Tarsal Tunnel

[nowmarys]

I have what is told to be Tarsal Tunnel Swore I would never have surgery on my foot again.
Now it is hurting my hip. I have had Nerve Blocks which did not help. I also have Epilepsy
so I am on enough medications that the pain in my foot should just be very mild I would think.
I am getting injections that just go in the tissue which seem to help but they helping for a shorter
amount of time. It gets bad when you tell your husband and son to let people know not to touch
your foot. I am going to see an Orthopedic Doctor about it soon.
It is hurting so much that I am now thinking of having surgery again. The Podiatrist I
was seeing in Michigan seemed to think my seizures were hurting it but I am having
a lot less of them (seizures) and my foot is hurting a lot more.
What to do???????? Nowmarys

[UndercovrAngel]

Nowmarys,

There are several things that you need to have done before you even consider having surgery for tarsal tunnel.
1. Have an x-ray to make sure that there is nothing wrong with the bones in your foot (I had a heel spur, which led to plantars fasciitis,which led to tarsal tunnel.)
2. Get an MRI of same foot to rule out other injuries to your soft tissues in your foot.
3. Have an EMG/NCS that will show that there are problems with the nerves in your foot that is causing the tarsal tunnel.
4. The EMG may even show that the problems with your lower back are causing you to walk differently on your foot, thus leading to the problems in your ankle.
5. A good physical therapist would be able to help you get back in the correct stride again and help the pain in your ankle.
6. A good orthopeadist will be able to tell you if there is something other than tarsal tunnel going on with your foot with a few simple tests of having you walk in different ways

PLEASE... before you agree to signing the paperwork for any surgury, do your research on the internet in regards to tarsal tunnel. There are so many things that they can try first before you allow them to cut on you. I only had 5 days to prepare for mine, and so many other things that I had to take care of that spending time on the internet researching was the last thing on my mind. I had no idea what other options I had and now regret allowing the surgery so fast. I had it on October 22, 2007 and ended up using all my FMLA trying to get better. On January 16, I had to return to work still unprepared to sit all day due to pain and swelling. On January 22,2008 I was diagnosed with RSD in my right foot and leg and will have to deal with this the rest of my life.

Stay in touch and let me know how things are progressing.

Angel ^j^