Many people suffer from pain in their heels and come to me for treatment. Heel pain can be a result of many different causes however I have found that heel pain due to a Calcaneal spur is very common. This article is written in order to make people aware of what Calcaneal spur is and how Homoeopathy can help.

WHAT ARE CALCANEAL OR HEEL SPURS?

A spur simply means a bony projection. It can occur in any of the bones of your body but is seen most commonly as a bony projection that is formed on the heel bone or Calcaneus. This bony outgrowth by itself does not cause any problems. It is the cause of the spur and the pressure put on the affected heel that give rise to heel pain.

A calcaneal spur is seen commonly in people who are overweight or those who lead a sedentary lifestyle without regular exercises. When people who do not exercise regularly suddenly have to walk a lot or take up vigorous exercising then heel pain and calcaneal spurs can occur. An athlete must always warm up correctly before vigorous exercises or running otherwise they are at risk of developing these problems. Your footwear can also give rise to heel pain if not proper. Some people have a tendency to walk with their toes pointing inward. This faulty way of walking can cause calcaneal spurs and heel pain.

WHAT CAUSES CALCANEAL SPURS AND HEEL PAIN?

The entire weight of your body is carried by the soles of your feet. Whenever you take a step the entire weight gets transmitted to one of your heels. As you move the load on the heels becomes nearly 20 times your body weight. We have been provided with a cushion of fat under the heel and lots of tough tissues in order to soften this load on the heel.

If you are overweight or have not warmed up before exercising then the muscles of the calf or the Achilles tendon may get overloaded. These muscles and tendons are attached to the calcaneus or heel bone. This causes extra strain on the muscles of the feet and soft tissues causing inflammation, small cracks or tears to occur. To compensate for the repeated damaged caused to these tissues the body tries to repair itself. In this way a bony projection is formed known as Calcaneal spur.

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF CALCANEAL SPURS?

Some people are not even aware that they have spurs in their heels as there may be no symptoms. However most of the time they will experience a few of the symptoms listed below.
1. Most patients will complain to pain in the soles of the feet. The pain is normally described as a sharp, stabbing kind of pain felt inside the heel.

2. The pain is worse in the morning on putting the foot on the floor and on first movement. Getting up from a sitting position becomes very painful.

3. Normally there is no pain on rest or when there is on pressure on the heels. The patient does not have any problems during sleep or sitting.

4. Walking on hard or uneven surfaces becomes very painful.

5. Carrying weight like a heavy bag worsens the pain.

6. Sometimes the pain becomes so severe that the person is unable to walk and function normally.

WHAT IS THE TREATMENT FOR CALCANEAL SPURS AND HEEL PAIN?

Normally a patient will come with the complaint of heel pain. The physician should first try to diagnose whether the pain is due to calcaneal spur or some other reason. The best way to determine this is by taking a simple X-ray. However sometimes the spur may not be visible even on the X-ray.
The physician should treat the patient on the basis of his or her symptoms and constitution. Advise should also be given regarding weight and exercise, correct footwear and style of walking.

ARANEA DIADEMA

This is one of the most useful remedies in our system of medicine for pain in the heels especially affecting the Calcaneus bone. The patient complains of pain in the heel bone which is worse on continuous motion. The part feels swollen and the patient also feels as if the part is numb.
One peculiar symptom is that the bones feel as if they are made of ice. The patient feels worse in cold and by cold bathing.

Aranea Diadema 200, 5 pills 4 times a day will give relief from the pain.

CALCAREA FLUOR

This is a very useful remedy in cases of inflammation of the soft tissues and tendons. There is swelling around the joints and tendons. The first motion is very painful and the patient feels better by continuous movement. Warm applications and heat also give relief from the pain.
Calcarea Fluor has also helped in cases of ganglia of the wrist and gouty enlargements of the finger joints.

Calcarea Fluor 1M, 5 pills 4 times a day helps reduce the inflammation and pain around the tendons and soft tissues.

MEDORRHINUM

If the problem of heel pain is a chronic one think of this remedy. Here the heels are so tender that the patient says he cannot walk on them he has to walk on his knees. There is a lot of soreness of the soles of the feet and first motion is extremely painful.
Medorrhinum patients feel better by rubbing the affected part. Even with the pain they are restless and cannot keep the legs still.
These patients have a tendency to twist their ankles while walking causing damage to the tendons and soft tissues. All the symptoms are worse in damp cold weather.

Medorrhinum 200, should be given in constitutional doses as per the case.

At home you can try to get relief from the pain by trying the R.I.C.E. therapy. R stands for rest, which is very important to allow healing to take place. I stands for Ice, which must be applied 2 to 3 times a day for 10 minutes at a time. C represents compression, you can use a compression bandage for support and relief of pain. E stands for elevation. Keep your affected heel elevated by resting it on a pillow or a chair.

You can also get relief by putting a small cushioned insole into the shoe. This should be made personally for each individual by specialists in this field to get the correct size and shape.

SELF CARE TIPS

1. Exercise regularly, do not try to suddenly start exercising for long periods if you are not use to it. In fact it is better to exercise half an hour everyday instead of exercising for more time just on the weekends or once in a while.

2. If you are a runner or athlete make sure you are wearing the correct footwear, which suits your feet.

3. Always warm-up before doing any strenuous physical activity.

4. Keep your weight under check. If you are overweight for your height then you must try to loose weight as you are putting extra pressure on your heels.

5. If you are experiencing pain in your heel you should avoid putting pressure on the affected heel.