Pain in the heel

Pain in the heel ... What is this disease? From what it originated? How to treat it?

You woke up in the morning, and literally from the first steps felt the strongest pain in the heel. Let's try to understand the causes of this ailment

Heel, however, like the entire foot, plays the role of shock absorber of your feet. The heel bone, which is the largest of all the bones located on the foot, is able to withstand enormous loads when walking and running. However, through it passes a large number of nerves and blood vessels, some of which "transit" through the heel part are sent further. And it is because of these nerve and blood channels that this part of your foot is very sensitive to any injuries.

To damage this part of the foot is very easy. Pain in the heel can be caused by various reasons, ranging from uncomfortable to the feet of the shoe and ending with rheumatoid arthritis. However, the main and most common are only two.

The first reason, which causes pain in the heel - is overstrain of the foot structure, which gives the person a strong pain. This condition is often called the "heel pain syndrome". Sometimes it is caused by wearing shoes at an unusually low sole, but more often - as a result of thinning of subcutaneous fat on the plantar foot area.

The second cause of pain in the heel can be a disease called plantar fasciitis, the reason for which is a violation of the biomechanical function of the foot, for example, with excessive rotation of the foot with flat feet.

Along the foot a broad band is located dense formation, which is called the fascia. And the reason for your diagnosis of "severe pain in the heel" may well be inflammation of the fascia in the heel of the calcaneus. Over time, the inflammation passes into the chronic deposition of salts, a bone growth is formed, which in people is called a calcaneal spur. Usually by this time the pain in the foot area is much weaker.

During this period, only pain in the heel in the morning is felt, immediately after a person rises from bed, takes the first steps after a long rest. Ten minutes later discomfort passes.

There are other reasons that pain syndromes appear in the heel:

· Defeat of tendon - pain occurs in the area of the heel from the side of the sole;

· Stretching or tearing of the tendon - there is an unbearable pain under the heel;

· Some types of infections that lead to reactive heel inflammation - the pain does not leave even at night.

There are several methods for rapid pain relief.

First, the alternation of cold and heat. First, you need to massage the heel with ice cubes, almost to numbness, then apply a warmed-up heating pad to it. Ice for heat needs to be changed every quarter of an hour.

The second method is medicinal. In this case, anti-inflammatory non-steroid drugs, for example, ibuprofen, are very helpful.

The third method is orthopedic inserts, which will raise the heel by half a centimeter, which will decrease the load on the heel transition section to the sole. So, the soles will become easier.

Sometimes the problem of the heel is directly related to human biomechanics. And if the functions of the foot are somehow broken, and the load is distributed unevenly, then there is a feeling of pain. Therefore, the orthopedic device prescribed by the doctor will correct this situation.

And one more important factor: with a sick heel, you need to choose the right shoes, so that the foot is comfortable in it, and the shoes themselves would be as stable as possible.

However, do not engage in self-medication, but you should immediately contact a traumatologist or orthopedist. And do not delay the visit to the doctor, hoping that with time the pain will pass - your heel is under constant strain, so her illness alone will not pass.