In the medical field, second opinions are not only helpful, but they’re often strongly encouraged when your diagnosis proves to be a complex case. When it comes to plantar fasciitis, a decent amount of sufferers find permanent relief from merely resting or using custom orthotics. While this is fantastic news, these methods alone simply aren’t enough for the other folks who suffer from plantar fasciitis. In chronic cases, rest and orthotics will help but aren’t enough in the long run. Chronic cases sometimes call for other treatments, like regular injections of medication that helps reduce inflammation and, in some cases, might even call for surgical intervention.
Dr. Michele Kurlanski encourages you to seek that second opinion, however, if surgery is the only option a podiatrist has given you! Besides being quite costly, surgery is invasive, has extensive recovery periods, and comes with a risk of infection and re-injury during the healing process. You have other options for treatment when it comes to plantar fasciitis. That’s where cold laser therapy comes in! Cold laser therapy, otherwise known as low-level laser therapy, utilizes lightwaves to penetrate deep into areas of chronic inflammation and help speed up the healing process. Not only is cold laser therapy less costly than surgery, but it doesn’t require going under anesthesia, is non-invasive, and you’re able to walk out of the treatment session right afterward! In some cases, patients have reported slight tingling sensations - especially when the laser is currently working on a very inflamed area - during the treatment.
Cold laser therapy isn’t just for treating chronic plantar fasciitis - it’s also used to treat tendonitis, bone fractures, arthritis, fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel, ankle sprains, and so much more. Are you curious yet? Luckily for you, Lighthouse Foot & Ankle Center offers cold laser therapy at their convenient location in Scarborough, Maine. Call us today at (207) 774-0028 to schedule your next appointment to give cold laser therapy a try!