Heel spur [symptoms and treatment, causes]

A heel spur is a condition in which calcium deposits cause bone to penetrate under the heel bone. This is often associated with inflammation of the connective tissues. These tissues are found in the foot and heel bone and thus cause you pain. This can also lead to swelling, irritation and weakening of the archwire. A heel spur is sometimes painful - it digs into the heel like a knife or splinter. Heel spurs are treated with folk remedies in several directions. Firstly, it includes exercises for recovery. Secondly, treatment includes anti-inflammatory drugs. Thirdly, in some cases, removal surgery is prescribed. And fourthly, don’t despair; there are several ways to help you cope with the disease.

Characteristics of the disease

Plantar fasciitis is a fairly common pathological process, the peak of activity of which has occurred in the last 10 years. Most often, heel spurs are observed in women over 40 years of age.

However, cases of plantar fasciitis also occur in younger people. Removing a heel spur does not cause difficulties for specialists if the disease is in its initial stage.

Heel spur: causes

As a rule, the appearance of bone formation in the heel area is associated with increased stress on the legs. Deterioration of the patient's condition is observed with increasing tension. In old age, a similar disease occurs in 25% of people, which is due to significant pressure on the heel during movement throughout life.

The main factors causing the appearance of a thorn in the foot area include:

Obesity;
Presence of diabetes mellitus;
Pathological processes in organisms, accompanied by deterioration of blood circulation;
Severe injury to the heel and foot;
Regular wearing of high-heeled shoes, daily use of shoes with hard soles;
In the presence of frequent bruises, fractures and sprains in persons involved in professional sports;
Excessive stress during sports activities;
Gout and rheumatoid arthritis can also cause the development of plantar fasciitis;
If a heel spur is diagnosed, in 90% of cases the causes of the disease may be hidden in the presence of flat feet;
Thinning of the fat pad in the heel area in patients over 50 years of age;
Spinal diseases.

To prevent the risk of heel spurs, experts recommend treating any chronic diseases in the body, as well as maintaining good dietary habits and practicing procedures to strengthen the immune system.

Compresses

Usually, to obtain a positive result, it is necessary to do from 2 to 30 procedures.

Onion compress

The onion is crushed using a grater and the resulting pulp is applied to the heel. Wrap in a plastic bag and wrap with a warm cloth. Leave it overnight.
Instead of onions, you can take garlic, but in this case it is necessary to reduce the duration of the procedure to three hours. If a strong burning sensation occurs, remove the compress to avoid getting burned. To weaken the aggressiveness of garlic, you can mix the pulp with chalk or vegetable oil.
There is another compress option. In this case, the onion is not crushed, but cut into two parts, tar is dripped onto them and tied to the heel, insulated. The onions are removed after 8-10 hours.
Instead of onions, you can put a crust of black bread on your heels.

Another option for a compress: pour onion peels with vinegar in equal proportions and leave for 14 days. The compress is wrapped around the painful area and a woolen sock is put on. Keep for 8 hours. Then the heels are lubricated with nourishing cream. After six daily sessions you need to take a break.

Bile and vodka compress

Combine medical bile (45 grams), vodka (20 milliliters) and shampoo (5 milliliters) or laundry soap shavings. The legs are steamed well and the resulting mixture is applied to the feet for 8-10 hours. Then the compress is removed, and the painful area is wiped with boric alcohol or lotion. After the first procedure, positive changes will be noticeable.

Potato compresses

Boil mashed potatoes and mix them with kerosene. The mixture is wrapped around the damaged area and insulated.
Another option: grated raw potatoes along with the skin are applied to the heel.
Compresses are done for 12 days, but after 3-4 sessions the pain will noticeably decrease.

Honey compresses

Cabbage or tobacco leaves are well smeared with honey and applied to the source of inflammation. Fix with a bandage and leave for 12 hours.
Cabbage or burdock leaves (2 pieces) are scalded and chopped. Add honey (40 grams) and vinegar (20 milliliters).
For compresses, you can also use honey mixed in equal proportions with salt or mumiyo, as well as honey cakes (for these, honey is mixed with flour).
Another option: combine honey, extra salt and iodine in equal proportions. The mixture is rubbed into the heel for a month.
Honey applications are made daily for 10 days.

