CASE REPORT: DEXAMETHASONE AS A STEROID INJECTION THERAPY IN PLANTAR FASCIITIS WITH DIABETES MELLITUS COMORBIDITY IN REMOTE AREAS USING A HOLISTIC APPROACH
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Plantar fasciitis is a condition that leads to chronic pain. This report case is descriptive and utilizes a prospective approach, where the patient was monitored for over a year, with a single steroid injection given during the initial visit. The case involves a 55-year-old woman who visited the primary care with several complaints of heel pain and difficulty of sleeping. The patient had been self-medicating with unbranded over-the-counter drugs and had taken steroids or NSAIDs from pharmacies or other healthcare providers multiple times. She had sought treatment at primary healthcare center for two months prior the study, but the prescribed treatment and exercise were ineffective. Upon examination, the patient was in moderate pain and obesity. Physical examination revealed tenderness in both soles. Laboratory tests showed fasting blood glucose level of 274 mg/dl. The patient was administered an injection of 0.5 ml dexamethasone + 0.5 ml lidocaine in each heel. She was prescribed sodium diclofenac 2x1, to be taken 1 hour after meals (p.c.), glibenclamide 1x1 in the morning before meals (a.c.), and metformin 2x1 at lunch and dinner p.c./with meals. The patient was also advised to avoid heavy activities for 3-7 days and received education on dietary management for diabetes mellitus. After one week, the patient returned for follow-up, reporting a visual analog scale (VAS) score of 0 and a fasting blood glucose level of 110 mg/dl. Follow-up after 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year post-injection consistently showed a VAS score of 0. Dexamethasone injection may be considered as a steroid injection option for plantar fasciitis in primary care settings to maintain patient productivity and to reduce the risk of irrational use of steroids or NSAIDs.