X-ray therapy for heel spurs is one of the effective methods for getting rid of plantar fasciitis. What kind of disease is this and how to treat it. Why is X-ray irradiation so effective? What are the consequences of the procedure?
With the disease, a growth appears in the form of a tubercle at the end of the heel bone, as a result of its growth; on x-ray it looks like a spike, which has a tip usually directed downward from the foot or slightly parallel to the fascia. This growth injures soft tissues, forming micro-tears and nerve endings, which causes pain.
Various reasons lead to it, such as:
Many people, especially after the age of 40-50 years, complain of pain in the heel area of the foot when walking. It often turns out that this disease is a heel spur or plantar fasciitis and subcalcaneal bursitis together. It causes sharp pain in the heel. It usually occurs in the morning, after the leg has been relaxed, when we get out of bed, it may subside a little during the day, but in the evening it intensifies again. And also during the day, when, after a relaxed state of the foot, the load is again given in the form of walking or standing. Feels like a nail in the heel. Outwardly, the spur does not appear in any way, but over time, due to pain, it can change the gait, and often prevents walking at all.
The pain can be either acute or progressive, localized in the heel area or throughout the entire foot.
When you squeeze the heel and palpate it, pain also occurs.
To clarify the diagnosis, you should consult a doctor - an orthopedist, rheumatologist, or surgeon. An experienced doctor can easily diagnose this disease. The specialist makes an opinion based on:
The nature of the pain may be different, or there may be no pain at all, it depends on the individual sensitivity of the person. With a large thorn there may be no pain at all, but a very small thorn can cause unbearable pain.
Sometimes pain can accompany a person from the moment it appears for the rest of his life, or it can go away after a few months. It also happens that the thorn smooths out over time, and the pain ceases to torment the patient.
There are many remedies for treating the disease, both in folk medicine and in traditional
Initially, the disease is treated with conservative methods.
Any treatment should begin with unloading the heel. For this purpose, orthopedic insoles or heel pads with a depression in the center of the heel are used so that the foot tissues are not injured while walking. Choose comfortable shoes. Nutrition should also be reconsidered, switching to rational and correct.
For pain, non-steroidal painkillers are prescribed for oral administration. They not only reduce pain, but also have an anti-inflammatory effect.
The doctor may also recommend the application of external agents (gels, ointments) to relieve pain at the site of its localization.
In some cases, for severe pain that is not amenable to previously taken measures, hormonal drugs are used, which are usually injected into the heel tissue.
However, for such prescriptions and manipulations you should consult a doctor. Self-medication in such cases can be fraught.
There are also many folk recipes.
In addition, physiotherapeutic procedures help well: electrophoresis, magnetic therapy, laser treatment of spurs and x-ray therapy. These procedures are carried out in courses of 7-10 times and have positive results. It is completely painless and is contraindicated only during pregnancy. The technique is used when conservative treatment does not produce the desired results.
Radiation therapy is the application of targeted x-rays with a reduced dose of radiation to the heel bone area. The session lasts for 10 minutes. The rays block the nerve endings and as a result the pain disappears. The course usually consists of 10 procedures, which are recommended to be done every other day.
For a long time, treatment of heel spurs with X-rays was considered harmful, since it was believed that a person with such treatment could receive increased doses of radiation. In the newest devices used for the procedure, the harmful effects are minimized and the rays are directed only to the heel, and the method has shown good results. Therefore, removal of heel spurs using radiotherapy has become popular again.
X-ray therapy can be of two types:
The decision about which technique is more suitable is made by the doctor, depending on the complexity of the disease. Where to do this procedure? In any city you can find an office or clinic where there is an X-ray therapy machine.
The effectiveness of exposure to radiation depends on factors such as:
X-ray treatment of heel spurs has the following effects:
Where is X-ray therapy performed, and how much does a session cost?
In many cities of Russia you can undergo treatment using this method. The price of radiotherapy for heel spurs in different clinics may vary. If other methods do not produce visible results, you can turn to radiation therapy, or you can start with it right away. It gives 80-90 percent efficiency. Reviews about it are more positive.
