Is it possible to quickly cure heel spurs at home? This question is quite relevant for many people, since the disease can occur in both a child and an old person. Its main and most unpleasant symptom is severe pain. Some patients compare the sensation to a nail that gives no rest day or night. It is not for nothing that every year more and more methods and means for relieving pain with this diagnosis appear.
Heel spurs (plantar fasciitis) – look like spur- or spike-like bone growths on the plantar part of the foot. When moving, the spike puts pressure on surrounding tissues, provoking the development of pain. On average, the size of a spur is usually 0.5-1.2 cm. In medicine, such a growth is called exostosis.
The causes of heel spurs can vary. But most often the development of the disease is provoked by:
All these factors cause increased stress in the foot area, resulting in severe tension in the tendons, micro-tears and, as a result, the development of inflammation. Athletes are at risk for developing plantar fasciitis due to frequent injuries and increased stress on the legs. Doctors recommend that lovers of a healthy lifestyle wear special shoes that support the arch of the foot. The disease is also often diagnosed in older people. The reason lies in the thinning and natural wear and tear of the fat pad in the heel area, which acts as a shock absorber when walking.
The first sign of the disease is severe pain in the heel area. Most often, it intensifies when supporting the leg in the morning after sleep. It is also called “starting pain.” After a few hours, it dulls a little, and in the evening it appears with renewed vigor. Typically, the site of pain begins on the inside of the heel area and spreads over the entire surface of the sole of the foot. Another symptom is rough and reddened skin in the area of the growth. This is explained by the fact that the spur puts pressure on the soft tissue, thereby causing inflammation. In rare cases, infection may cause suppuration.
According to statistics, in most cases (about 90%) a change in gait occurs due to the fact that a person subconsciously tries to reduce the unpleasant pain caused by the pressure of the thorn. As a result, when walking, a person tries to compensate for the movements and is more reminiscent of the movement of a skier. An accurate determination requires x-rays and examination using an ultrasound machine, as well as blood and urine tests. The purpose of this is not only to make a correct diagnosis, but also to find out the cause of the disease.
Attention! Pain in the foot area does not necessarily indicate the presence of spurs on the legs. To make a timely correct diagnosis, you must consult a doctor. After all, only a specialist can rule out diseases such as arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis or Reiter's syndrome.
Most often, doctors recommend taking non-steroidal painkillers to relieve pain. In addition to the analgesic effect, they reduce the permeability of blood vessels and block the development of swelling. But it should be remembered that, like any medicine, they should not be abused so as not to cause side effects.
You can use ice to relieve discomfort at home. It is used in the form of compresses, added to baths, or massaged using a cube. If the pain cannot be relieved with medications, then the doctor performs a novocaine blockade. That is, he injects the area around the spur with novocaine solution. As a last resort, if nothing helps, a specialist may prescribe the use of glucocorticoids. In this case, the injection is made directly into the area of the growth itself.
Treatment of heel spurs using traditional methods is a rather lengthy process. And it can be carried out only after agreement with the attending physician. The most effective ways:
When choosing a treatment method for a patient, doctors are guided by various factors. The main ones are the causes of the disease and its stage. It should be remembered that the key to successful therapy is complex treatment. The following techniques will help you cure heel spurs as quickly as possible:
It is important to know: Surgical intervention is a justifiable method only in advanced cases with large spurs and the presence of severe, intractable pain.
Dimexide is a modern remedy with anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. The release form is a solution for external use, the components included in its composition allow it to penetrate deeply into the tissues of the body and relieve inflammation, pain and swelling of joints, ligaments, and soft tissues. It is a proven remedy that allows you to cure heel spurs at home quite quickly.
Important to know: Dimexide is used only externally in the form of compresses, lotions, etc., do not use it in any other way, and carefully read the instructions for the drug.
Directions for use : 1 large spoon of Dimexide is mixed with three spoons of boiled water, the resulting mixture is treated with gauze or other absorbent material and applied to the heel for 0.5 hours up to 3 times a day. Recommended duration of treatment: 10 -30 days.
Mix and work with the solution only with rubber gloves and remember that Dimexide has an unpleasant odor.
Before you start performing a set of exercises, be sure to warm up. If you do them regularly, the spur may become more elastic and pain will decrease.
