself out.

Good-luck and thank-you for contacting foot.com,
SBarlizo, DPM
foot.com expert

I just had the shot 3 days ago....not as bad as I had heard, but painful. It was quick! So...yes, hurts more than a regular shot, but you will survive! I think my PF is going to be better now...

I've had the cortisone injections for my PF, and it didn't really help the pain. Does anyone know of anything besides surgery I could still try. PS...I've already tried the exercises, ice, wearing special shoes, and taking oral inflammation pills (the pills do help, but I don't want to be drugged all the time!)
I just wondered if anyone had any other suggestions.

I had Pf several years ago and had cortisone inj, but the only thing that helped was shoe inserts, real soft ones . it all took about 3 months. But now I have got again

What kind of shoe inserts did you get? I've heard some people say you have to get the custom made, full foot inserts, and I've heard some people say all you need is a good insert for your heel. I've also heard if you get the wrong kind of inserts it can make PF worse...does anyone know if this is true?

The Corti Inject. it was that bad when the inject was preformed but it was put directly in my arches and I could not walk for a week this was a year ago, now I have cysts in the areas that the injections were preformed, now it is extremely painfull when I walk, the best thing that has worked for me with the PF is Brekenstock shoes they are expenive but it works on me.

Dear Maranda,
Your Podiatrist will probably be the best person to ask which orthotic device would best suite your foot type.

Good-luck and thak-you for contacting foot.com,
SBarlizo, DPM
foot.com expert

hi ,,i play semi pro footbal.. and i,ve been carrying a heel injury for about a season now
it,s been sore but bareable.when warmed up, but , it, now seems too be spreading and every step i take i can feel it, when i run i get sharp shooting pains going up my achilles,coming from my heel which is swollen and sore to the touch.
would a cortisone injection cure this ,,or would it just be a temprory measure.
and would a qualified physio be able to administer this .or would it have to be my doc.
the seasons nearly done so i thinki,ll get by this season ,,but
as pre season begins soon and it,ll be relentless training,,, theres no way i,d be able to do this so i,m thinking i,ll need too retire if this pain persists will i need an op. and if so how long is the recovery period after this.?
i also rested the injury for 3 months and soon as i started back training the injury quickly inflammed again

p.s i,ve been using the correct insole as well.to try and ease this and taking very strong pain killers..and advice would be much appreciated.

cheers

Dear William
Check out the response given in the previous section.

Thank-you for contacting foot.com,
sbarlizo, dpm
foot.com expert

well, had the injection in Feb. and in March the pain was back. I go for my 2nd injection in 2 days. The first injection I was limping for 3 days! limping hard!!!
I was told to wear inserts and i find they hurt my feet even more!
now the pain is in my arch instead of the heel. Interesting enough, this pain is right where the injection was made. hhhmmmmmm

the shot was very painful and the cooling spray feels nice but don't really help.
I am dreading this 2nd injection. If this one don't work then whats next???????????

Dear Lisa,
Unfortunately although heel pain is quite common, sometimes it takes a while until the symptoms resolve. I typically may give a patient a series of three injections, depending on how the patient responds to each. If after the first injection the symptoms completely resolve, I no longer inject the area. However if symptoms persists I usually give another injection, then play it by ear. I also recommend that patients perform stretching exercises, take antiinflammatory meds, and apply ice to the affected area.

Good-luck and thank-you for contacting foot.com,

sbarlizo, dpm
foot.com expert

I had ongoing PF for over a year (while playing college Basketball). I had two injections, which helped somewhat...the first injection was very, very, very, painful....but the second (a few months later) wasn't bad at all. Which goes to show that the first one worked a little.

But my pain was still too great to make it thru the season. I had done months of icing, night splits, mandatory physical therapy sessions, ultrasound....everything...plus the shots.

I ended up having surgery. The opted to only do a partial platar fascial release (instead of a full one). I was playing again in a few months (with extensive rehab). But, I still have PF 5 years later..although at a much smaller degree of pain. I'm unable to be too active (can't run consective days in a row), but basically just deal with the pain.

Surgery did help, ALOT! I can actually get out of bed in the morning without excruciating pain with my first steps....but it didn't cure the problem. I've just learned to live with it and alter my lifestyle.

Hi All,
I do know that the results of the cortisone injections can vary depending on what the medication is. My podiatrist uses only Dexamethasone Acetate 8mg. (other wise known as Decadorn LA). I'd advise you to ask your Dr. what product they are injecting you with. Certain cortisones work better than others, and some have major tissue damaging effects.

Thought I'd try and help.

I've had 3 cortisone injections because of heel spurs. The cold spray helps with the injection but not very much. I found that the medicine going into my heel was the most painful. This pain doesn't last long and the relief in my heel was only temporary. My heel pain is just as bad now as it was before I had the injections. I REFUSE to put myself through that again because the pain of the shot is unneccessary and the relief in my foot was only temporary. I don't mean to sound like a pessimist but this was my experience.

I also had similar problems with cortisone shots. My right foot started hurting in 7th grade. It didn't hurt unless I ran or danced or did extreme physical activity on it- very sharp pain, on the inside of my foot just below the ankle (which I've been told is weird, since there's not so much tissue there). Over the summer I was still able to continue physical activities- I'd just pace myself, and I would be okay, albeit not without pain if I worked the foot too hard. But stupidly I decided that the pain was too much, so we went to the first podiatrist we heard of (also an unintelligent action). He seemed to know more technical words than he actually knew how to treat foot problems. So right away, he gave me a cortisone shot (with another following in a month) and immediately I had great pain in my arch where he gave the shot, and couldn't walk without limping. The condition improved, but remained- now instead of being able to run for a long period of time, then the pain came afterwards, I could only run for a minute or two before it started hurting.

I still feel my initial inner heel condition is present. But now the rest of my foot hurts so much more quickly, my original problem doesn't get much chance to act up! That's one way cortisone can solve a problem.

One more strange phenomenon... Some time after I had the injections, I noticed a large 'dent' (or rather, absense of tissue) where they had given me the cortisone shots. The area surrounding the hole was quite swollen, and though the tissue seems to have grown back, the area still swells and gives me trouble. I've had to give up running and dancing (I can still walk without pain if I pace myself). On the plus side: I'm a swimmer now. Water sports are a wonderful alternative, for all of you who had to give up beloved physical activities because of these nasty foot issues.

Alright, sorry, now I've told my life story... Anyone else had these problems with cortisone? Especially the 'loss of tissue'?