Herbal compresses

Plant applications are also very popular in the treatment of spurs. A leaf of plantain, coltsfoot, burdock or cabbage is applied to the steamed heel for 6 hours. You can use gruel made from black radish or nettle leaves for compresses. Plants draw out salt, which makes pain disappear.

Another option is to walk on plucked nettles for half an hour, after steaming your feet. After 5 procedures, the pain will disappear, but treatment is not stopped for two weeks.

Compress of oil and ammonia

Mix ammonia (40 milliliters) and purified vegetable oil (15 milliliters) well. Apply to the pathological focus overnight.

Mustard compresses

If acute pain occurs, a mustard plaster is applied to the heel for a quarter of an hour. If there are no mustard plasters, then you can pour mustard into a woolen sock (it can be replaced with red or black pepper) and put them on for half an hour. Repeat for 2 weeks.

Iris compresses

Garden iris root (300 grams) is crushed with a meat grinder or blender and poured with alcohol (300 milliliters). The mixture is poured into a glass jar and closed tightly. They insist for 14 days. The tincture is used for compresses for 20 days (every other day). You can alternate such compresses with Vaseline applications.

Walnut compress

Ripe walnuts are ground. The resulting paste is applied to the foot overnight.

Heel spur: symptoms

In some cases, unless the cause is chronic, plantar fasciitis may occur without any obvious symptoms. In addition, an osteophyte may be detected during an x-ray prescribed for another disease.

However, when a heel spur occurs and its symptoms and treatment are considered, the most important sign of the disease is the appearance of pain in the heel area. Also, as the disease progresses, the following symptoms may make themselves felt:

1. Pain during walking and running. Any pressure on the heel area can be accompanied by severe attacks and shootings, which is caused by the impact of the thorn on the soft tissue. At the same time, the intensity of pain is influenced by the location of the growth: the closer the osteophyte is to the nerve fibers, the stronger the discomfort. At the initial stage of the disease, pain may appear and disappear at certain intervals. In the future, increased discomfort in the heel area may be associated with increased loads.

2. If a patient is diagnosed with a heel spur, but ignores the symptoms and treatment, the pain syndrome may begin to manifest itself at rest. This situation is caused by the accumulation of calcium compounds, which causes irritation of the mucous membranes of the joint. In this case, the pain is aching, cramping or sharp.

3. Discomfort in the heel occurs in the morning, when taking the first steps after waking up. The reappearance of pain is observed in the evening, after prolonged exercise.

4. Changes in gait and development of transverse flatfoot. The reason for this defect is a person’s subconscious desire to reduce the load on the outer and forefoot.

5. The appearance of swelling in the heel area, which is typical for an advanced form of plantar fasciitis.

In general, the period from the first signs of the disease to the appearance of severe pain can range from 14 days to several months.

Buy gel-cream Pyatkashpor in Moscow at a pharmacy at an attractive price

If you want to do without surgery, Proba LLC offers an inexpensive but effective remedy for getting rid of spurs. "Pyatkashpor" is a therapeutic and prophylactic cream-gel:

destructive "thorn";
foot care provider;
relaxing ligaments;
anesthetic;
reducing swelling and inflammation;
improving microcirculation.

Using “Pyatkashpor” during the day, “Pyatkashpor enhanced” at night (read the instructions for use), and “Pyatkashpor prophylactic” to consolidate the results of treatment, you will avoid surgery and quickly get rid of the problem. The drug greatly helps restore mobility and performance.

What makes the product so effective? It is based on natural ingredients - what was given to us by nature itself!

Canned medical bile and propolis extract stimulate the gradual breakdown of salt buildup. They enhance chemical reactions and metabolism in tissues, and also have an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect.
Ostrich fat significantly moisturizes the epidermis and stimulates the synthesis of collagen, a protein responsible for the health and elasticity of the skin.
Apple cider vinegar has a softening effect on rough areas, and also contributes to the formation of a slightly acidic environment that is unpleasant for the development of microbes.
Essential oils heal, soften and care for the skin. Herbal extracts also stimulate blood flow in the extremities and promote vasodilation.
Flavocon nourishes and relieves irritation.

