Heel Pain: Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatments
What is Heel Pain?
Any discomfort or pain felt in the heel area of the foot is referred to as heel pain. It may happen in one or both heels and range in intensity. Walking and standing, in particular, can be severely impacted by heel pain. Any discomfort or pain felt in the heel area of the foot is referred to as heel pain. It may happen in one or both heels and range in intensity. Walking and standing, in particular, can be severely impacted by heel pain.
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Get A Second OpinionWhat are the causes of Heel Pain?
- Stress Fractures are tiny fractures or fissures in the heel bone, frequently brought on by misuse or prolonged tension. Stress fractures may occur.
- Heel Spurs: Bony protrusions that grow on the underside of the heel bone are called heel spurs. Although they may not hurt themselves, they can irritate the tissues around them and make them uncomfortable.
- Bursitis is the inflammation of the bursae, which are tiny sacs filled with fluid that lubricate and cushion joints. Heel pain and swelling can be caused by heel bursitis, such as retrocalcaneal bursitis.
- Neuropathy is damage or inflammation of the nerves that can cause shooting, tingling, or burning pain in the heel area.
- Trauma or Injury: An acute heel injury, such as a heel bone fracture or bruising, can cause pain and discomfort.
- Overuse or Strain: Pain can result from overusing the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the heel due to inappropriate footwear, abrupt changes in activity level, or excessive physical activity.
Heel pain associated with burning sensation:
Burning, in addition to heel pain, can be a sign of many different illnesses, such as peripheral neuropathy or tarsal tunnel syndrome, which can irritate or damage nerves. A comprehensive evaluation by a medical specialist is required to identify the precise cause and the best course of action.
What is a pain in the back of the heel?
Inflammation of the bursa between the heel bone and Achilles tendon, known as retrocalcaneal bursitis or Achilles tendinitis, can lead to heel discomfort in the back. Physical therapy, orthotic devices, stretching exercises, ice, and rest are effective methods for treatment.
- Avoid activities that make your heel pain worse, especially high-impact activities like jogging or jumping. Rest is the best way to treat heel discomfort. Rest is necessary to allow the wounded tissues to heal.
- Ice therapy involves applying ice packs to the heel that is afflicted for fifteen to twenty minutes on many occasions throughout the day to reduce inflammation and numb the area. Remember to protect your skin by wrapping the ice pack in a cloth before applying it.
- Rest: Stretching exercises are recommended to enhance flexibility and relieve stress in the foot and ankle. These exercises should focus on the calf muscles and the plantar fascia, respectively. Calf stretches, towel stretches, and plantar fascia stretches are some useful examples.
- Use of Orthotic Devices: Make use of supportive orthotic devices, such as heel cups, arch supports, or orthotics that are created to order in order to offer cushioning and stability to the foot and to alleviate the pressure that is placed on the heel.
- Proper Footwear: Put on shoes that are supportive, well-fitted, and have cushioned insoles and adequate arch support. Shoes that are worn out, shoes with poor support, or shoes with high heels should be avoided because they can make heel discomfort worse.
- Medications: Pain medications that are available without a prescription, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, have the potential to alleviate pain and reduce inflammation. However, you should use them in accordance with the instructions, and if you have any worries or medical conditions, you should check with a healthcare practitioner.
- Physical Therapy: Take part in a physical therapy program that is specifically designed to address your issue. For the purpose of enhancing mobility, strength, and overall function, physical therapists are able to provide exercises, manual therapy techniques, and guidance on correct body mechanics from their perspective.
- Injections of Corticosteroids: In certain instances of severe or persistent heel pain, medical professionals may suggest to their patients that they receive corticosteroid injections to alleviate pain and reduce inflammation. However, due to the potential for adverse effects and hazards, these injections are normally administered with caution.
- Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy, often known as ESWT, Shock wave therapy (ESWT) is a non-invasive treatment approach that uses shock waves to promote healing in tissues that have been damaged. If conservative therapy has not been successful in alleviating persistent heel pain, it is a possibility that this treatment could be pursued.
- Surgery: In the extremely rare instances in which conservative therapy is unable to offer relief, surgical intervention may be required. Patients who suffer from heel pain may undergo surgical procedures that involve loosening tight ligaments, removing bone spurs, or restoring damaged tissues.
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