It is 8 pm on Sunday night and you have finally had it with your heel pain that has been plaguing you for the last 3 months. Your first instinct is to Google your symptoms and find out how to fix your pain. You start seeing pop-up ads for inserts and read all the reviews. You find YouTube videos on stretching and taping. You are certain you have plantar fasciitis based on the blogs and articles you read. You finally buy inserts off Amazon. You decide you are going to stretch, wear the inserts for a few weeks, and hope for the best. You have a high deductible plan, and you don't have time to go to the doctor. How hard can it be? Another month goes by, and your heel pain is worse. Your wife is concerned. She searches on her phone for a foot doctor in your area. She finds one that has same-day appointments, and you don't need a referral. She asks you to make an appointment because she is tired of watching you suffer.
Seeking health advice online isn’t always a bad thing, but there are important things to keep in mind when checking with “Dr. Google” regarding foot and ankle pain.
Consider the source. Is the source a review off Amazon or from the American Podiatric Medical Association?
Don't assume the worst. If you type in descriptions for heel pain, you find a laundry list of conditions that do not apply to you like a bone tumor.
Don't assume it is nothing or the pain will go away. Dr. Google can't perform diagnostic imaging. Only your doctor can order an x-ray to see if you have a fracture.
Dr. Google can't see or feel your foot. An in-person appointment is the best way to evaluate your foot pain.
Google and internet searches are great resources on how to find a qualified podiatrist to treat heel pain.
When to use Google
Find a podiatrist. Use keywords like heel pain, doctor, and the town you live in.
Read patient reviews. You can get a feel for the practice from the reviews.
Research to prepare for the appointment. Most docs like it when patients come with questions.
Visit the practice website to find out what services they offer.
At Lighthouse Foot and Ankle, we are a direct care podiatry practice that provides innovative conservative foot and ankle care for patients. We do not participate with insurance and our emphasis is on the patient-doctor relationship and providing the best patient experience. With proper diagnosis and treatment, most foot and ankle problems can be treated successfully.
If you are suffering from either acute or chronic heel pain, proper diagnosis and treatment will ensure a quicker recovery. Dr. Michele Kurlanski is here to help. Same-day appointments are now available! Give us a call today (207) 774-0028 to schedule your next appointment at our location in Scarborough, Maine.