Plantar fasciitis is popularly called a heel spur, which exactly reflects the essence of the disease. The main symptom of the disease is severe pain in the heel bone, which can be compared to the piercing of sharp spurs into soft tissue. Patients without appropriate treatment lose their ability to work over time, as they develop limited movement. X-ray therapy of heel spurs is one of the physiotherapeutic methods of treatment that are successfully used in complex therapy of the disease.
In general, X-ray therapy refers to irradiation methods that use X-ray radiation (energy from 10 to 250 kW) for therapeutic purposes. Moreover, two types of X-ray radiation are used:
Depending on the depth of exposure to the rays, two types of X-ray tubes are used. The mechanism of action and the effect of therapy are based on the suppression of cell growth processes, as well as the processes of destruction (destruction) of some cells. These processes are caused by the absorption of rays by certain tissues (in the area of the pathology).
X-ray treatment of heel spurs is carried out as part of complex therapy and in most cases gives a positive effect. In patients, after several sessions, signs of inflammation are removed, bone growths are destroyed, and pain at the site of soft tissue injury decreases and then completely disappears.
Physiotherapeutic treatment, which is carried out during the treatment of heel spurs, is very useful and gives good results. Before the advent of the shock wave treatment method, the X-ray method was almost the only method that gave good results in conservative treatment.
Short-focus and long-focus therapy are used in the treatment of the disease. Using short-focus exposure, the skin area, as well as adjacent fascia and ligaments, are treated. Using long-focus radiation, bone tissue and the growths on it are irradiated.
From the point of view of convenience of exposure, the heel spur is located away from other organs and systems, therefore, short-term irradiation of bone growths does not cause harm to other organs. How to get rid of heel spurs using x-ray treatment?
One treatment lasts only 8-10 minutes. The number of necessary procedures is determined only by an orthopedic surgeon and depends on the individual characteristics of the patient and the severity of the disease. On average, the number of sessions is 9-10.
X-ray beams are directed to the heel bone, which immediately block the nerve endings and reduce pain. Since the main symptom of this disease is pain, exposure to X-rays significantly facilitates movement for patients and improves the quality of life.
X-ray therapy cannot be used only during pregnancy and breastfeeding. In other cases, the method has no contraindications.
If necessary or the disease worsens, X-ray treatment can be repeated after 2-3 months. The method itself is inferior in effectiveness to shock wave therapy, and this is its disadvantage. But, on the other hand, this is an extreme measure, which is resorted to in cases where all other methods of treatment have not had the desired effect. In practice, it turns out that an orthopedic doctor can resort to such treatment before prescribing surgical intervention.
Reviews of radiotherapy for heel spurs are always positive. And in the course of research, it was proven that exposure to small doses of X-ray rays does not cause any harm to the body and does not cause side effects.
I had a heel spur, my heel really hurt. I endured it as long as I could. Then someone told me that the spurs needed to be treated. At first I treated with folk remedies, but the effect was only temporary: the pain disappeared for a while, then it came back again. I went to the doctor. He prescribed x-ray therapy for me, I completed 10 sessions and today I feel just fine.
They should have written right away whether this treatment is paid for or not.
Natalia Bizhko, well, I don’t know. It is obvious that you have an advanced disease. After all, you yourself admit that you endured pain for a long time. And for my mother, as soon as symptoms appeared, we immediately began treatment with the traditional method. The leaves of the walnut tree were used. And soon my mother forgot about the heel spur
The situation is very familiar to me Natalya. Last year, somewhere in December, there was some kind of discomfort in the heel after a working day, I tried everything, cabbage leaves and warm sowings, in short, everything that friends and grandmothers said at the entrances.
But one day I sat down at the computer and entered the question “Heel spur, what to do?” into Google. I found an excellent site where a man wrote that he got rid of a spur in 2 weeks with the help of a copper plate that he simply placed in his shoe.
I tried it, but the result was not permanent, and the treatment took 3 weeks, now I feel great.
As often happens, all our problems come from ignorance! Unfortunately, this was the first time I read about x-ray therapy. The advantages of this therapy, its effectiveness and mechanism of action are described quite concisely and clearly. And yet, some questions arose: are there any “underwater rocks” in this treatment method? The article states that x-ray therapy does not cause any harm to the body. Sorry, but I'm always skeptical about these kinds of statements. Is this method really harmless in the presence of diseases such as hypertension and thrombophlebitis? I am not interested out of idle curiosity, because before recommending such treatment to a loved one, you need to be sure that it will not harm him.