In some cases, a heel spur can cause loss of mobility, as severe pain interferes and prevents you from fully stepping on your foot. In such cases, doctors recommend bed rest.
Prevention should be primarily aimed at preventing the disease. And these measures, after the heel spur treatment has been successful, should become a way of life. Only then will you be sure that the disease will not return again. Here are the main preventative measures:
And remember, doing gymnastics, an active lifestyle and preventive examinations with a doctor will help you forget about heel spurs once and for all.
Is it possible to cure heel spurs at home? Why does heel pain occur and should I see a doctor? From time to time we ask similar questions, because today “spur” is a fairly common ailment.
Most often, intense pain in the heels begins to bother you in the second half of life. Overweight people suffer from this disease several times more often than slim people. Lovers of high heels or shoes with very low heels are much less likely to forget about pain in the foot area than those who prefer heels with a height of 2 to 4 cm.
Most often in medicine, heel spurs mean plantar fasciitis, when for one reason or another the powerful fascia of the sole, which stretches from the heel to the toes (more precisely, from the heel tubercle to the heads of the metatarsal bones), becomes inflamed. If the process goes too far, then impregnation of the inflamed area with calcium salts (calcinosis) and the growth of small bone formations - osteophytes - may occur.
Under normal conditions, when walking, the plantar surface of the foot experiences maximum load. In this case, about half of all impacts occur precisely on the heel tubercle and the section of the above-mentioned fascia attached to it, on which microscopic cracks and tears form. As a rule, they heal on their own, but if a lot of them form, the plantar fascia becomes very inflamed and the person begins to feel pain.
Excess weight and high-heeled shoes increase the load on the heel tubercle (for this reason, women suffer from heel pain more often than men). Also, flat feet and various curvatures of the spine can change gait and redistribute weight on the feet, increasing the impact on the heel tubercle.
Chronic latent infections, diseases of a rheumatic nature or accompanied by metabolic disorders (for example, chlamydia, rheumatoid arthritis and gout) can contribute to the occurrence of plantar fasciitis, even in cases where the foot is not subject to increased stress.
Sometimes heel spurs can be observed among sports enthusiasts (especially track and field athletes) if they wear uncomfortable shoes.
If inflammation of the fascia lasts for a long time, then reactive bone formations (osteophytes) or simply the deposition of calcium salts (calcification) may appear.
If the inflammation is relatively minor, then a person may feel pain in the heels, especially when taking the first steps after waking up. During the day, this pain may disappear, and in the evening it may appear again. These symptoms may be the first signs of a heel spur, so you should immediately see a doctor to determine the exact cause of these pains (heel spur formation, arthritis, etc.)
If the inflammation progresses, the pain intensifies and the person complains that it is as if “a nail was driven into his heel” and begins to limp (spares the sore leg). If heel spurs occur on both lower extremities at once, then the patient cannot walk at all, except perhaps on his toes.
The first thing that is best to do is consult a doctor in order to clarify and eliminate the cause of pain in the heel area. To do this, it is sometimes necessary to take an x-ray of the foot or undergo an ultrasound examination. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, chlamydia or gout, you will most likely need to undergo a blood test.
Heel spur is the popular name for an inflammatory-degenerative process in the soft tissues surrounding the heel tubercle. The heel spur itself is not a separate disease; it is a syndrome that occurs in certain pathological conditions. Its essence lies in the growth of bone tissue of the heel bone.
The growth has a clearly defined localization - the plantar surface of the heel bone, in the area of attachment of the long ligament of the foot. The size of the growth can vary within small limits, and the shape resembles a spur.
The causes may be infection, acute or chronic injury, rheumatism, longitudinal flat feet, vascular disorders, which over the years turn into bone growths resembling a beak or a thorn. Heel spurs are most common in middle-aged and elderly people.
In this article we will look at how to cure heel spurs, that is, which treatment methods will be the most effective and fastest. Reviews of successful therapy can be read in the comments.
Why does a heel spur develop and what is it? The formation of a spur on the heel bone begins with the onset of plantar fasciitis. First, the fascia, the connective tissue of the sole, which is located near the heel tubercle and reaches the toes, becomes inflamed. Then, if the process is delayed, calcification occurs - impregnation of the inflamed area with calcium salts. This is how an osteophyte is formed, which, due to its characteristic appearance, is popularly called a “spur.”
