Many people suffer from heel problems; women more likely than men, simply due to the fact that women wear high heel shoes. Basically, the weight of the body goes down to the feet which over time create a host of health problems and challenges.
Bone Spurs and Plantar Fasciitis are two of the more common heel ailments.
Bone Spur
A common heel problem is “heel spur”, also known as bone spur.
A bone spur is a condition where the sole becomes inflamed at the region of a bony spur or growth off the heel. Common symptoms include foot pain that is exacerbated by activity. A bone spur that develops under the heel usually prevents you from standing for long periods of time. – Lise Bourbeau
Heel spur diagnosis is usually made with an X-ray. The X-ray shows a hook of bone protruding from the bottom of the foot at the point where the plantar fascia is attached to the heel bone.
Many people, including doctors and patients alike, confuse heel (or bone) spur with plantar fasciitis as well as tarsal tunnel syndrome. Though heel spur and plantar fasciitis diagnosis are related, they are not the same in nature.
It should be noted that the heel spur itself is not the primary or chief cause of pain, but rather inflammation and irritation of the plantar fascia. The inflammation and irritation of the plantar fascia is the main thing people want relief from.
Heel spurs form in people who have plantar fasciitis, and tend to occur in people who have had the problem for a prolonged period of time.
Plantar Fasciitis
The plantar fascia is a thick, ligamentous connective tissue that runs from the calcaneus (heel bone) to the ball of the foot. This strong and tight tissue helps maintain the arch of the foot. It is also one of the major transmitters of weight across the foot as you walk or run. That’s why tremendous stress is placed on the plantar fascia.
Plantar fasciitis refers to the inflammation of the plantar fascia which is the tissue that forms the arch of the foot whereas on the other hand a heel spur is a hook of bone that can form on the heel bone, known as ‘calcaneus’ and is merely associated with plantar fasciitis.
It is estimated that nearly 70% of patients with plantar fasciitis have a heel spur that that can be seen on an X-ray. However, many patients without symptoms of pain can have a heel spur.
Heel spurs are very common in people who have a history of foot pain caused by plantar fasciitis. In the setting of plantar fasciitis, heel spurs are most often experienced by and seen in middle-aged people though the condition can be found amongst all age groups.
When a person has plantar fasciitis, the plantar fascia becomes inflamed and degenerative (worn out) and these abnormalities or defects can make normal activities, such as walking, jogging, or running, quite painful. Symptoms typically worsen early in the morning after sleep. At that time, the plantar fascia is tight so even simple movements stretch the contracted plantar fascia. As you begin to loosen the plantar fascia, the pain usually subsides, but often returns with prolonged standing or walking due to the applied stress on the foot.
Healing Heel Problems Naturally
Soak your entire feet in warm water (or hot water if you can stand it) with added sea salt (13-26 ounces) and essential oils of peppermint, spearmint, and/or wintergreen (about 3 drops each). Let feet soak 30 minutes in the evening time or before bedtime. Massage oil into the feet after soaking.
In the alternative to the above, if you have a water ionizer (alkaline water machine), allow your feet to soak in alkaline water for 30 minutes per day (you can add sea salt if you like). The alkaline water will counteract and eventually neutralize the acidity of the heel(s).
If you own an ozone (or oxygen) machine you can ozonate your feet for 45 minutes per day. Insert the foot into a plastic bag, insert the tube from the ozone machine, and then seal the bag around your leg with string or some other strong material (you can even use tape, just shave your legs first). Oxygen is very therapeutic and causes the cells to regenerate.
Wear blue (or sky blue) socks as the color blue emits a soothing and calming frequency plus the color blue is the antidote to the color red which denotes inflammation, burning, and passion.
Get as much rest as possible. Stay off your feet!
Wear only open and comfortable shoes. If you can find magnetic shoe soles to place in the soles of your shoes, we highly recommend giving them a try.
Vincent Stevens is the senior content writer at Dherbs. As a fitness and health and wellness enthusiast, he enjoys covering a variety of topics, including the latest health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle trends. His goal is to inform people of different ways they can improve their overall health, which aligns with Dherbs’ core values. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Redlands, graduating summa cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.
