Heel Pain
 

I've had a pain in my left heel for about a month, now and cannot tell when it began or what could have brought it on.
It has persisted as if I had stepped on a tack, a very long tack- deep into my heel when I step down.
It feels as if there's a bone spur irritating deep down.

I've tried to locate the position when not standing, but no amount of pressure with my hand or fingers duplicates it. It has to be when I put my whole weight on it.

I have gained weight since stopping cigarettes 6 mos ago (30lbs), and my knees and ankles are protesting a bit- so I'm taking glucosamine & chondroitin and am starting to regulate my portions and my foods to try to lose some weight, but this heel pain is becoming so painful, I feel as if sometimes I just want to give up and stay home in a recliner 24/7.
It was a real challenge 2 wks ago on a 980 foot cruise ship when all the food was in the stern and all the events were in the bow. Walking back and forth several times every day put a big hurt on- but I didn't let it ruin my vacation, just slow it down, a bit.

The shore excursions were also on a slower pace than my wife likes. She wants to take all of it in, at a rapid pace. I've had trouble keeping up with her for many moons. Taking her to malls are insane for me. Vacations are whirlwind buying trips. This one was with a cripple. She even suggested me buying a cane (as if that would have quickened the pace!?). I couldn't find one that was right for my size & weight. I felt that I had to apologize to her for my incapacitation.

She finally parked me on a beach at the British Colonial Hilton in Nassau, and went on a shopping trip for 3 1/2 hours. I just soaked up the sun & surf (as well as a few Bahamian drinks) and took a lot of photos and shot some video.

I have an appt with my podiatrist this coming Mon. and will run this by her in the hope she can come up with not only a reason, but a solution.

This is a real bummer. I can't tell if it is a physical problem, a neurological one, or.....whatever !

There are spurs that form at the heel. I have huge ones, that are now dormant. But podiatrists love to remove them, but they don't tell you that they most likely come back. When I was working long hours I had them flare up once. But they did go down on their own.

You can try putting Salonpas patches on your heel, tendon area. I don't think they will work on the bottom as the skin is too thick there. But I have success with them on the tendon back there.

They make shoe cushions for heel issues, and those work for some people, the larger stores like WalMart often have them.
There is a full cushion type and one with a removable hole by Dr. Scholl's. FootSmart catalog has lots of choices of these too.

Most heel pain resolves on its own IMO. If there is swelling or redness, I'd get a uric acid drawn to rule out gout.

I know its a Royal Pain... I hope it resolves easily for you!

Quite possible. I know a veterinarian who had 'em both feet (he's on his feet half the day in surgery) - same symptoms. Don't recall what he did about them, but he's still doing surgeries....

Hey.... I lost 30.... (So THAT'S where it went!....)

Seriously, congrats on kicking. Stick with it. The extra weight should be temporary as your metabolism adjusts, but may take some similar determination to drop. Smaller portions & walking sound right (once you've dealt with this heel issue).

Between the PN & my spine, I've slowed down a lot too. Gotta keep asking the better half what her hurry is, and I have had to adopt a cane for support & balance. Did a ton of walking over the past two weeks and my dogs are still barking, but it's the PN. This time I forwent the wheelchair at the airports, but we had the time to make flights at my speed.

In my case the cane does help quicken me a bit, but.... y'know....
If you do go that way, do a little homework - there's a lot out there in style & technology. I've got a Fritz handle but there are at least a half dozen others. Weight shouldn't be a problem. Most canes are built for up to 300 lbs., and if you need more, most mfrs can accommodate.

Doc

I know you HATE TOPOMAX .

my weight gain has been alarming since I gave in to the recliner and sarong (live in asia)

25mg x2 has totally killed my appetite. I really want to eat because I miss it so much. the only side effect at this dose is a burning tongue and, oh yeah ,everything tastes like crap especially beer.

Oh...maybe the restaurant where we went for my birthday last night wasn't that bad after all...I had about three bites and decided I didn't want any more. I started Topamax on Monday. On the other hand, it isn't really helping with the buring feet either.

Bob this is an outside shot since im sure you checked your heel already but a skin crack on the heel will hurt like hell when you put weight on it. if you havent already check your feet out with a mirror. Also a deep splinter can hurt like that also when you put weight on it.

Yes, and so will a plantar's wart! They typically are not raised,
but have a distinct black center. They always hurt to step on, and are hard to eradicate.