Provoking factors that contribute to the development of spurs on the heel:
There is often no apparent reason for heel spurs, especially in older people. A common misconception is that pain is related to a bony growth on the heel bone or “spur.” Many people have heel bone spurs, but not everyone develops fascial inflammation.
When a heel spur occurs, the main symptom is severe pain in the heel. People describe the pain as boring, stabbing, or burning.
It is permanent, but its intensity can change throughout the day, increasing or decreasing. In some patients, the pain may be most severe in the morning and decrease with exercise. Other patients note an increase in pain closer to night, after being on their feet for a long time. Sometimes, pain can spread to the entire foot.
Due to constant, sometimes excruciating pain, a person’s gait changes. This happens due to the fact that a woman or a man spares the sore heel and tries to step on the entire foot when walking.
We offer detailed photos for viewing of what a heel spur looks like.
Treatment of heel spurs should be comprehensive and carried out in several directions at once.
There are several ways to get rid of heel spurs: non-drug methods, medicinal methods, physical therapy and therapeutic exercises, as well as surgical treatment. Let's look at these methods in more detail.
When the first symptom of a heel spur appears, treatment is necessary. As a rule, tissues such as “ligaments” and “fascia” heal rather slowly. It may take several months for the pain to completely disappear. However, the following procedures may help speed up recovery.
A combination of different heel spur treatments at home may help. Collectively, these procedures are known as conservative treatments for plantar fasciitis.
In addition to the methods described above, it is important to wear shoes with special orthopedic insoles and heel pads. Thanks to such accessories, the load on the feet will be distributed evenly, which will relieve pain.
If the appearance of heel spurs is based on any ailment, then it is necessary not only to directly treat the heel spur, but also to undergo a course of treatment for the underlying disease.
Injections of glucocorticosteroids into the location of the spur. Injections of diprospan and flosterone are most effective. The method is as follows: the drug is injected at the point of greatest pain, as a result the pain syndrome is relieved, inflammation is reduced, and the accumulation of calcium salts is gradually resolved.
In some cases, 1-2 repeated injections will be required. Only an experienced specialist should carry out the procedure, since it is necessary to accurately determine the amount of drugs, as well as the location and depth of their administration.
Exposure to the source of inflammation using x-ray radiation. For the same purpose, high frequency currents (UHF), laser therapy, and magnetic therapy are used.
The method of shock wave therapy for this disease was developed by Swiss doctors more than ten years ago. Today, this is the most effective way to cure heel spurs, which has a minimum of side effects, and its effectiveness is 85%.
Benefits of shock wave therapy:
Main contraindications for UVT:
Under the influence of ultrasonic pulses, calcium deposits are “broken” into tiny particles, which are removed from the patient’s body through the bloodstream. At the same time, shock wave therapy activates the process of soft tissue regeneration, reducing inflammation and swelling.
The use of shock wave therapy at the initial stage allows you to completely remove the heel spur. Using the technique in advanced cases relieves inflammation, inhibits or completely stops the growth process of calcium buildup.
Along with medications, folk remedies that can easily be prepared independently at home also work well for heel spurs.
Since among traditional medicine recipes there are many tips on how to get rid of heel spurs, we will consider only the most effective:
Perhaps folk remedies will help in treating heel spurs at home, but still the best option is to use them in combination with physiotherapeutic and medicinal methods prescribed by a specialist.
If a heel spur appears, you should consult an orthopedist. He will not only recommend medications to relieve inflammation, but will also help you choose special insoles and other devices to make walking easier.
Heel spur, or plantar fasciitis, is an unpleasant disease known to mankind for a long time, in which a growth occurs on the heel bone and inflammation of the fascia of the foot occurs. The disease occurs in people who are constantly on their feet, are overweight and wear uncomfortable shoes.
A heel spur manifests itself as pain in the heel area, which bothers you when walking. It is not possible to completely cure the disease with folk remedies, but with the help of recipes and useful tips you can reduce pain and inflammation, making your life easier.
Traditional medicine recipes for heel spurs are especially effective in the initial stages of the disease, so they are recommended to be used even for mild heel pain. If the disease is at an advanced stage, it is better to immediately consult a doctor and not self-medicate.