Treatment of fasciitis must be agreed upon with a specialized specialist. This is necessary to ensure the exact cause of the pain, which can also be caused by other pathologies or injuries.

Methods for diagnosing plantar fasciitis

To understand whether a patient has a heel spur, a thorough diagnosis is necessary. Unfortunately, it is impossible to judge the presence of this pathological process based on complaints and external examination. Often, discomfort in the heel area can indicate the following diseases:

Gouty arthritis;
Infectious inflammation of the bone marrow;
Rheumatic autoimmune disease;
Ankylosing spondylitis;
Osteoarticular tuberculosis;
Inflammatory and infectious processes in the heel area;
Bruises, tendon sprains and other injuries.

In addition to the initial examination, the specialist refers the patient for instrumental and laboratory tests, which include:

Magnetic resonance imaging of the foot;
Laboratory study of the chemical and physical properties of urine;
Biochemical and general blood test;
An X-ray of the foot can determine the presence of a heel spur.

The main task of the above measures is not only to make a diagnosis, but also to determine the form of the disease and its causes.

The difference between a heel spur and a spine

Some patients confuse a heel spur with a spine. To avoid making such mistakes, you should study the signs of these diseases. In the first case, the formation appears on the bone in the heel area, under the soft tissues. In turn, the spine can be located on the skin, on the palms of the hands or on the sole. If removal of a heel spur in Moscow can be done at different stages of the disease, then it is better to start treating the heel spur at the initial stages of the pathology, since it can develop into a malignant tumor.

Make an appointment Online booking

Clinic on Krasnopresnenskaya +7 (499) 252-41-35 Volkov lane, 21
Clinic on Varshavskaya +7 (499) 610-02-09 Varshavskoe highway, 75, building 1
Clinic in Annino +7 (495) 388-08-08 Varshavskoe highway, 154, building 1

Foot baths

Baths can also warm up the affected areas well:

Heat the alcohol to prevent ignition. Pour into a bowl and lower the legs. Keep until completely cool. If there is little alcohol, then it is used for rubbing.
Salt (kilogram) is poured into water (10 liters). The solution is brought to a boil. When it cools down a little, use it for baths.
The whey is heated and baths are made from it.
Magnesia (5 sachets) is mixed with water (liter) and heated. Soar your feet for 10 minutes. Then apply a compress of liquid valerian.
Pharmaceutical paraffin is melted in a water bath. The basin is covered with a cloth and paraffin is poured onto it. When it looks like plasticine, cover it with a cloth and place your foot on top for 20 minutes.

Baths are done daily for 10-12 days.

Methods for treating heel spurs

After diagnosing plantar fasciitis, the doctor plans special treatment procedures. Typically, if a patient is diagnosed with a heel spur, the best treatment may include the following:

Ultrasound therapy;
Surgical intervention;
Use of special orthoses ;
Wearing orthopedic insoles for heel spurs;
The use of hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of injections;
Treatment of heel spurs with laser ;
Forced restriction of leg mobility.

When carrying out all of the above procedures, it is necessary to minimize the load on the foot. Gymnastics for heel spurs is also one of the necessary activities that allows you to restore mobility to your foot.

Also, when carrying out treatment, you should follow the doctor’s advice:

Minimize physical activity and stay at rest as often as possible;
Reduce walking time and standing time;
When moving, use special insoles;
Use heel orthoses while sleeping;
Use crutches to relieve stress while walking.

Heel spur: treatment with medications

In order to relieve pain and effectively eliminate plantar fasciitis, experts recommend taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. In this case, good results are obtained with a special ointment for heel spurs, which must be applied to the affected area three times a day for 14 days. The course of treatment is 2 weeks. Next, the doctor may prescribe gymnastics as an additional therapy.

In order to restore metabolic processes in the area of damage, it is recommended to treat heel spurs with dimexide . You can also use special patches with natural ingredients. Medical bile has a similar effect for heel spurs.

To eliminate pain and relieve the inflammatory process characteristic of an advanced form of the disease, special injections are prescribed. However, only an experienced specialist who can accurately determine the level of needle insertion and the dose of the drug can an injection In the case of an incorrectly administered injection, a severe inflammatory process can occur, including tissue necrosis.