My husband has already complained of stabbing pain in his heel several times this month alone. He says that the pain occurs when walking, it feels like he has stepped on a nail. After reading the article, I can see my husband, in any case, all the symptoms fit his description very well. I'll send him to the doctor! Tell me, how long do you need to take this x-ray therapy? Can the disease recur?
no one writes where this X-ray treatment is, and at what price.
Today I started x-ray therapy for heel spurs in the radiation therapy department of the oncology clinic. I’ll take the course and post the results
The formation of a heel spur is medically called plantar fasciitis. As a rule, the entire sole becomes inflamed. With severe progression of the disease, small bone formations form on the heel.
Today, such an unpleasant disease can be treated using both conservative methods and more modern and operative methods. In exceptional cases, surgery to remove a heel spur is prescribed. In the initial stages of the disease, simpler methods are used: baths, the use of light painkillers or compresses.
Additionally, experts recommend using special insoles or shoe inserts when moving.
The most commonly used method of treating heel spurs is both physiotherapeutic and ultrasound procedures. Today, the method of x-ray therapy has become widespread, which is absolutely safe for the general condition of the body, if you do not exaggerate the time of sessions.
By exposing the heel spur to ionizing radiation, the resulting malignant cells are split and destroyed. The process of their reproduction stops. Streams of radiation energy penetrate deep into tissues and, if the time of their exposure is properly regulated, they are not dangerous.
X-ray therapy is usually used to affect those areas of the human body that are absolutely accessible. Since the location of the heel spur is very convenient, exposure to it with x-rays will not pose any difficulty. This is a very popular treatment method for the progression of this type of disease, as it does not pose a risk of harm to the body.
The heel spur from exposure to X-rays does not resolve or go away; it remains, however, excruciating pain when walking will no longer bother patients. The duration of one procedure takes only 10 minutes. The course of treatment is up to 10 procedures. After X-ray therapy is completed, do not forget to use special shoes to reduce the load on your feet.
Treatment of such a painful disease with such a modern method has a number of undeniable advantages:
Treatment of heel spurs with x-rays is advisory in nature, and the patient has the right to disagree with this method. However, it is worth remembering that only a doctor, based on examinations and test results, can accurately determine what type (or set of types) of treatment is necessary in each particular case.
Heel spur (plantar fasciitis) is an inflammatory disease with characteristic sharp and burning pain that intensifies with walking and exercise. It would seem that foil will save you from heel spurs. However, many who have tried the treatments described below have noticed improvement or complete cure. So can heel spurs be treated with aluminum foil?
Particular attention should be paid to the choice of material. The foil should be as dense as possible. Standard baking rolls, which are sold at every turn, are ineffective. Previously, high-quality foil could be found in packs of Indian tea. Now, in some chocolate bars. The point is that the thicker the layer, the better the result of application.
Foil for heel spurs affects biologically active points. Slow warming occurs. The heat generated when the body interacts with the material returns to the sore point and heals it.
There is another hypothesis that explains the effectiveness of foil. During the procedures, the body is saturated with metal, and an electrostatic field is created.
Doctors sometimes recommend foil for heel spurs. The method is also successful in relieving fatigue and heaviness in the legs.
For this method you will need foil, tape and adhesive tape.
It is better to change the foil with new strips each time.
You can simply wrap your heel in foil and wrap your foot with an elastic bandage on top. Make sure that the bandage is not loose, but not too tight. During the day, when walking, the foil quickly breaks. It is more convenient to do such rewinds at night.
Treatment of spurs on the heel with foil can be done using the author’s method of Doctor of Sciences I.A. Vasilyeva.
The main theory behind Silver Bridges is the loss of free flow of energy. A bioenergetic hole is created at the site of the disease (in our case, the heel). Bridges fill this space.
In order to make silver bridges yourself, you will need: an adhesive plaster (preferably hypoallergenic) and foil.
Strips about 1 cm wide are cut out of aluminum foil, and the length should correspond to the size of the heel. The adhesive plaster is glued to the strips so that the tips of 2-3 cm remain. The resulting bridges are fixed on the heel so that the distance between them is at least 5 mm.
