Treating Chronic Foot Pain with Regenerative Medicine

By Greer Banks

Chronic foot or ankle pain interferes with active lifestyles, limiting mobility and independence. No matter your age, it makes even the most basic activities, like going to the market or taking an afterdinner stroll di cult. “I hate to hear that foot pain is preventing someone from participating in everyday activities,” says Dr. Kerry Zang, podiatric medical director of Comprehensive Integrated Care, Foot & Ankle. “It doesn’t matter if you are su ering from arthritis, an old injury, Achilles’ tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, or heel pain, there are new therapies [referred to as regenerative medicine] that are able to repair and restore tissue, ligaments, and joints. is can also apply to continued pain after surgical care.”

Until recently, anti-in ammatory medication and steroid injections, like cortisone o ered the best chance for relief. But these options just reduced the symptoms. ey did nothing to treat the problem actually causing the pain.

“While cortisone stops the swelling and pain, it can also interfere with the healing process and further degeneration can occur,” explains Zang.

“Now, instead of just making the symptoms go away, we can deal with the underlying problem that is causing the pain. With regenerative medicine, we can help the body initiate its own healing response,” says Zang. “ e goal is to encourage a healing process where the body replaces, repairs, reprograms, and renews diseased or injured cells. As new and healthy tissue forms, it helps improve function and resolve pain.”

Regenerative medicine is being used to treat chronic pain caused by arthritis, injured ligaments, tendons, and joints. It may also be helpful in reducing the discomfort of neuropathy. Its purpose is to stimulate the body’s own natural healing process to repair chronically damaged tissue.

“When tissues are injured, the body responds naturally with in ammation and swelling. is is the body’s way of repairing itself,” explains Zang. As we age, the regenerative process slows down and instead of healing like it did when we were younger, an injury can be considered degenerative.

“If a degenerative process has started, sometimes the body needs a little boost to encourage the regenerative process,” says Zang. “ ink of it like a boat with a hole in it. Water coming in represents the degenerative process and bailing it out represents the regenerative process. When pain continues, it’s because there’s more water coming in than going out. When we introduce regenerative medicine therapy, it’s like replacing a tablespoon with a bucket to bail the water out faster, so the hole can be repaired.”

Dr. Zang encourages those living with chronic foot or ankle pain to look into regenerative medicine. “Don’t wait to get help. e earlier you see a doctor the sooner treatment can begin, increasing the potential for a successful outcome. Delaying care can put you at risk for further damage,” says Zang. “However, if you have put o treatment, don’t think it’s too late. I think the most important thing to keep in mind is that medicine is constantly changing, and you should never lose hope.”

If traditional neuropathy treatments haven’t given you the pain relief you’ve been seeking, it’s time to start asking questions.

YES / NO

Could I have been misdiagnosed with neuropathy?

If I dohave neuropathy,is poor circulation making mysymptoms worse?

Is medication the only option to treat neuropathy pain?