When treating plantar fasciitis at home, follow these recommendations:
Traditional methods of treating heel spurs involve a whole range of procedures aimed at relieving pain, inflammation, improving tissue nutrition, as well as the gradual destruction of bone growth. For the effect of treatment to appear, it is best to use several treatment methods and alternate recipes with a similar effect.
During the period of exacerbation and relapse of the disease, it is recommended to take warm baths and contrast baths daily. Warm baths with herbal decoctions or salt perfectly relieve pain and inflammation; they are best done during an exacerbation. Contrast baths will help improve vascular and muscle tone and make your feet more resilient.
To prepare a salt bath, you need to dissolve a small amount of sea salt in hot water. Pour the resulting solution into a bowl and dilute with clean warm water; you can add a few drops of essential oil for general relaxation. The duration of the salt bath should not exceed 15 minutes, and after the procedure you need to stay warm.
To prepare herbal baths, herbal infusions from chamomile, sage, string, burdock root, thyme, calendula, birch buds can be used; you can also use fresh or dried pine needles.
Any herb or collection must first be brewed in boiling water, let the broth brew for 2 hours, then strain and pour into a bowl of warm water. The duration of the procedure is 15-20 minutes.
Baths relax muscles and relieve fatigue, increase the permeability of skin cells. Therefore, after a warm bath, it is recommended to make a medicinal compress according to folk recipes, or use a pharmacy prescribed by a doctor, because the beneficial substances will better penetrate deep into the tissues and recovery will come faster.
For heel spurs, it is recommended to use compresses that have analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. Absorbable agents will not help get rid of bone growth; they only break up salt deposits, which are not in the heel anyway. For heel pain, the following traditional medicine recipes are effective:
You need to buy bile at the pharmacy and soak a clean cloth or gauze, folded several times, with it. Apply the compress to the sore heel, secure with a layer of bandage, and put on a plastic bag and socks on top.
The product should be left overnight, and in the morning, remove and rinse the foot with warm water. Treatment with bile is carried out over a course of 10 days, the pain usually goes away 5-7 days after the start of treatment.
Cabbage leaf is a folk remedy known since ancient times for pain, inflammation, and congestion. Cabbage perfectly relieves redness, promotes the resorption of bruises, relieves pain and stops the inflammatory process in tissues.
For plantar fasciitis, you need to wash the sheet under hot water, knead it with a rolling pin and apply it to the heel overnight. To prevent the compress from slipping, it is recommended to secure it with a bandage.
To prepare a garlic compress, you need to grate a few cloves on a fine grater, or pass them through a press. Apply the resulting paste to the heel for an hour, wrapping it in cling film.
If an unbearable burning sensation does not appear, then increase the duration of exposure by an hour each time to 4 hours. The procedure cannot be carried out every day, as the skin must rest.
This product should be used after a warm bath during a foot massage. To prepare the ointment you will need a tablespoon of vinegar essence, a chicken egg and baby cream. All ingredients must be mixed well and rubbed into the heel for pain, and the ointment should be stored in the refrigerator.
For pain caused by a heel spur, it is recommended to warm up the painful area; a warm sand compress is well suited for this purpose. Sand holds heat for a long time and releases it slowly, so you can keep this heating pad for several hours.
It is best to warm your feet in the sand at sea, but it is not difficult to carry out the procedure at home, you just need to collect a bucket of fine river sand. The sand needs to be heated in the oven, poured into a basin or cloth bag and place your feet there for 1.5-2 hours.
Regular iodine helps with inflammation. You need to pour the bottle of iodine into a small jar, a plastic one from sour cream will do. Place the sore heel in the jar for 3 minutes so that the product is well absorbed into the skin. Then let the heel dry, wrap it with a bandage and put on a wool sock, leaving it overnight.
A cake with turpentine helps a lot for heel spurs. For 100 grams of flour, take 20-30 grams of turpentine and knead a stiff dough. The cake should be pressed to the heel and secured with a bandage, and left overnight.
An excellent addition to local treatment are tinctures and decoctions for oral use. They are aimed at strengthening the immune system and relieving inflammation in body tissues. But before using the product internally, you must make sure that there is no allergy to its components.
