Foot Pain Cure

I suffered with this pain for about two months before I obtained a pair of generic orthopedic arch supports. These helped for about a month before the pain returned. I tried to find a different pair of shoes that didn't hurt my feet, and found only one pair that I could wear without pain. I finally decided I needed professional help after about eight months and visited a podiatrist. My feet were x-rayed and the doctor told me I had metatarsal bursitis (inflammation of the bursa), and that a cortisone shot would most likely relieve my pain for good. I agreed to give it a try with less than stellar results: my foot was numb from the shot for the rest of the evening, but the pain remained once the numbness wore off. I wasn't going back there again (but I did call to let the doctor know it didn't work).

I next tried an acupuncturist. This doctor thought I might have Morton's Neuroma and gave me an acupuncture treatment. This was quite uncomfortable and did not relieve my pain whatsoever. I was becoming so desperate to be able to walk comfortably in my own home that I was even considering installing carpet over all of our beautiful hardwood floors! I was tired of asking my children to "fetch" items for me because it hurt too much to walk and get it myself. I was much too young to be this incapacitated!

My next step was to see a foot reflexologist. This was actually the most helpful treatment, but it didn't last. My foot would feel great the day of the appointment, but the pain would return much too quickly. There had to be a better (and less costly!) way.

Lucky for me, my cries for help were heard, and upon telling a relatively new friend about my foot problem, she promptly mentioned John Sarno's name. She even found "Mind Over Back Pain" at the local thrift store we visited together, and gave it to me to read. I was intrigued by what Dr. Sarno had to say in that book, but I needed some more concrete suggestions on the "how to" part. I purchased "The Divided Mind" and read it from cover to cover in a few days.

I discovered that I had been described to a "T" in that book, and immediately my thoughts began to change. I followed the book's advice and began to write down my fears, worries, etc. - all the ones I felt I "shouldn't" be feeling - and I continued to do this for a few days. Imagine my shock to wake up one day with no pain at all in my foot! I couldn't believe it could be that easy. Of course, I was right about that: after about two weeks the pain started to return. So I went back to journaling my feelings and voicing my concerns to myself. This time the pain went away again and has not returned to this day (over one year later).

I suffered for more than two years with this foot pain, attempting to find relief in arch supports, medicine, acupuncture, and reflexology with little results; but after reading Dr. Sarno's book, it only took a few days to get rid of it. Simply amazing! I've since recommended Dr. Sarno's books to several friends, yoga students and my mother, with mixed results. My 73 year old mother is finally reading "The Divided Mind" and finding herself in it. My hope is that you will soon be able to read her story of how she was able to conquer her severe hip pain, which doctors have told her has no physical basis.

Thank you. Barbara