No cracks, feet are smooth and soft due to my daily foot cream rubs.
No splinters I can see - I'll have the podiatrist look it over. No distinct
black center or black dots or redness or anything I can see
with, or without a mirror.
I just hope the foot doc finds something on Mon. - or at least
will shoot me to put me out of my misery.

good thing we arent horses

Really ? IS IT ?

For me right now....still yeah.....i didnt answer until i got the result of my latest cat scan of my lungs. pulmonary function test levels have been tanking steadily and was sent for fourth cat scan in 5 years. so far im hanging in there so ill hold off on being a horse for now.

Has anyone suggested plantar fasciitis? It is also called "heel pain." Caused by irritation where the plantar fascia is connected to the heel bone, at the front of the heel. One of the classic symptoms is that it's worse when you first get up in the morning, then gets better (as the fascia stretches). They tried to pin this on me but I did not respond to the orthotics to provide arch support.
BasicPoke

Plantar Fasciitis...that's what my Dr. recently told me I have... (left foot is worse than right!) and he wants me to see a podiatrist. So far...I've been putting it off! lol
:o
~Jaime~

My wife says the only one who appreciates my humor ......is ME!
:(:cool::cool:

i was being humorous also, the only one who gets my humor is many people except my wife

I had that -probably due to wearing a 1/2 size too small small during the hottest days of summer.
Swelling from the heat cramped my foot in the shoes - and I noticed too late that when I finally took the shoes off how sore the feet were.
In Oregon our really hot days are usually spread out, so it took me a few times to realize this was happening .

Then the heel pain started - it was located in the bottom of the foot right in front of the heel area. Much worse in the morning or after sitting awhile, it would stiffen up and need to be loosened up again.

I mentioned it to my chiropractor and he checked it - then did a few treatments with low level laser, and some massage/stretching and suggested arch supports.

It took about 10 months to totally get rid of the morning foot pain but now I can go barefoot around the house without the pain starting up.
I am careful to get the right shoes for my feet and still do use arch supports in most of my shoes.


I got rid of those shoes!
I guess that's why they say to buy shoes in the late afternoon - and not in the morning. Feet naturally expand during the day and with hot weather even more.

I think that I fit the bill for this- or a heel spur. Sx seem to be in line with my problem.
I go to see the podiatrist tomorrow a.m. & will mention it.

Went to the podiatrist and had my foot x-rayed.
Its a heel spur that looks like a fish hook digging up into my heel at the point where the plantar tendon meets the heel bone. :(
Its a big one, too (and 'pointy')!:mad:
Got a cortisone shot :eek: (thought I'd shoot thru the roof of the exam room, even tho freezing stuff was applied beforehand) & I have to go thru anti-inflammatory Rx, ice, stretching, shoe insert, and on...and on...and on...........:rolleyes:.
If it weren't fer a weee dram (mebbe a bit more) o' the nectar of the Emerald Isle :Crazy 2::thud: don't think I could make it thru, at the end o' the day :cool::):D

oh, I know...shots in the foot/ankle really hurt!

I have spurs on both feet like that. Mine only flared once, luckily!
And that was many years ago when I was working long hours on my feet.

Try soaking in epsom salts too, that might help a bit.

i was saying that here a few weeks ago about the cortisone shot in the sole of the foot being the most painful shot i have ever gotten by far. The podiatrist i was sent to didnt apply anything before the shot. i actually had plantar fasciitis in both feet at once which came on at the same time. i got out of bed and coldnt put my feet down. i thought it was some diabolical advancement of PN and that was it for me being able to walk. scary. the one foot released itself when i walked down some steps a few days later. the other didnt release until i got the shot. enjoy your wee bit of grog.

Well, it helps to know that there are others in the same boat,
but it's still afloat!!
Things are calming down, after the shot and treatment,
exercises, etc.
I probably should've tried to see the doc before the vacation,
but I wasn't sure it wasn't a PN flare-up.
That's what I thought when it started, but when it went
longer than 2wks I thought to see the podiatrist-
after my vacation.
Vacation hit in the middle of my indecision process.
Duh!!!! Should've known better, but hindsight is always.....etc.

Update..... foot is better. Not 100%, but at least 85% better.
I have a tendency to favor it now and it can start to
give me issues when I've been using it a lot.
But its a lot better.
I've learned that a heel spur does not go away, but does not have to be an issue all the time. It could have been there for years, but my weight gain and other factors could have been the trigger. Gotta lose weight...... somehow :( Maybe these African Mango diet pills will help. (I hope)