In the presence of acute pain syndrome, it is recommended to give injections with novocaine. To eliminate inflammation and remove accumulated calcium formations, it is advisable to use Kenalog and Diprospan.

How to cure heel spurs in other ways?

To achieve the best result, simultaneously with taking the above medications and carrying out the appropriate procedures, additional methods should be used:

Magnetotherapy;
Exposure of the body to direct electric current ;
Therapeutic baths with paraffin, minerals and medicinal mud;
Massage for heel spurs is considered especially effective

In addition, it is necessary to perform gymnastics recommended by your doctor. Before starting this procedure, it is advisable to apply an adhesive plaster to the affected area, which will minimize the load on the bone growth.

Also, during treatment procedures, a night prosthesis should be used. Its main purpose is to fix the foot at an angle of 90 degrees during sleep, due to which it is possible to relieve pain in the heel area and alleviate the patient’s condition after waking up.

surgery is performed to eliminate the heel spur . During this operation, an incision no longer than 5 mm is made in the affected area, then the osteophyte is removed and the tissue is sutured. Surgery for plantar fasciitis is performed in rare cases, only in acute forms of the pathological process.

UVT for heel spurs

Shock wave therapy for heel spurs in Moscow is one of the most effective ways to eliminate bone formation. This technique involves exposing the heel area to sound waves using special equipment. To completely relieve inflammation and pain, just a few procedures are enough.

Shock wave therapy for heel spurs removes calcium deposits in the affected area, helps eliminate swelling in the heel area and improves metabolism. The duration of each session is 30 minutes. To completely cope with the disease, it is advisable to undergo 5-6 procedures, once every 3-5 days.

The positive aspects after using UVT are obvious:

Maximum effectiveness in the treatment of plantar fasciitis;
There are no undesirable consequences after exposure to sound waves;
Therapeutic procedures do not cause pain;
There is no need for surgical intervention;
After completing the full course of treatment, it is possible to completely crush calcium accumulations in the heel area.

However, resorting to such therapy is not recommended for women during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as well as for minors. In addition, this type of treatment is not carried out in the presence of infectious processes in the body and with low blood pressure.

Read more about the treatment of heel spurs using the UVT method >>

Using a laser

With the help of laser treatment, it is possible to relieve pain, eliminate the source of inflammation and relieve swelling in the affected area. Moreover, after a full treatment course, rapid regeneration of injured tissue occurs. However, this method does not help remove the osteophyte; it is aimed at eliminating discomfort in the heel area.

Initially, the patient is recommended to undergo at least 10 sessions. A second course of treatment is prescribed after 14 days.

The benefits of laser treatment include:

Strengthening the effect of all medications recommended for use when bone formation is detected;
No complications;
Elimination of pain and inflammation for a long period;
Reducing treatment time;
No allergic reactions during the procedure.

Limitations for the implementation of this technique are: the presence of cardiovascular diseases, thyrotoxicosis, malignant neoplasms, diabetes mellitus.

Make an appointment Online booking

Clinic on Krasnopresnenskaya +7 (499) 252-41-35 Volkov lane, 21
Clinic on Varshavskaya +7 (499) 610-02-09 Varshavskoe highway, 75, building 1
Clinic in Annino +7 (495) 388-08-08 Varshavskoe highway, 154, building 1

Features of ultrasound therapy

Treatment based on the influence of ultrasonic waves is aimed at relieving discomfort, eliminating the source of inflammation and crushing calcium deposits in the heel area. Each session takes about 30 minutes. To achieve maximum effect, it is advisable to carry out 7 procedures with a week break between each procedure.

The main “advantages” of ultrasonic exposure:

There is no pain;
The procedure is short-term and requires only one visit to the clinic every week;
This method gives a clear answer to the question: “How to get rid of heel spurs?”;
There is no need for a permanent stay in a medical institution.

Unfortunately, ultrasound therapy is not available to all patients due to its high cost. In addition, this type of treatment has its limitations:

Disturbances in the functioning of the cardiovascular system;
Inflammatory process in the internal venous wall;
The period of bearing a child;
Low blood pressure;
Disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system.

