To fear that plantar fasciitis pain is going to stay forever?

[whatishistory]

I've been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis by my GP. It started a week ago completely out of the blue and I'm in so much pain that I can only hobble around the house. I didn't get any help, other than to take anti-inflammatories. She said it can be permanent. AIBU to really fear that this is going to be for ever? I'm hoping people on mumsnet may be able to offer a glimmer of hope.

I had it quite badly several years ago, could hardly walk. I self diagnosed via google and bought some Scholl arch support insoles from Boots, about £25. They made a huge difference. I wore them almost continuously for several weeks, it got better and I’ve never had it since.
They were blue, I still have them in case it ever returns. Well worth trying IMO, I dare say you can find them online.

Might add that 2 BiLs who had it, were properly diagnosed and paid

£££££ for specially made insoles, had no better results than I did. One BiL had no idea what was wrong at first. Having had it I suggested PF, he was subsequently officially diagnosed and emailed to tell me I was correct.

Two things worked for me....Stretch calf muscles as often as you can through the day, use foam rollers on calves too, from achilles up to knee. second is ice baths for 20 mins once a day. Just a tub up to your ankles with a handful of ice cubes. Not too cold lol .

Thanks everyone ..tried all these..£45 insoles that do help ease pain but still agony in evening/morning..got sketcher memory foam shoes..(sob..all my pretty shoes I cant wear!)
Doesn't help that in my job I can be on my feet all day and walk uphill/downhill and back which is 4 miles! I just saw on this thread a book which then took me to an ad for Heelease..pulse device..

That's memory foam shoes with added insoles!!

I had it years ago and had cortisone injections into my heel. The pain from that was excruciating and it took 4 attempts (the last one being under general anesthetic so they could go in deeper) but finally they worked and I have been pain free for about 5 years now. Occasionally if I am on my feet a lot it comes back or if I wear hard shoes too much but it goes away if I rest my feet for a couple of days. Keep doing exercises to stretch the calf muscles

I had it a few years ago, fill small bottles with water and freeze, use them as rollers under your foot, get some properly supportive shoes (I think mine was due to wearing a host of Primark ballet flats), avoid being barefoot at least for the time being and avoid flip flops, UGG boots etc in future. It's so painful it feels like it will never go but then it just does.

Thanks again everyone..

I had this a few years ago and struggled for 2 years with insoles, cold bottles etc to no avail. In the end, I bought myself a pair of crutches for about £25 (if I recall correctly) and put myself on them for 4 weeks. Then spent another couple of weeks with gentle exercise and all has been good now for the last 7 years. It's hard work on crutches and won't suit everyone but it was the only thing that worked for me.

I had it while I was an undergrad at uni, agony. But I found that rest and rolling my feet on things did help, and it passed after a couple of weeks.

I've had it on and off for several years and found rolling my foot over a tennis ball several times a day helped to ease it
Also calf stretches against the wall help. I do taekwondo and train in bare feet, it's torture when it's been playing up. Also don't wear completely flat shoes like ballet flats or converse.

I’ve had this many times, it’s agonising, and wearing flat shoes brings it back in no time. Look on YouTube for exercises and do them regularly. Getting up each morning the pain is awful, so try to stretch your feet and calves before you get out of bed to avoid that first horrible hobble to the loo. Wear trainers or shoes with a slight heel all the time. And in my experience, just when you despair of it ever going, one day it will have disappeared. Keep at it and you will get there.

I have it and the doctor said to wear cushioned soled footwear or slippers. Not barefoot.

She said as I lose weight it will improve and it has.

Not read upthread so this might have been suggested already, but I've come across people who've had improvements with topical magnesium 'oil' (it's not really oil, just magnesium dissolved in water, but it's usually sold under the term 'oil'). You can buy it in Holland and Barrett and probably lots of other places online. The Magnesium Advocacy Group reckons that something like 85% don't even meet the minimum RDA for magnesium in their diet, and it is depleted by stress, so I think a lot of people are deficient. Magnesium is very safe unless you have kidney problems..

Mine was caused by running- and lasted about 18 months. Fitflops are brilliant, never wear flats anymore as they bring it on (for me).

I had physio for it and the pain was up there with childbirth but didn’t need many sessions and with stretch exercises and shoe inserts it went

Placemarking

In addition to pain killers, physio prescribed exercises and Vionic trainers with insoles made a massive difference for me. Have not had a recurrence for 3 years now.