Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-06-13

Dear DR.. Steincrohn: I'm
not trying to be funny when
I say I feel like a heel-all
heel. Until recently I have
been a healthy specimen Of
AZ. but then I began to have
terrific pain in my right heel,
especially when I put my
weight on it. Getting to work
is q problem. My good luck
is that I have to sit at a
desk all day. otherwise I
don't know how I could stand
1t. I've been taking hot soaks
at night, but so far they
haven't helped. Mr.. N.
PROBABLY YOUR TROU-
BILE is due to a spur on the
oscalcis or heel bone. AS you
say, it's no joke. In fact.
people who have had painful
sieges Of bursitis in a shoul-
der or an elbow tell me that
q painful heel is almost as
as bad. The cause is often
difficult to find. If it is I'M
relenting for months, a
physical examination is in
order.
Usually. however, the dis
comfort from these painful
spurs is self Limited. 1t passes
within a few weeks. If it
doesn't, then you'd better do
something more for it than
Just soak it. Let your doctor
take over. He may send you
for some shoe repairs. Put
ting sponge rubber into a
hollowed-out heel takes up
on the pressure when walk
ing.
Simple things like the soaks
you are taking are tried first.
If improvement doesn't fol-
low Gas in your case) ultra
sound therapy may be indi-
Gated. Whirlpool baths often
help. If the condition is still
stubborn your doctor can in
ject a local anesthetic with
cortisone into the painful
area. Aspirin helps make the
pain more bearable. Some
doctors use X-ray treatments
in stubborn cases. Anything
to forestall operation.
Dear DR.. Steincrohn: I have
suffered from ragweed for the
last few years. I can't seem
to run away from it. Can you
tell me where I can 60 to
escape it? Decentralization in
jections don't appear to help
Mrs. L.
YOUR DOCTOR probably
has a ragweed map which
shows which Of our so States
have little ragweed and low
pollen counts during the hay
fever season. For example,
the tip Of Florida is one of
the locations practically free
of giant ragweed.
But let me warn you that
it's sometimes difficult to
run away" from an allergy.
Your allergic cells, deprived
Of ragweed. may decide to
latch on to the pollens of the
bloomin' mango tree down
South, or take a fancy to
house dust.
If you want a good excuse
to take a trip to the Orient,
I hear that there is hardly a
tract Of ragweed pollen in
Japan, where seasonal hay
fever is practically unknown.
So many people are frus-
trated by allergic conditions
that hang on Stubbornly. I
know how you must feel. In
stead of running away, I sug-
gest you give your doctor a
good opportunity to desensi-
tize you with injections.
Sometimes it requires many
months Of such treatment
before you will notice i'm
provement. Most people are
helped by deSenSitization.
For Mrs. E. I can under
stand why your husband is
concerned about losing his
hair. You say he has spent q
lot on hair tonics and vibra-
ting machines without any
Improvement. However,
don't know enough about
the new procedures being
used to graft hair into the
bald places to advise you
Recently there have been re-
ports of success by a plastic
surgeon. I'd have to know
more about it before recon-
mending this procedure fol
your husband.
\ 4 y 4
DR.. Steinchron'S ledtle
Maybe Your Heart Trouble
Imaginary" tDiH be mailed tt
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