By the way, there is also a ready-made adhesive plaster on sale called “Silver Bridges.”
Treatment of heel spurs with foil also has a number of contraindications:
To quickly get rid of heel spurs and not miss the moment of treatment, it is better to consult a doctor as early as possible. The specialist will prescribe his treatment, and aluminum foil can be used in combination.
Diet plays an important role in the treatment of heel spurs. Scientists were able to find out that an alkaline environment is suitable for the human skeletal system, and inflammatory processes are associated with increased acidity in the body. For treatment, the body needs to normalize the acid-base balance and remove excess salts from the body.
The easiest way to treat heel spurs is to reduce the amount of meat, fish, low-fat dairy products and grains. Constant consumption of fruits, vegetables and fatty dairy products leads to the formation of free alkaline radicals that neutralize acidic foods.
Strict adherence to nutrition during metabolic disorders is aimed at removing salts and reducing inflammatory processes in the body. Fasting is excluded, as this can provoke another exacerbation of the disease.
The recommended energy value of food is about 2500 kcal per day. It is also necessary to eat small meals throughout the day, at least 5 times a day.
The diet requires drinking plenty of water up to 2.5-3.0 liters per day.
It can be just water, watermelons, more cucumbers, rosehip decoction, alkaline mineral waters, green tea with milk.
Tea made from coriander, chicory, and nettle help remove uric acid, which in turn prevents the accumulation of salts in cartilage and joints.
It is recommended to eat porridge, vegetable and cereal soups, egg dishes, nuts, vegetables and fruits. Take dairy products in any quantity; they help remove purine bases from the body. Whey and fresh sour milk are very useful.
(up to 80 grams per day)
When treating heel spurs, foods high in purines should be removed from the diet: meat, legumes, mushrooms, broth, canned food, alcohol, offal, beer, yeast, coffee and strong tea. Smoked, salty and spicy foods are excluded.
In the diet, fish and meat are consumed twice a week, always boiled and stewed. This method of preparation reduces the content of purine bases in products by 50%, which helps reduce the formation of uric acid salts.
(up to 90 grams per day)
The amount of fat received is reduced to 1 gram per 1 kg of body weight. These include fats from protein products, cream, butter and vegetable oil, sour cream. Solid animal fats should not be consumed.
Caviar, fatty fish and meats, and mussels are excluded from the daily diet.
(400-450 grams per day)
In your diet, reduce the amount of easily digestible carbohydrates you consume: sweets, jam, sugar, honey and syrup, chocolate and cocoa.
Flour and cereal products, rye and wheat bread are allowed.
To remove excess fluid, increase your diet:
Carry out vegetable and fruit fasting days once a week.
Do not overeat under any circumstances. Reduce salt intake, which contributes to the accumulation of uric acid in tissues. Avoid hot seasonings, sauces, ketchups, and mayonnaise. Avoid alcoholic drinks and beer.
Therapeutic nutrition for heel spurs effectively promotes recovery and improvement of overall health.
Heel spur (plantar fasciitis) is a disease characterized by the growth of bone in the form of a painful lump. It interferes with leading an active life and without treatment can lead to serious complications.
Along the human foot, between the bone and the fatty pad of the sole, there is a ligament - fascia, which connects the heel and metatarsal bones. When there is excessive tension, poor blood supply to the foot or injuries to the lower extremities, a non-bacterial inflammatory process occurs in the fascia. It leads to the fact that part of the fascia at the site of its attachment to the heel bone grows into cartilage, and then into a bone spike. When pressing on the sole while walking, the spike puts pressure on the soft tissues, aggravating the inflammatory process, causing the patient pain that appears mainly in the morning and intensifies in the evening. A spur forms on one or both legs. According to ICD-10, the disease is assigned code M77.3 in the “Other enthesopathies” section.
Before the fascia degenerates into bone tissue and a persistent, severe pain syndrome appears, the patient in the initial stages of the disease feels the following signs of an incipient inflammatory process:
Between the first signs of the disease and the acute condition, two to four months pass. Often, patients do not suspect the presence of a heel spur, being treated for other similar diseases: gout, ankylosing spondylitis, leg infections, bone tuberculosis, salt deposits. Diagnosis of the disease is carried out in several stages: history taking, examination, x-ray of the feet, OAM, BC, blood biochemistry.
