Causes, symptoms, and treatment of heel pain

The complete human ankle and foot area is made up of 26 different kinds of bones, fitted together in 33 joints. Out of these, the heel is the largest bone. While the injury to the heel is nothing uncommon as it may be caused easily by injuring your foot, sometimes such injuries can disable the heel altogether. If some of the simple home remedies mentioned in this article not enough for your heel pain treatment, then a visit to the doctor will be necessary.

In this article, you will learn the different causes of heel pain and the different forms of heel pain treatments as well.

Causes of heel pain

A heel pain may happen due to a number of reasons. Let us try and understand some of them.

Sprains

This is caused by damage to the heel area by some outside force. It may range from a mild sprain to a severe one, in which case there would be massive pain around the heels.

• Strains
  Heel pain may occur due to overuse of the heel area; however, this should not cause any overbearing form of pain.
• Fracture
  A fracture means that the heel bone has been broken and immediate medical attention is necessary.
• Plantar Fasciitis
  Sometimes too much pressure can lead to damaging in one the ligaments are known as the Plantar Fascia, this may lead to severe heel pain.

These are some of the common reasons which lead to heel pain, but there are many more severe medical conditions related to heel pain as well.

Treatment for heel pain

The heel is a rather delicate bone and can become damaged due to overuse or ill-use. These are some of the common methods which can help in treatment for heel pain.

• A common remedy is to apply ice to the heel for 10-15 minutes. This process can easily cure some of the simpler reasons for heel pain if repeated twice a day.
• It is important to make sure that the shoe you wear is of the size required for your foot. Many times we mistakenly wear wrong shoes for a long period of time which leads to heel pain.
• Shoes also come with heel lifts or shoe inserts which help in reducing heel pain while walking.
• There is a device known as the ‘night sprint’. It keeps your foot stretched and straight while you sleep. This has been really helpful to many suffering from heel pain.
• Apart from these, there are many common painkillers that can help reduce the pain.

These are remedies which can help in treatment for heel pain if the cause is not too severe. In case none of these remedies seem to reduce the pain it is highly advisable to visit a doctor and let them run tests to find out the cause of the pain. In such cases, the doctor may suggest anything from anti-inflammatory medication to physical therapy.

It is advisable to visit the doctor if your heel pain shows the following symptoms.

• The pain is severe enough to incapacitate you from walking.
• There is redness in the heel.
• Swelling of the heel area.
• The pain comes at short intervals but is very severe.

In cases of extreme medical situations, the doctor may even suggest surgery to treat heel pain.

Prevention of heel pain

These are some of the simple methods you can use to prevent heel pain.

• Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for your body to act right. If you are suffering from overweight symptoms it can manifest in various forms of foot problems including heel pain.
• Maintaining a diet that replenishes all the necessary nourishment is also crucial to your body keeping away from unwanted inflammations.
• If you are into working out make sure to stretch your muscles properly before engaging in any heavy physical activity.
• Make sure that the footwear you use for heavy physical activity is a professional one that meets the needs.
• Primarily, rest your feet when they are tired and showing signs of fatigue. Overuse is one of the main reasons for heel pain.

Heel pain treatment can be done in some of the very simple methods. However, sometimes the condition may be serious. The reason for the pain in your heels can vary from simple sprains and strains to proper fractures, and damage to the joints or tendons. The more simple forms of heel pain can be treated with the right kind of footwear, or by using an ice pack. There are also many over the counter painkillers that may help reduce the pain. You can also take certain prevention measures such as making sure you work out the right way and stay healthy to keep away from heel pain.