If you've noticed a bump on the sole of your foot in the arch area, consider having it checked by a podiatrist whether it's painful or not. You might have a plantar fibroma. A fibroma is a non-cancerous growth that can affect one foot or both feet. The fibroma can grow larger, and you might even have multiple growths on a single foot. Here's how a podiatrist might treat this condition.
Run Tests For A Diagnosis
Your podiatrist has a good idea if you have a fibroma just by feeling your foot and listening to your symptoms and medical history. However, they may order imaging tests and maybe even a biopsy just to rule out other types of growth, such as cancer. Once a diagnosis is verified, your podiatrist can work up a treatment plan.
Inject Medications
If your fibroma is small and it doesn't cause discomfort, you may not need any treatment. Your podiatrist may just track the growth of the fibroma and start treatment when it gives you pain or makes wearing shoes difficult. If you're already having discomfort, your podiatrist might recommend injecting a corticosteroid in the growth to help decrease its size.
This might make it more comfortable to wear your shoes and stand on your feet. However, this isn't a cure, it's just a treatment that decreases inflammation and shrinks the growth. The fibroma will resume its original size in time.
Prescribe Orthotics
If your main complaint is discomfort when you're wearing shoes, your podiatrist might recommend orthotics. You can buy these off the shelf sometimes if your podiatrist can recommend a certain style. These can also be custom made for your feet to provide a cushion around the growth so your weight doesn't bear down as hard on the fibroma. Orthotics distribute your weight as you walk, and this can help reduce your pain.
Surgically Remove The Growth
Surgery is a possibility when you have severe pain and injections and orthotics don't help. Surgery isn't the first choice in treatment because removing the growth from your plantar fascia could have undesired side effects, such as giving you a flat arch that has to be treated with orthotics. There is also a chance a new fibroma will grow after the surgery, but if you're in frequent pain, your doctor might recommend cutting out the fibroma.
Your podiatrist may have other treatments to try before considering surgery, such as topical medications and other forms of pain relief with the goal to relieve your pain and discomfort even if the fibroma doesn't shrink.
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Your feet are more complex than you might realize. You have the tarsal bones in your ankle, the metatarsals that form the top of your foot, and the phalanges that form your toes. Then, there is a complex set of ligaments and tendons that form the joints and attach muscles to the bones of your feet and ankles. With all of these moving parts, it's no wonder people often develop foot pain. Luckily, podiatrists know how to manage that pain. They can identify its source and recommend physical therapy, therapeutic shoes, or even surgery to make you comfortable again. As you keep reading on this website, you'll learn more about their work.