[dogwalker]

I tried BioFreeze last night for the first time, for burning all over the soles of my feet. I have the roll-on form and rolled over it for about 3 repetitions. Right after putting it on, the burning turned to intense aching. Has this happened to anyone else? Did I put it on too heavy? Thanks.

[mrsD]

Biofreeze only has menthol and camphor in it. These stimulate the cold sensing nerves where it is applied. Biofreeze does not create cold...it simulates it.

Try putting it on the tops of the feet instead. The nerves go down
the tops of your feet to the toes.

What menthol and camphor do is block pain signals from heat sensing nerves. There are two types of fibers, heat sensing and cold sensing. What may have happened is you have a complex pain generator on your soles (maybe fasciitis), and when you blocked the heat feelings, the other pain became noticeable.

Most people feel a cooling sensation, hence the name of the product--BioFREEZE.

When the menthol wears off, the burning will return, but usually then it is at least a few hours.

Plantar fasciitis is a deeper in the tissues condition.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantar_fasciitis
You may or may not have a heel spur with this. I had this when I worked midnights, and the spur too, but it healed up and I have the spur still and no more symptoms of the fasciitis. Podiatrists like to operate on this, but the spurs will return. I suspect not all fasciitis is spur centered. But if you took Cipro or Levaquin or Avelox in the past, you could have tendon damage (some people completely detach their tendons) MONTHS after using those antibiotics. These drugs do something to the tendons causing them to degrade and detach from the bones and how this happens is still not understood.

[echoes long ago]

do you have skin cracks in your heels or soles of your feet? areas that you may have rubbed raw? i would check out also what mrs d suggested in the other thread to try anti fungal for possible athletes foot.

[dogwalker]

Interesting that you should mention fasciitis; I was diagnosed with it years ago, as I mentioned in another thread, and initially developed the burning then. The plantar fascia pain began suddenly after a long day of walking in flimsy shoes. I think I may have had a heel spur and am working on getting those records, but never had the typical pain when first standing. Thanks for the suggestions.

Originally Posted by mrsD

Biofreeze only has menthol and camphor in it. These stimulate the cold sensing nerves where it is applied. Biofreeze does not create cold...it simulates it.

Try putting it on the tops of the feet instead. The nerves go down
the tops of your feet to the toes.

What menthol and camphor do is block pain signals from heat sensing nerves. There are two types of fibers, heat sensing and cold sensing. What may have happened is you have a complex pain generator on your soles (maybe fasciitis), and when you blocked the heat feelings, the other pain became noticeable.

Most people feel a cooling sensation, hence the name of the product--BioFREEZE.

When the menthol wears off, the burning will return, but usually then it is at least a few hours.

Plantar fasciitis is a deeper in the tissues condition.

You may or may not have a heel spur with this. I had this when I worked midnights, and the spur too, but it healed up and I have the spur still and no more symptoms of the fasciitis. Podiatrists like to operate on this, but the spurs will return. I suspect not all fasciitis is spur centered. But if you took Cipro or Levaquin or Avelox in the past, you could have tendon damage (some people completely detach their tendons) MONTHS after using those antibiotics. These drugs do something to the tendons causing them to degrade and detach from the bones and how this happens is still not understood.

[dogwalker]

No, no sores or raw areas. I'm going to try mrsD's suggestion of using it on the tops of my feet tonight. Thanks.

Originally Posted by echoes long ago

do you have skin cracks in your heels or soles of your feet? areas that you may have rubbed raw? i would check out also what mrs d suggested in the other thread to try anti fungal for possible athletes foot.

[Kitt]

Originally Posted by dogwalker

I tried BioFreeze last night for the first time, for burning all over the soles of my feet. I have the roll-on form and rolled over it for about 3 repetitions. Right after putting it on, the burning turned to intense aching. Has this happened to anyone else? Did I put it on too heavy? Thanks.

The only places I use BioFreeze is on my calves or my back. I tried it once on my feet and could not stand it. Never there again. Perhaps it's just me. IDK. I had no sores, cracks or anything like that on the bottom of my feet.

[mrsD]

I never apply Biofreeze or any other lotion to the bottoms of my feet. I don't have dry skin so don't need moisturizers either.

I only apply on the tops of the feet. Same with Lidoderms and Salonpas. It is a mistake to put the Lidoderms on the bottoms of the feet....as there isn't a good chance the lidocaine will get to any nerves that way.

When I had physical therapy for my left hip tendons, the therapist mixed 1/2 Biofreeze with 1/2 ultrasound lub... to do extra strong
ultrasound treatments. That is where I learned about it and even bought a tube from them. In those days, that was the only place to get it, and at Chiros. It was a closely guarded "secret" and not sold online or in stores.

I'll put this highly useful link up again for the newer members:

http://www.northcoastfootcare.com/

This shows the nerves on the top of the foot:
http://www.northcoastfootcare.com/pa...-the-Foot.html

I get alot of relief with Biofreeze on the ankles too.

This is a really good explanation of fasciitis too:
http://northcoastfootcare.com/pages/...Fasciitis.html

notice the ice treatments on that last link