Heel pain is a common condition in adults that may cause significant discomfort and disability. A variety of soft tissue, osseous, and systemic disorders can cause heel pain. Narrowing the differential diagnosis begins with a history and physical examination of the lower extremity to pinpoint the anatomic origin of the heel pain. The most common cause of heel pain in adults is plantar fasciitis.
The most common form of heel pain, is pain on the bottom of the heel. It tends to occur for no apparent reason and is often worse when first placing weight on the foot. Patients often complain of pain the first thing in the morning or after getting up to stand after sitting.
If you experience heel pain, it may lead to plantar fasciitis, which develops into a heel spur. A heel spur, otherwise known as calcaneal spur, is an overgrowth of calcium surrounding the ligaments and tendons of the foot. They are usually nail-like in structure. Usually, it looks like a bony protrusion or something that resembles a protruding tooth and forms due to the plantar facia’s pulling away from the heel area. The plantar facia is the fibrous tissue under the foot that stretches from the heel to the forefoot. Some causes of the stretching of plantar facia are flat feet and high arches.
Cause for heel spurs:
Heel spurs (Heel bone spurs) are mostly seen among adults who are at least in their 40s. These are oftentimes associated with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and poor circulation of blood. Although men and women can both have them, heel spurs are mostly seen among women due to the kind of shoes that they wear.
What Is A Heel Spur And Why Do I Get Heel Pain
Once heel spurs appear, they can be hard to manage and can be painful. In fact, heel spurs are like “toothaches in the foot” that can easily disable you to walk. The pain comes from the inflammation around the area of tendons attached to the heel bone. Once you start walking on the spur, the pain decreases as nerves and capillaries adapt to the situation. Once you take some rest and your capillaries and nerves also rest, the moment you try to walk will be the most painful of all.
If you suffer from heel spurs, it is important that you seek medical help immediately. For self treatment, home remedy for heel spurs, you can elevate the affected foot or apply heat to the affected area to diminish the pain. You can also put a rubber pad (such as Dr Scholl’s massaging gel heel cushion) in the heel of the shoe so as to raise the heel and shift the weight of the body forward. You can also seek the aid of a physical therapist for treatments such as whirlpool foot baths, ultrasound waves and diathermy.
Other forms of treatments for heel spur include orthopedic molds and applications. However, if you want your heel spurs to completely go away, consider surgery. Seek help from your doctor on the best treatments that he may recommend in your case, and whether or not he thinks an operation is needed to permanently correct the damage.
