Walk Comfortably Again – Homeopathy for Heel Spurs

A heel spur is a bony growth that pokes out below your back heel bone inside your foot. Heel spurs happen when there’s stress on your foot ligaments. Most people don’t realize they have a heel spur until they seek help for heel pain. Heel spurs can''t be cured. Healthcare providers recommend non-surgical treatments to ease symptoms associated with heel spurs.

Causes of Heel Spurs:

Heel spurs occur when calcium deposits build up on the underside of the heel bone, a process that usually occurs over many months. Heel spurs are often caused by strains on foot muscles and ligaments, stretching of the plantar fascia, and repeated tearing of the membrane that covers the heel bone. Heel spurs are especially common among athletes whose activities include large amounts of running and jumping.

Risk factors for heel spurs include:

• Walking gait abnormalities, which place excessive stress on the heel bone, ligaments, and nerves near the heel
• Running or jogging, especially on hard surfaces
• Poorly fitted or badly worn shoes, especially those lacking appropriate arch support
• Excess weight and obesity

Symptoms of Heel Spurs:

Heel spurs often cause no symptoms. But heel spurs can be associated with intermittent or chronic pain—especially while walking, jogging, or running—if inflammation develops at the point of the spur formation. In general, the cause of the pain is not the heel spur itself but the soft-tissue injury associated with it.

Many people describe the pain of heel spurs and plantar fasciitis as a knife or pin sticking into the bottom of their feet when they first stand up in the morning—a pain that later turns into a dull ache. They often complain that the sharp pain returns after they stand up after sitting for a prolonged period.

Prevention of Heel Spurs:

You can prevent heel spurs by wearing well-fitting shoes with shock-absorbent soles, rigid shanks, and supportive heel counters; choosing appropriate shoes for each physical activity; warming up and doing stretching exercises before each activity; and pacing yourself during the activities.

Avoid wearing shoes with excessive wear on the heels and soles. If you are overweight, losing weight may also help prevent heel spurs.

CASE:

A female aged 55 years was registered (Patient ID-54077) and started the treatment of calcaneal spur with associated disease type II DM in March 2024 in Life Force Homeopathy Pimpri with previously diagnosed symptoms of calcaneal spur, right-sided since 2020. When she saw us presenting symptoms were sharp pain like a knife in the heel when standing up in the morning and a dull ache in the heel throughout the rest of the day. There was inflammation and swelling at the front of the heel. Once pain started, it would last for 15-20 minutes. The frequency of pain was whenever he would attempt to walk, 4-5 times/day; the intensity of pain was moderate, as sometimes pain used to be intense. Used to take Tab. Xerodol OD Aceclofenac (100 mg) when experiencing intense pain since 2020.

Personal/Life History: The family comprises 3 people. She has 1 son and 1 daughter. She is a homemaker. The elder''s son is an engineer working and settled in the US, and her younger daughter is a student of BSc. Her husband passed away in 2022 because of Ca-Rectum. Financially well-off family.

S/H/O: Hysterectomy done in 2014 because of DUB.

F/H/O:-Father and mother: HTN

Current medication: For Type II DM—Tab. Glycomet 500 SR (Metformin (500 mg) OD since 2023).

Her case was studied in detail, and as per the case needs of Dr. Rajesh Shah, prior investigations were taken into consideration, and some other investigations suggested & prescribed medicines individually specific to her & diet were also discussed and shared.

Follow-ups:-

First, after the first prescription follow-up, which was taken on May 2, 2024, there was 30% relief in pain in all means during the day as well as at night. The duration of pain hardly lasted for 1-2 min, with mild to moderate intensity of pain, and no other allopathic or conventional medicine was taken.

Last, follow-up: During the last follow, which was taken on 19/06/2024, no episode of pain for the last 1-2 months was noted. The frequency and duration of pain as compared to the start of the case and after the first follow-up were mild, with no dependency on any other conventional medicine.

Conclusion:- 

The homeopathic treatment offers potential benefits by providing pain relief in cases of heel pain with calcaneal spur.

- Case study is written by Dr. Nagma Inamdar, Associate doctor to Dr. Rajesh Shah, MD (Hom)