Inflammation in the plantar fascia and degeneration of ligaments into a bone growth occurs for several reasons:
Modern medicine has an arsenal of tools to successfully combat bone growths on the feet. After establishing the diagnosis, the doctor prescribes the patient anti-inflammatory drugs that relieve pain, and refers him for additional examination to identify the causes of heel spurs. Additional examination consists of consultations with highly specialized specialists:
Treatment of heel spurs is carried out step by step in several approaches:
Traditional medicine prepared at home will help you get rid of the unpleasant symptoms of a heel spike. Recipes with vinegar, egg and butter are popular; compresses with dimexide, aspirin, garlic, vodka, propolis, baths with salt and iodine, and clay masks have a good effect. Manufacturers produce compact physiotherapy devices for home use, the most famous being the Vitafon.
Preventive measures to prevent the development of heel spurs include several areas:
Once a heel spur occurs and is successfully treated, careful foot care should become a healthy daily habit. Baths, removal of corns and treatment of calluses, correction of ingrown nails, self-massage - easy home procedures that will help stop the pathological process at an early stage and preserve beauty, youth, and ease of gait.
The introduction into medical practice of new treatment methods based on the impact of physical phenomena on body tissues has made it possible to develop effective treatment programs for various diseases. A striking example of such innovation in medicine is the use of shock wave therapy in the fight against orthopedic and neurological diseases, in particular heel spurs. The essence of this physiotherapeutic method is to influence certain tissues of the body with specially generated sound waves, as a result, metabolic processes in the source of inflammation are activated and the process of tissue regeneration (restoration) is launched.
Many patients seek advice from an orthopedic traumatologist, voicing complaints of pain in the feet (mainly in the heels), which significantly limits everyday activities. After an examination and instrumental methods of examining the affected area, the doctor often diagnoses a “heel spur.”
In the medical literature, a heel spur is called plantar fasciitis. Why does a heel spur occur?
The cause of the disease is constantly repeated injuries to the connective tissue ligament (plantar fascia), which connects the plantar tubercle of the heel bone and the metatarsal bone (foot). Microtraumas of the fascia are manifested by small tears in its fibers; the body reacts to such damage with an inflammatory process. As it subsides, a scar of fibrous tissue forms at the site of damage, which cannot fully perform its supporting function, which provokes new ruptures. Gradually, calcium salts are deposited in the rumen; the density of this formation becomes similar to bone tissue - this is how a heel spur is formed.
The surrounding fascia and nerve fibers are constantly subject to compression, and even daily activities become impossible for the patient.
The manifestations of the disease are so typical that an orthopedist-traumatologist can make an accurate diagnosis based on the patient’s complaints and initial examination. To confirm plantar fasciitis, the doctor may recommend an x-ray of the feet in two projections and an ultrasound of the soft tissues - the treatment tactics for the disease depend on the results of these studies.
When the inflammation zone is exposed to a wave, the impact energy affects dense tissue (the heel spur itself), resulting in the destruction of ossified foci and the activation of fascial metabolic processes.
As a result of the procedure:
These processes directly affect the area of fascial damage, which leads to the subsidence of the inflammatory process and the elimination of the main symptom of heel spurs - pain.
Numerous studies conducted by specialized clinics, as well as experience in the widespread use of shock wave therapy in the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, have revealed the advantages and disadvantages of this method.
The positive aspects of the UVT procedure include:
The disadvantages of shock wave therapy also cannot be discounted. Experts formulated them as follows:
The procedure is carried out in clinics equipped with special devices for UVT. In addition to the equipment, it is necessary to have an attachment designed to treat diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
The effectiveness of the procedure does not depend on which manufacturer’s equipment is used for shock wave therapy - all devices are certified.
During the session, the patient lies down on the couch (on his stomach) or sits in a comfortable medical chair. Before starting the procedure, a gel is applied to the treatment area (determined by ultrasound and x-ray of the foot), ensuring tight contact between the patient’s skin and the device’s sensor head.
The duration of 1 session is from 15 to 30 minutes. There should be a gap of 4-5 days between two shock wave therapy procedures - this is necessary for tissue restoration in the treatment area.
