What is the Relation Between Heel Spurs and Foot Pain?

Want more information on the difference between heel spurs and general foot pain? If you are currently experiencing pain in your foot and wondering if the pain is related to heel spurs, you will need to make an appointment with a medical professional for a proper diagnosis.

According to Cleveland Clinic, even though heel spurs are quite common, only 50 percent of people who have heel spurs actually feel any pain. This makes it a possibility that your foot pain is related to something else, making it a good idea for you to pay close attention to the details of your foot pain, e.g., when it started and where most of the pain is felt.

WHAT ARE HEEL SPURS?

Heal spurs refer to a calcium deposit located on the underpart of the heel bone and are caused when someone has worn out the soft tissues in their heel or has torn the membrane in their heel bone. When this calcium deposit causes a lump that extends out of the heel bone, pain is experienced.

Pain from a heel spur can be short or dull. Other symptoms include swelling, tenderness and a dull and constant ache throughout the day. They can happen for no apparent reason or can be directly related to a certain health condition, like Reiter’s disease and plantar fasciitis.

COMMON REASONS FOR EXPERIENCING GENERAL FOOT PAIN

The list below includes reasons someone would experience foot pain that is not related to heel spurs.

REPETITIVE OVERUSE

Repetitive overuse of the feet, like running long distances or carrying extra weight, can cause heel pain. This general foot pain often leads to swelling in the heel bone, which will be worse for those who have a tight Achilles tendon.

IMPACT INJURIES

Impact injuries can also lead to one experiencing foot pain, which can be due to a hard fall or a hard jump. Any type of blunt impact force to the feet can lead to bruising on the bottom of the feet and even bone fractures.

WEARING HIGH HEELS

Wearing high heels can cause tissues located around the nerves to thicken, which can lead to various levels of foot pain. These sensations of foot pain can also cause numbness.

COULD YOUR FOOT PAIN BE CAUSED BY HEEL SPURS?

Now that you understand that there are many causes of foot pain, one of which includes heel spurs, it is recommended that you make detailed notes about your foot pain so it will be much easier for your medical professional to know everything you are experiencing and make a diagnosis. Since about half of people with heel spurs experience no pain, you could have heel spurs and not even know it. However, they only become a problem if they are causing pain. Be sure to make an appointment with a doctor if you are experiencing foot pain to get to the bottom of it!

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