The pain that you experience in your heel and which is also followed by inflammation is termed as plantar fasciitis. The development of tears in the plantar fascia ligament is the major cause of the pain-the pain may be mild or intense depending on the level of the tears.

There are many factors which may result in plantar fasciitis; the symptoms of plantar fasciitis are many and one needs to properly scrutinize before taking any remedial measure. In many of the cases the heel pain might be due to other factors so before arriving on the conclusion consult your doctor.

Symptoms of plantar fasciitis include pain and stiffness of the feet especially during the morning hours. During the night when your body is relaxing the plantar fascia ligament may tighten and when you get up in the morning you will have stiffness in the heel.  The pain may be severe but as the day progresses and your feet get warmer the pain subsides.

The other symptoms of plantar fasciitis include feeling of pain when standing for a long period or lifting heavy weights which puts pressure on your toes.   Arthritis and diabetes especially in the elderly ones may also cause plantar fasciitis.

In majority of the cases the pain is because of unhealthy lifestyle pattern such as wearing of shoes of wrong sizes, irregular exercising pattern which puts lots of pressure on your toes and improper body postures.

The treatment is easy, relax your feet and wear correct sized shoes.  You can also apply ice on the body part that is under pain; medicines like acetaminophen and ibuprofen can also be taken to reduce the pain.  However, if these measures do not prove to be effective consult a doctor.  Healthy lifestyle can help you to live a pain free life.