Heel pain often clears up by itself with rest, but if you have pain that persists, or that's severe, you should see a doctor for help. They'll uncover the cause of your pain so the best treatment can be given. Then you can return to your usual activities and full mobility. Here are some treatments your heel pain doctor might recommend.

1. Sleep Brace

A sleep brace is a soft shoe or sock you wear while sleeping to keep your foot stretched. A sleep brace is often used to treat plantar fasciitis when the fascia on the bottom of your foot is inflamed and painful.

The brace is designed to pull your toes toward your leg so your foot stays in the stretched position. This keeps your heel from getting stiff and painful when you sleep. If you notice your pain is worse when you start walking after a night's sleep, talk to a heel pain doctor about wearing a sleep brace at night to see if it helps.

2. Heel Cups

Heel cups can help different types of pain by absorbing shock when you walk and by padding your heel. The cup might be made of gel material or flexible plastic. It might be made of padding.

You may want to ask your heel pain doctor if heel cups are right for your foot condition so wearing them doesn't make your heel pain worse. If so, your doctor might advise you on the best type and brand to try when you buy them over the counter.

3. Ultrasound Treatments

These treatments deliver ultrasonic waves to your fascia to break apart damaged tissues so they can be removed by suction. A similar treatment is shock wave therapy which uses shock waves to help your injured fascia heal. These treatments might be reserved for when other treatments fail rather than be used as a first-choice treatment.

4. PRP Injections

Platelet-rich plasma is sometimes used to promote tissue repair. Your heel pain doctor may suggest using PRP injections to see if they help. This entails drawing a blood sample from you so it can be spun down to separate the platelets from other cells. The plasma containing platelets is then injected into your heel to stimulate tissue repair.

5. Mobility Aid

If you have difficulty walking due to pain, your heel pain doctor may recommend you use crutches or a knee walker so you can keep your weight off of your heel and give your tissues a chance to repair themselves. Additionally, your doctor may advise you to keep your foot elevated as much as possible and use ice on and off to decrease swelling and help with pain.