What Your Heel Pain May Mean—and What You Can Do About It
Posted by Dennis Mundt on
Heel pain is a common complaint with a variety of causes, ranging from conditions that affect the actual heel bone, such as a bruise or stress fracture, to conditions that affect nearby structures, such as plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendonitis.
Plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis are the two most common causes of heel pain.
If you have plantar fasciitis for a long time, you may develop a heel spur, which is a bony protrusion that forms where the fascia connects to your heel bone.
A bruised heel pad causes a sharp pain across the bottom of the foot.
The pain from retrocalcaneal bursitis is felt deep in the back of the heel, whereas the pain from calcaneal bursitis is felt on the side of your Achilles tendon.
Piezogenic papules are painful, yellow or flesh-colored heel bumps caused by fat pushing through the heel capsule from deep within the skin.
An infection of the heel bone can cause pain in rare cases, but unlike most other causes of heel pain, the pain from an infection of the heel bone is usually persistent.
An X-ray of the heel may be required to diagnose conditions such as a stress fracture, Haglund's syndrome, a heel spur, or a bone tumor.
The treatment for your heel pain is entirely dependent on the underlying cause.
Rest for more acute causes of heel pain, such as a heel bruise, may be all you need to feel better. For example, take a few days off jogging or prolonged standing/walking.
Applying an ice pack to the heel for 20-minute intervals up to four times daily can help reduce swelling and relieve pain in most cases of heel pain.
Taping the foot with sports tape or hypoallergenic tape can help with plantar fasciitis, heel pad bruises, and heel pad syndrome, among other conditions.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) are frequently prescribed for heel pain caused by conditions like plantar fasciitis.
Achilles tendonitis, a bruised heel pad, Haglund's syndrome, heel bursitis, heel pad syndrome, and sinus tarsi syndrome are all conditions that can affect the heel.
Opioids may be prescribed for a short period of time for more severe heel pain, such as that caused by a heel fracture.
Preventing the symptoms of heel pain may be an important part of your long-term treatment plan.
Some causes of heel pain are more serious than others, according to Verywell.
Read the original article "What Your Heel Pain May Mean—and What You Can Do About It" at https://www.verywellhealth.com/heel-pain-information-and-causes-2549378
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