Before starting a course of shock wave therapy, the patient must undergo:
The procedure is performed with caution in children and adolescents until the areas of bone tissue growth are closed—SWT can change the normal structure of the bone, which will inevitably affect the condition of the skeleton.
The likelihood of side effects occurring during shock wave therapy for heel spurs is low, but:
I am a physical therapist who specializes in shock wave therapy. The procedure is very effective, but in some areas (elbows, feet) it is moderately painful. I myself experienced the effect, one professor from Moscow “treated” me so much that I squirmed like a snake in pain during the procedure itself, and then the hematomas (bruises) took 1.5 weeks to go away. For plantar fasciitis (heel spurs), shock wave therapy is one of the most effective treatment methods. It all depends on the specialist and the device. I work on Swiss DolorClast Master (EMS Switzerland) - radial pneumatic UVT.
Advantages: quick treatment of heel spurs, availability and cost, excellent therapeutic effect Disadvantages: painful, there are contraindications. Shock wave therapy (SWT) today is a very common method of treating many diseases. The main indication is the treatment of the musculoskeletal system, and the range of applications is simply huge. I just recently returned from the sanatorium and it was there that I became acquainted with this method of treatment. The diagnosis was “deforming arthrosis, osteochondrosis,” and he suffered greatly from such an ailment as a heel spur. It was some kind of insignificant small growth, but the pain was simply terrible, it was painful to step on. The doctors gave me a referral to the UVT office, and at first I was even negligent about how such a deformity could be broken by waves. But under the office I was already amazed by the stories about this method of treatment; everyone who was waiting in line was happy. I never heard a negative opinion about this technique and decided to go there myself. I was surprised, the device does not represent anything special, it even looks a bit like an ultrasound. It works quietly and the procedure lasts only 15 minutes. They pointed the beam at the spur area and simply fixed it in one position, without even touching the body. At first I couldn’t even believe it, but after 3-4 minutes the spur itself began to hurt very much. They explained this to me by the destructive effect and strong blood circulation. The pain was so severe that he even asked to stop the procedure. The next day and other subsequent pains were less and less, and after 7 days I was already lying down and did not feel pain at all. The effect of the treatment is amazing, I really got rid of the spur, in addition to putting the device on the area of the phalanges of the fingers and knees. The result is excellent. Consult your doctors, the equipment is available in almost every clinic, it is really very effective. I leave a positive review, there is a healing effect!
Shock wave therapy is one of the best ways to treat heel spurs. Advantages: treatment for heel spurs, relieves deformities on the phalanges of the toes, treats arthrosis. Disadvantages: painful. Shock wave therapy is one of the methods for treating various deformities of bones and joints. I first found out at the sanatorium, while being treated there. This equipment was in demand among patients, and it was quite difficult to get into the office. The first opinion is very surprising, how can such a device carry out such a complex treatment, there is nothing special and the procedure lasts only a few minutes. In the sanatorium, I went to UVT only two times and the procedure seemed ineffective to me, but, on the contrary, very painful. They broke up the deformity on the phalanx of the big toe, adjusted the device, and sat there for several minutes. For the first 3-5 minutes you don’t even feel it, but then it starts to hurt very much, about 10-12 minutes of such treatment is difficult to even endure, it’s very painful. It’s amazing, of course, that they don’t even touch you, but the waves give such pain. This year I underwent a full course of UVT treatment in the city of Cherkassy (Ukraine), the diagnosis was heel spur, the course of treatment was 5 procedures. The area of my foot was rubbed with painkillers, and with this method the pain was significantly less. After the first 2 sessions I began to walk fully, the pain went away. When treating heel spurs, I consider shock wave therapy to be the best treatment method. Really effective.
Shock wave therapy, prescribed for heel spurs, has proven itself to be an effective treatment method, the use of which can quickly relieve pain and alleviate the patient’s condition. A course of procedures, selected for each individual, helps eliminate the manifestations of plantar fasciitis, resulting in no need for traumatic surgical treatment. If necessary, shockwave therapy can be included in complex therapy of the disease along with physical therapy, anti-inflammatory drugs, massage, and other physiotherapeutic procedures.