Achilles Tendonitis

10 posts / 0 new
Last post
Achilles Tendonitis

Does anyone have any experience in successful treatment of Achilles Tendonitis? I have it in BOTH heels, and I'm fed up with the constant pain. Some days I can hardly walk, it's so bad. I have tried painkillers (tablets and creams), physiotherapy, exercising, resting, wearing splints at night, wearing supportive bandages during the day, wearing lifts in my shoes, injections (I can't begin to tell you how painful that was, having someone grab my heels, then injecting directly into the tendon) - but I've had no relief from anything. Now they tell me that my only option is surgery, but as I'm my Mother's carer, there's no way that I can be laid up for that length of time. Am I destined to spend the rest of my life in pain, hobbling around when I used to love to walk and dance?

Here's hoping that someone, somewhere will have a helpful idea!

Robyn ... I can't suggest much .. I have arthritic feet so can sympathize with the pain ... do you wear shoes during the day ? or go around bare foot ? .... have you tried the heal supports for your shoes ? .... how about ice ... I use ice myself for pain and my doctor suggested I wear shoes except when I'm in bed .... that's hard for me because I like to run around without any shoes on. Something else I have found that helps are the elastic compression stockings ... I'm wearing them for blood flow but have also found they help support the bones and soft tissue in my feet so ease the pain some.

My husband has this on the tendon that controls his right thumb and they are treating it with physical therapy and some sort of electric therapy. They said that the strength in his thumb is starting to come back. But if it doesn't fully heal or recurs he is looking at surgery.

For my ankylosing spondylitis I use a special cream mixed by a compound pharmacy ( http://www.rxproblemsolvers.com/ ). It's pretty amazing and starts working in seconds which is awesome since I'm almost immune to regular pain killers. Since it's absorbed through your skin and doesn't go through your digestive tract they can use lower doses and skip a lot of the side effects. Your doctor will write a prescription telling them what exactly your problems are and they custom make it.

Long story short: I was misdiagnosed with chronic Achilles Tendonitis after an old work-related injury. Three years later, I found out that wasn't the problem, that it was really permanent severe nerve damage in my ankle. Once I was properly diagnosed, Lidoderm (a pain patch) worked very well until they tried a nerve block, which made it worse. After that, I got on Lyrica, Soma and Tramadol. Those have since been replaced, because my conditions are deteriorating at a pace my doctor calls "astonishing," with Gabapentin and Percocet, along with steroid shots in my spine. I, too, have AS, rheumatoid arthritis (hands and feet) and arthritis everywhere else. Chronic pain is not fun.

Honestly, though, if it's truly tendonitis, you have to let it heal gradually, on its own terms. Use lots of ice (I know, it sucks and doesn't really work.), then a heating pad. The more you aggravate it, the worse it'll feel. With what you mentioned, I'd have your doctor check if it's actually nerve damage, because what you described is very similar to what I experienced for those miserable three years of my life.

I don't know if that's similar to plantar fasciitis, but Skecher Shape Ups sneakers are the only thing that helped me. I have it in the right heel, but since wearing those my heel has greatly improved.

Hope you find an answer!

-Lisa

I only have experience with plantar fasciitis - stretching, stretching, stretching - often, but gentle, and lots of ice. What finally "cured" it was going to an awesome chiropractor who got things in my back into alignment which changed my stride so the inflammation could heal.

I have had success with a really good acupuncturist, who also treats with Chinese medicine. I have extra bones in my feet (weird, right?) so basically I'm all cockeye'd in my ankles. The sessions help with the pain, and healing old injuries. I use an ointment that helps, and take herbs that also help with healing. Any tendon issue takes long to heal. I also wear custom made orthotics. ALL. THE. TIME! That really helps too. I have done PT, and while I don't know that it was as good as solution, keeping up with the strengthening and stretching does make a difference. There are still nights I take vicodin to sleep. I feel your pain. I have about every dx for feet you can have short of an actual broken bone. My feet don't break, there is nothing left to hold the bones in place to break. The last injury would have broken bones, but my ligaments and tendons are so shot, it just rolled. Taking out the last tendon/ligament area that wasn't a mess. So yeah...its not fun. I miss cute shoes, cowboy boots, and being able to walk without worry about surviving the next day.

My husband has found that going to an acupuncturist/herbalist has gotten him the best results. Ask around and find a good one in your area and give them a try.

No answers, but currently dealing with tendonitis in my leg--the upper attachment point for the iliotibial band. With coexisting fibromyalgia, degenerative disc disease, and lupus, it's taking its sweet time to heal, and I can't take any NSAIDs anymore. It DOES seem to be improving much more rapidly now that I've been seeing my chiropractor more often.