Today, a calcaneal spur, or plantar fasciitis , has become a common disease . You can get this kind of trouble at a young age, but more often people get it after forty years.
"Nail" in the heel
What does the heel spur look like ? It is an overgrowth of the bone surface, in which there is a fusion of the calcaneus and spurs in the region of the Achilles tendon. The foot experiences the greatest load while walking, at this time most of it falls on the tubercle (calcaneus), subsequently on which microscopic tearing occurs. Usually, he gradually heals himself, but if too much damage appears, the fascia of the sole becomes inflamed, resulting in pain. This disease can develop in a person suffering from flat feet.
Symptoms of the heel spur
For each person, the appearance of a spur may differ in individual symptoms, but there are signs that nevertheless unite this disease. This is a burning pain when loading on the foot, sudden pain when walking and a constant feeling of a “driven nail”.
But, when a person is in a prone position, the pain begins to recede. The nature of the pain syndrome does not depend on the size of the spur, but on the sensitivity of the soft tissues around the bone. They will help to understand what a calcaneal spur is, photo. Symptoms will also indicate a disease.
The causes of the disease
Women who wear heels every day more often than men suffer from plantar fasciitis, as they constantly create additional stress on the heel. One of the reasons for the appearance of a “nail” in the heel can be the curvature of the vertebra, which changes the gait, and redistributes the load on the foot.
Spurs may occur with undetected infectious, rheumatoid diseases or, for example, with metabolic disorders. Athletes can also suffer this scourge, especially athletes are at risk. If the disease progresses, and the inflammatory process does not go away for a long time, osteophyte or accumulation of salts may occur.
Spur Detection
Diagnose the heel spur using an x-ray. After this, you should seek the help of a doctor: an orthopedist, surgeon or traumatologist. Conservative treatment consists of wearing orthopedic shoes, which have a recess in the area of the spurs. Or it can be special insoles or overlays. All this helps to reduce the load on the heel, thereby removing pain.
help yourself
If the causes of the disease have not yet been established, then resorting to some recommendations, you can alleviate the general condition.
The first way is to make a rubber roller and place it in your shoes so that when walking the spur has no contact with it. You can make a rubber pad in the shape of a horseshoe and stick it to your everyday shoes so that there is a gap between the insole and the heel. This will help to quickly remove the inflammatory process.
To relieve pain, you can use anti-inflammatory ointment, but which one is better to consult a doctor. For these purposes, anesthetic cream "Heel Spur" is suitable.
With the advanced stage of the disease, the bath situation is significantly improved. At the initial stage of inflammation, these procedures are not recommended, as they can aggravate the disease. If the main cause of the heel spur is any disease, then you should first get rid of it.
Innovative technologies
In the world of modern technology, shock-wave therapy is an effective and popular way to treat a “nail” in the heel. This is a relatively new method of getting rid of spurs, but has already earned a lot of positive reviews. Shock therapy of the heel spur occurs with the help of special equipment that carries out shock waves of sound waves, directly affecting the diseased part of the body.
This method helps to get rid of the disease without surgery and harm to soft tissues. This method of treatment makes it possible to forget about salt deposits, loosening them, gradually reducing swelling and removing aching pain.
The power of folk remedies
Many people are looking for a way to get rid of heel spurs on their own, without the help of doctors. In this case, an excellent choice - recipes that have been tested for centuries.
Vinegar Tinctures
If you have been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, people usually have heel spurs, treatment with vinegar is one of the methods of folk tricks. The recipe is quite simple: take a bowl or a glass, put a chicken egg there and pour it with vinegar (ordinary table, 100 grams), then add 100 grams of melted butter (it is better to heat in a skillet).
Put the resulting mixture without stirring in a dark place for three days. After three days, the medicine is ready, mix well before use. Now, before going to bed, apply the finished preparation directly to the area of the spur, wrap the heel with gauze and fix it with a bandage, then put on a sock and go to bed. After a two-week course of treatment, the pain will disappear. With such an ailment as a heel spur, vinegar + egg is an excellent, proven medicine.
You can make a paraffin boot, which then should be attached to the steamed legs. Take four tablespoons of paraffin and melt it, add 2 tablespoons of tincture of calendula and five tablespoons of vinegar (preferably apple). Mix everything well - your boot can already be used.
Before applying a paraffin compress, steam your feet in hot water with herbs. For these purposes, camomile, calendula or St. John's wort is very suitable. Steam your feet for fifteen minutes, then wipe them dry and put on a treatment boot.
But these are not all methods of how to get rid of a heel spur. It is not recommended to use folk remedies if you have injuries on your heels so as not to harm your health. Acetic lotions must be repeated for a month to achieve the desired effect.
Recipes of iodine talkers
If heel spur bothers you , treatment with folk remedies, iodine for example, will quickly relieve you of the pain syndrome. To make the ointment, you need to mix three percent iodine with two Aspirin tablets (in the form of a powder), after that take a bandage, apply a mixed mixture and apply to a sore spot. Now put on your toe or cover your foot with something warm. For effectiveness, you can wrap the foot with oilcloth. These procedures must be performed three times a week.
When a heel spur has developed, treatment with folk remedies (especially iodine) can give a good result. For medicinal purposes, a pure iodine solution is used, for example, lotions can be made. For water procedures, it is necessary to pour this product into a container of water and completely lower the foot there. Hold for a couple of minutes, then pull out the leg, wrap it with a napkin or gauze and wrap it. This method of treatment involves a ten-day course. If heel spur tormented you, treatment with folk remedies (iodine) will be very useful.
To prepare the tincture, you will need two bottles of iodine, valerian (in liquid form) and cologne. Mix all the liquids in one container, add a couple of pods of hot pepper to the contents, after that, insist the medicine in a dark place throughout the day. Before going to bed, apply the finished mixture to the site of inflammation, wrap your foot in bandage or gauze and put on a sock.
Compresses and lotions
Alternative methods of treating heel spurs often involve the use of iodine, honey, and salt. Pour fifty milliliters of iodine into the dishes, add one teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon of honey. Stir the solution well, then apply the mixture to the bandage and attach to the sore heel. Be sure to wrap the foot with cellophane to achieve a thermal effect.
This compress can be done both in the morning and in the evening, for fifteen minutes, the result will appear after five procedures. Many say that there really is a panacea for such a misfortune as a heel spur - treatment with folk remedies, especially iodine. You can reduce pain with the help of baths. To do this, take 3 liters of hot water, add one spoonful of soda (regular) and fifteen drops of iodine. Stir the contents well and dip the sore heel into the solution for 10 minutes.
Folk methods of treating heel spurs are very diverse, so you can try all the methods and determine the one that will be the most effective in your case.