Homeopathic Treatment of Plantar Fasciitis

by Scott T. Harrell

Overview

Plantar fasciitis often affects the heels of women and runners.

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Plantar fasciitis is an aggravation of tissue in the foot that causes intermittent sharp pains in the heel. It is also one of many ailments proponents believe can be treated with an alternative medical discipline known as homeopathy, or dilution medicine.
Symptoms

Plantar fasciitis is characterized by sharp pains in the heel. These pains are most often felt upon first standing in the morning, and can fade with use only to return after long periods of use.

Causes

The thick band of tissue in the heel known as the fascia can become irritated or torn through tension or overuse. This is why runners and women who spend long amounts of time standing in uncomfortable shoes are more susceptible to the condition.
Definition of Homeopathy

Homeopathic treatments use herbs, elements and minerals--suggested by both symptoms and the patient's physical and emotional condition--diluted repeatedly in water to infinitesimal proportions. Many homeopathic treatments follow the sort of "like cures like" philosophy found in the study and medication of allergies.
Administration

These dilutions can be taken in the form of liquids, pills or capsules, or nasal spay.
Treatments

Homeopathic remedies for plantar fisciitis include the evergreen shrub rue (or ruta), the herb pulsatilla nigricans, members of the rhus sumac family, and ammonium carbonicum.
Warning

Despite a growing following, homeopathic cures are consistently dismissed as quackery by the mainstream medical establishment at large. Some homeopathic remedies may also contain alcohol, or worsen particular symptoms of the ailment they are meant to cure.

Overview