X-ray therapy

In this method, the affected area is exposed to X-rays. There are no side effects, since the procedure is performed locally. Treatment based on the use of X-ray equipment is used in quite rare cases: when other methods have not given the desired result. The obvious “advantages” of therapy include the possibility of blocking nerve endings and complete relief of pain symptoms. The duration of one session is approximately 10 minutes. The full treatment complex includes 10 sessions.

The following advantages of x-rays can be noted:

There is no pain during the procedure.
To completely eliminate the osteophyte, it is necessary to complete a 10-day treatment course.
Short procedures.
Relieving pain and inflammation for a long period.
There is no risk of irradiation of the entire body, since X-rays are applied only to the heel area.

Persons over the age of 40 and women during pregnancy are prohibited from using this method. Limitations also include the presence of radiation sickness and hematopoietic diseases in the patient.

Cryodestruction

As a rule, the above method is resorted to after the operation is completed. The technique promotes rapid healing of wounds and scars in the area of damage. It is advisable to use this method in combination with other types of treatment for bone growths in the heel area.

Surgery

Through surgery, it is possible to completely remove the bone growth. However, this treatment option does not exclude the recurrence of the growth and is used in the rarest cases.

During the operation, a fasciotomy is performed to remove the spine and injured tissue. However, with a deep dissection of the fascia, the anatomical structure of the foot changes and gait is disrupted, which often leads to disability.

In some situations, it is possible to carry out a less invasive technique - radiofrequency burning, which is based on the effect of high-frequency electromagnetic waves on damaged tissue. This allows you to completely eliminate pain.

It should be noted that only in case of timely and accurate diagnosis, as well as the implementation of the necessary preventive measures, is it possible to completely get rid of the disease. Remember that if some patients who were diagnosed with a heel spur were helped by treatment with folk remedies, for you it may be ineffective and even cause complications.

Treatment of fasciitis with cream-gel "Pyatkashpor"

In the treatment of the disease, both conservative and surgical methods are used. In mild cases, it is enough to provide relief to the feet and eliminate any pressure on the source of inflammation. For this purpose, orthopedic insoles or special shoe inserts are used.

To relieve inflammation and pain, injections of anti-inflammatory drugs and anesthetics, physiotherapy (EHF therapy, electrophoresis), as well as therapeutic exercises and massage are used. Spur therapy is often a very long and expensive process. Due to the fact that the doctor prescribes a whole range of drugs, ranging from anti-inflammatory drugs (Diclofenac, Ketoprofen, Fastum) to injectable corticosteroids (Hydrocortisone, Kenalog and others), you will have to spend a lot of money to purchase them. Their cost often reaches 1.5 thousand rubles - for example, “Reliable Joints”, there are medicines up to 9,000 rubles (complexes of dietary supplements and creams “Doctor Nona”). But not every expensive drug helps, and then you have to resort to surgery.

Prevention measures

Preventive measures to prevent the appearance and development of osteophyte in the heel area include the following components:

A prerequisite for improving health is body weight control, which prevents the risk of increased stress on the longitudinal arch of the foot. If pathology is present, the patient is prescribed a diet for heel spurs .
Measures are taken to prevent premature wear and tear of bones and joints. In this case, it is assumed to take special vitamin complexes and introduce healthy lifestyle habits.
Timely detection and professional treatment of pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. If you contact a specialist at the first symptoms of plantar fasciitis, you can avoid many dangerous consequences.
Prevention of bruises and injuries. Increased loads during sports activities and prolonged wearing of tight shoes - all this can provoke the appearance of a bone growth. Also, experts do not recommend wearing high-heeled shoes for more than 4 hours a day. Physical activity when playing sports should also be introduced gradually.

Proper nutrition

In addition to the proposed methods for treating heel spurs at home, it would not be amiss to adjust your diet. In order to prevent the development of the disease, it is necessary to avoid smoked, salty and sweet foods. Whenever possible, it is advisable to add as little salt to all food as possible. It would also be a good idea to give up store-bought juices, tea and coffee. On the contrary, it is advisable to drink ordinary water as often as possible, at least 2 liters per day. In addition, preference should be given to fresh fruits and vegetables.