Few things are more uncomfortable when seeing a doctor than getting a shot. Most people can think back to at least one bad experience where an injection really hurt or someone said something that made you even more nervous or uncomfortable. Either way, no one really enjoys getting a shot, especially in the foot and ankle.
Podiatrists normally use injections for two different things. One is to inject a numbing agent that will put your nerves to sleep and prevent you from feeling pain. This will help them perform an office procedure such as removing an infected toenailor preventing a nerve from firing to find the cause of pain. Other times, injections are used to place a local steroid into an area of inflammation. This allows for just one area of your body to receive a large amount of steroid to allow faster healing.
When a numbing agent is used, many people think they should not feel anything. When the injection is placed, you will feel the needle stick and minor pain for a few seconds. Then, the area should feel numb and you will continue to notice pressure and touch but not pain. Depending on the numbing agent used and your body’s metabolism, the area will stay numb for approximately 4-10 hours.
Injections in your foot are not something to be overly concerned about. The podiatrists at Coastal Podiatry Associates have great understanding about when and where to use injections as part of their treatment. They use injections only when needed and when the minor pain you feel will be far outweighed by the benefit you receive.
