Causes of bone spur on heel

Most of the patients of bone spur on heel have plantar fasciitis. Planter fascia starts from the heel bone to the foot ball. It is very strong, dense, stable and tight. This fascia does the duty of maintaining the arch of the foot. It also transmits weight across the foot while walking or running. So it is always under excessive pressure. When plantar fascia degenerates and becomes inflamed, the situation is called plantar fasciitis. Maximum patients of plantar fasciitis come with heel spur. But even now the exact link between heel spur and plantar fasciitis is unknown. Abnormal calcium deposition on the heel bone is the mechanism of producing bone spur on heel.

Signs and symptoms of bone spur on heel

There are some common symptoms of bone spurs on heel including extreme pain sensation in the affected area. Basically, we all know that pain in foot for any reason increases during walking. But, things are different in the heel spur. The pain is greater when anyone is in rest after walking due to heavy inflammation at the attachment of tendon and heel bone. There are some times, when normal activities like walking may feel quite impossible due to severe pain. There is also finding of heel numbness, spasm, weakness etc in a patient with bone spur on heel.

Diagnoses of bone spur on heel

For diagnoses of bone spurs on heel, X-ray is the basic test. Patients having severe pain in heel region are asked to do a plain X-ray of heel (Soul of the foot). Because of increased calcium deposition in bone spur, radio opaque area of the joints around heel bone and the heel bone itself will be more dense than normal. The spur will be shown as protrusion of teeth into fleshy region around heel. Normally plane X-ray can recognize the disease. If not, then advance examination is asked to do. Such as: MRI, CAT scan etc. These are normal procedure of diagnoses of bone spur on heel.

Treatments of bone spur on heel

Treatments of bone spur on heel are dynamic. Doctors at first prescribe some anti inflammatory drugs like "ibuprofen", "naproxen", "aspirin" etc. But, the basic treatment is rest. This will reduce the irritation and pain sensation. At the resting condition, elevating the foot and leg can cause dramatic relief of pain. Protection of heel is also asked to do by using a rubber foam pad within shoe. Sometimes, physical therapies are used such as: ultrasound, diathermy, whirlpool bath etc. Muscle relaxants are used in some extent. But, if all these methods are failed to perform, then surgical treatment is compulsory to cure permanently this bone spur on heel.

Conclusions about bone spur on heel

Bone spur on heel is a huge pain producing problem which must be treated with care. Heel is such a place of the body, where movement and stretching is usually common. Huge possibility of bone spur is also very natural on heel. So, a patient with bone spur on heel should consult early with a physician before things get more complex. Nevertheless, you have the key to regulate how health or unhealthy you want to be. Take the right and necessary measures to make sure that you are as fit as you can.