In addition, tinctures have contraindications for use, such as pregnancy, kidney, liver, heart failure, stomach or intestinal pathologies. If the patient has any diseases of the internal organs, you should first consult a doctor.
The following tinctures are effective for heel spurs:
Compresses, baths and tinctures perfectly relieve inflammation and pain, but, unfortunately, they cannot break a bone growth. To do this, it is recommended to perform exercises every day at home to treat heel spurs.
The simplest and most accessible exercise for every patient is performed with a rolling pin. You need to sit on a chair, place a rolling pin under your heels and roll it for 5-7 minutes, while pressing on the spur. The rolling pin massages the foot well, improving blood circulation in it, and also gradually breaks down the bone growth. But you need to carry out the procedure every day for several months, taking breaks during severe pain.
During the period of exacerbation of the disease, it is recommended to do the exercise with a plastic bottle. You need to pour cold water into a clean bottle, place it under your feet and roll it, just like a rolling pin. Cold will help relieve pain and inflammation.
Despite the fairly high effectiveness of folk remedies, it is still better to use them in complex treatment after consultation with a doctor. The specialist will help you choose a set of exercises, recommend taping the foot, wearing an orthosis, and also prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs and physical procedures. This treatment will help quickly get rid of pain and prevent its reoccurrence.
Heel spurs are a very insidious disease. The growth of the heel bone may not bother you for the time being, or only bother you during the first steps. But over time, the pain when walking can become unbearable. Depending on the load on the legs, the pain from the spur may increase or decrease. But without treatment it will not go away on its own.
A spike-shaped growth on the heel bone is popularly called a spur. The medical name of the disease is plantar fasciitis. This disease is caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia (the connective tissue that supports the arch of the foot).
Pain in the foot occurs gradually. It often happens that the first morning steps are difficult, but during the day a person does not feel pain. But without treatment, the disease progresses slowly and can cause a lot of trouble. A heel spur can be a complication of arthritis of various etiologies or ankylosing spondylitis. But the main causes of the disease are more often:
It is very important to diagnose the disease in time and choose the right treatment together with your doctor.
Fans of traditional methods of treatment should remember that it will be very difficult to get rid of a bone growth on the heel with medicinal herbs alone. But as an adjunct to drug treatment, these recipes will be a good help.
Heel spurs are treated at home with compresses, lotions and rubbing in various medicinal tinctures and ointments.
Melt salted pork lard over low heat and drain. Add crushed calendula herb and elecampane root to the hot liquid. For a glass of liquid fat you will need a tablespoon of each herb. Pour the mixture into small containers and refrigerate. After cooling, you can use the ointment daily. The product keeps well in the refrigerator for several months.
This plant is famous for its medicinal effect in diseases associated with the musculoskeletal system. The raw materials for preparation are considered the “knees” of the golden mustache stem. For a glass of vodka you need to take 21 pieces. Infuse for three weeks in a dark place. The tincture is used as a compress externally at night and internally. There is a system for treatment. Dilute the drops in half a glass of water, starting with 5 drops at a time. Increase daily, drop by drop, until the total volume is a teaspoon. Drink for at least a month. You can repeat the course of treatment after 3 months.
In the summer, fresh plants are used to combat heel spurs. A leaf of burdock, plantain, cabbage or woodlice grass is torn off and washed with running water. Apply to the sore spot and secure with a bandage. One such compress is enough for several hours. After drying, you need to change the bandage. It is advisable to use the product for a long time throughout the fresh grass season.
Before going to bed, steam your feet in salt water (1 tablespoon of salt per 3 liters of water). Mix the clay with water or a medicinal herbal solution and coat the sore spot. Cover with film and secure with a cloth bandage. In the morning, rinse off the composition with warm water. You can use any type of clay.
Prepare a medicinal composition from half a glass of honey, a tablespoon of “Extra” salt or a small sea and pharmaceutical bottle of alcohol tincture of iodine. Apply the mixture to a piece of gauze and bandage it to the heel. Leave the bandage on overnight. The course of treatment is approximately 2 weeks.
