Hi there...among all the other pains (spine, SI, neck, hands, knees) now my Achilles tendon area is just about as bad as everything else. At least I think this is what the area is called...at the back of the heel where the foot joins the ankle???? I have so much pain there every day, and it seems to be getting worse by the day, some days I can barely walk. I have been on Sulfasalazine since January 19 and it has done NOTHING as I have been getting new joint swellings, worsening pain and more fatigue and now this...(sorry about that, just needed to vent for a minute!)
Anyway, see the Rheumatologist on the 23rd of April (soon), but was wondering if anyone has had ANY successes with making this area feel any better. I have tried icing...helps temporarily but not for long. Cannot take NSAIDS due to stomach ulcer, (even Celebrex, which is what gave it to me in the first place). Could a podiatrist do anything??? Cortisone shots??? Any advice at all.....I need help!!!
I haven,t got an answer fir you Dani cause I have the same problem. I use ice it has settled down lots for me but it sounds like you need to see that rheum. Orthotics have really helped me, but it took 2 months of wearing before the pain got ant better. A shot i the achilles tendon? I dont know if they do that. At one point I was goi g to get one in the tendon done th inside of my foot but the surgeon sent me for an MRIand we found out it was an erosion and a ganglion . My heel still hurt though.What really helped also was a brace for plantar fasiiitis. I made one out of a sock and hmm I will pm you.This disease is so frustrating
Dani, I would definitely consider going to a podiatrist. Make sure it's not just an orthotics fitter you are going to. A podiatrist will advise you on footwear, can do all kinds of treatments that may bring you relief, and give you pointers on self-care. Having been to a couple of orthotic salespeople, I was a skeptic before I connected with my podiatrist, and now I'm a big fan.
Cortisone shots may give you temporary relief, as Denise says, but I would see a podiatrist before deciding to do that. Make sure you tell your rheumy that you are going to see a podiatrist as well.
I went to a podiatrist & he made me custom made insoles. I had to buy better shoes with insoles & more cushion. That helped for awhile but it is all PsA related. So you will still need to see your rheumy anyway. Best of luck to you. Hope you feel better soon.
I had a great deal of pain in the back of my heel as well. A podiatrist said it was a partially ruptured achilles tendon and had me wear a walking boot for 6 weeks. At night, I wore a splint that helps keep your foot flexed (but not nearly as clunky [or dirty] as the walking boot). That helped clear up the problem but it does still come back from time to time. When it does, I start wearing the splint again at night and do the exercises the podiatrist taught me to help strengthen the surrounding muscles. I hope that you find a good solution for you!
I struggle with the darn achilles too. Try this: use your thumbs to massage the attachment point at the heel and the surrounding tissue under and around the heel bone. That area is all fascia and needs to be worked and loosened up. Too often we focus on the tendon itself, and not so much the attachment point. I have been doing this some and it is helping. Not perfect, but better. I'm also going to try the splints for nighttime, like others have recommended, since the morning is always the WORST trying to get the achilles loosened up again. Warm regards, Rebecca
I have torn both of my AT's in the past and wonder if it could have been from the antibiotic Levaquin, or who knows, it could have been PsA even back then. The flexed foot is correct, I was in a cast with my foot pointed for months, then had to wear a heel lift for a long time, back then there were actual craftsmen who could build up heels for you. Both of these things take the pressure off the tendon. As far as for the pain, Sports Cream is the best, but you cannot use a heating pad with it.