Therapy
The type of treatment for pain on the back of the foot depends on the cause of the complaints. In many cases, conservative methods such as gymnastics, physiotherapy, relaxation techniques, drug treatments, special splints or shoe fittings can achieve good treatment results. Depending on the cause of the complaints, ointment treatments and lymph drainage can also be useful and helpful.
In addition, other illnesses such as rheumatism, gout or diabetes, which are related to the pain in the back of the foot, should be treated consistently and adequately. If conservative treatment measures cannot improve the symptoms, surgical procedures can be considered. For example, structures that constrict the nerves on the back of the foot can be removed.
If all therapeutic measures cannot achieve sufficient pain relief at the back of the foot, further treatment methods of a pain clinic can be considered. The focus here is on an individual combination of pain-inhibiting, physiotherapeutic, medicinal and other therapeutic procedures. Due to the large number of possible causes for pain in the back of the foot, an exact diagnosis is very important.
First the doctor will ask some questions about the course of the disease, possible previous illnesses such as rheumatism, additional symptoms or a previous accident (anamnesis). This is followed by an examination of the foot and the ankle joints, since such visible changes as redness, swelling, joint effusions or deformations can be diagnosed. In addition, the mobility of the foot is examined and the exact location of the complaints is determined. Depending on the suspected cause, an X-ray is often taken to confirm the diagnosis, but ultrasound or other imaging methods (e.g. MRI) can also be used.
Thrombosis
A thrombosis is the formation of a blood clot in a blood vessel that disrupts the blood flow. Very often the leg veins are affected by it, whereby one differentiates between superficial and deep leg vein thrombosis.But also the blood vessels on the back of the foot are often affected by thrombosis. A thrombosis causes severe pain, the foot swells, feels heavy and warm.
It is important to react quickly if a thrombosis is suspected and to consult a doctor so that treatment can begin as soon as possible. A thrombosis is dangerous because parts of the blood clot can break off and be carried with the bloodstream to other parts of the body, where they can cause a life-threatening pulmonary embolism, for example. Risk factors for a thrombosis in the area of the back of the foot are, for example, overweight, blood clotting disorders, smoking or prolonged inactivity (e.g. sitting for hours with bent legs). Treatment of thrombosis usually consists of drug treatment to inhibit blood clotting and wearing compression stockings.