This natural product has gained popularity among lovers of traditional medicine. It is widely used in medicinal and cosmetic products. On its basis, infusions from medicinal plants are prepared. Infuse a spoonful of elecampane roots in a glass of apple cider vinegar for about 10 days. Drain the liquid and add a tablespoon of honey. Use the infusion as a lotion at night. There may be a burning sensation, but it passes quickly. This composition can be used for clay cakes.
To completely get rid of a heel spur, it is necessary not only local treatment, but also the improvement of the entire body. It is recommended to increase resistance to infections to avoid the risk of inflammation. Temporarily reducing the load on your legs will help prevent relapse of the disease. Don't wear uncomfortable shoes. This can provoke illness.
It has been observed that heel spurs are more common in women who wear high-heeled shoes every day. This is too much stress on the foot.
With proper comprehensive treatment and care in everyday life, a heel spur can be completely cured.
Hello, dear readers! Problems with legs bother many people, because this part of the body is undeservedly forgotten in daily care, but experiences enormous stress when walking. And if you are interested in treating heel spurs at home using folk remedies, it means that your feet have failed you and are making you feel pain with every step.
The disease is quite common, but very unpleasant and requires quick treatment, since in advanced cases it simply will not allow you to step on your foot. Therefore, let's find out how to identify the problem at an early stage, the main factors causing inflammation, and how to treat a sore foot at home using simple methods.
I note that I know the problem firsthand - my grandmother suffered from such a disease, but she knew how to dull the pain and reduce inflammation in time. But her friend had developed such a spur that during exacerbations she could only move on crutches or lie down all day. Therefore, I do not advise you to endure pain and hope for a miracle - at the first symptoms, we get down to business!
Treatment of heel spurs at home with folk remedies is quite possible; many patients with experience note that folk recipes can remove inflammation in just 2-3 sessions, while conservative treatment is delayed for weeks.
But I’m not saying that you need to run away from doctors and self-medicate. On the contrary, it is important to visit a specialist and make the correct diagnosis (sometimes you can confuse a spur with other ailments, for example, a plantar wart, osteomyelitis, gout, or ankylosing spondylitis). And only after this, begin complex treatment, supplementing physiotherapy and medications with homemade compresses, poultices and baths.
The symptoms of the disease are quite characteristic and are known to many, among them the most striking:
The causes of spurs on the heels can be different, more often elderly people suffer from this disease, much less often middle-aged people, but in children the incidence, fortunately, is minimal. Most often the disease is caused by the following factors:
As a result of one or more factors, the delicate plantar ligament connecting the metatarsals and heel bone becomes injured. As they grow together, scars are formed that are gradually filled with calcium, and a so-called “spike” of salts of this mineral is formed in the area under the heel, which doctors call plantar or plantar fasciitis.
An examination by an experienced doctor and additional diagnostics, which include:
During these studies, it is possible not only to determine the diagnosis, but also to establish the severity and cause of the disease, and suggest how to treat this particular type of disease.
Conservative treatment of heel spurs is aimed at reducing pain and inflammation with the help of medications and special procedures. As a rule, doctors prescribe:
Treatment of the disease with old, time-tested folk remedies is no less effective. The good news is that the procedures are easy to carry out at home, in your free time and without having to go to the clinic, which is an important argument for sore legs!
I offer you a selection of recipes that my mother and her friends tried on themselves, who personally fought against heel spurs and shared with me their secrets on how to get rid of the disease forever:
For my mother, iodine turned out to be the most effective way. She poured it into a cap, which she placed in a disposable plate. Then I dipped my heel in iodine and watched a movie. And so on for several evenings. The heels, of course, were dark in color from the iodine, then the skin began to peel off, but, as if by magic, everything went away. And now, more than two years since then, she has not been bothered by pain.
The only addition is that it is better to carry out such procedures in the cold season. Otherwise, imagine how you will flaunt yourself in sandals with such heels!
Fortunately, some preventive measures can help prevent heel spurs, which is important if you are at risk. For example, due to your type of work, you walk a lot in heels or stand for a long time, or you are overweight.
To avoid the onset of illness, it is recommended:
Treating a heel spur at home with folk remedies will take more than one day, so do not despair if the first few procedures did not have the desired effect - after all, the disease did not appear in a day! Have patience, believe in luck and everything will work out. Subscribe to the blog, share the article with friends suffering from heel spurs, and don’t forget to visit our website, because we are working for you!