A rather serious and extremely unpleasant pathology is the heel spur. Which doctor treats this problem? First of all, a surgeon. However, first things first.
general information
The disease is rather unpleasant, but not all doctors prefer to see the cause in the malfunctioning of internal systems and organs. Other nonprofessionals offer to attribute everything to age, but statistics show that spurs can appear in childhood, youth, adulthood, and in advanced years. Examining a heel spur, a doctor usually diagnoses a bone pathology, which is a source of pain.
In fact, a spur is such a growth, bone growth, which takes the form of a wedge, spike. The growth provokes painful sensations. If at first the pain torments only when walking, over time, the violation progresses and discomfort torments at rest. Carrying out studies of the heel spur, the attending physician prescribes an X-ray examination, since only in this picture can both the growth itself and its characteristic features be revealed.
Where and why?
Before deciding which doctor to go to with a heel spur, it is important to understand why the disease develops. The most common factors that trigger the problem are:
- flat feet;
- active sports;
- overload;
- age-related changes;
- excess weight;
- somatic disorders.
And if more?
What doctor treats a heel spur if it is provoked by the factors listed above? First of all, they go to the therapist, the treating doctor, but almost always the specialist redirects to the surgeon. It is also known that up to 90% of cases of spurs are diagnosed in patients with flat feet.
Bone tissue weakens with age, which also provokes the development of various disorders. Not the last among them is a spike-like outgrowth, that is, a spur. Since tissues regenerate slowly, with difficulty, the situation worsens over time.
To take care
Often, information about which doctor treats heel spurs is necessary for athletes and those who lead a very active lifestyle. This is due to the increased likelihood of developing spurs with regular loads beyond measure. If a person plays sports, but carelessly refers to safety rules and restrictions on training, this provokes changes in bone tissue, most often expressed in the appearance of spurs.
People who are overweight also give the bone tissue that forms the bones of the limbs an extra load, albeit unconsciously, unlike athletes. Metabolic disorders in combination with high rates of load quickly provoke wedge-shaped formations, and when walking, and then in a resting position, severe heel pain begins to torment. It is sad, but almost all overweight people know exactly which doctor treats heel spurs.
General health problems
Many people suffering from unpleasant diseases that negatively affect their overall health know about how to treat heel spurs with folk recipes. The most common example is diabetes. The disease imposes serious restrictions on both lifestyle and nutrition, and is accompanied by regular deterioration of well-being, degenerative processes and pathologies of various organs. Of these, a spur.
In addition to diabetics, heel spur blockade is often required for those who have heart disease, the circulatory system. Such violations affect the immune system, the general condition of the body, therefore, the likelihood of spurs.
What to look for?
It is no secret that the disease is easier to treat if detected at the very beginning. Spur will not be an exception: the sooner therapy starts, the shorter the course will be and its effectiveness will be higher. The very first symptom hinting that the time has come to visit a doctor is heel pain accompanying weight transfer. The feeling at the same time is as if by carelessness a man stepped on a nail.
The pain is explained by the effect of the growth on the bone on the soft tissues surrounding the skeleton. Bone formation compresses the surrounding tissue, affecting the nerves. When walking, unpleasant sensations become more pronounced.
It hurts - it doesn’t hurt
Among the townsfolk there is an opinion: the stronger the pain, the greater the spur. In fact, there is no direct connection between sensations and the size of the growth. According to doctors, soreness is more associated with the affected point. Having learned which doctor treats the heel spur, it is urgent to visit a general practitioner or surgeon to determine the exact position of the spur and the degree of neglect of the pathology.
Usually in the morning the pain is pronounced, but wanes over time. The peak falls at the moment when a person gets up after a night's rest. However, towards evening, the discomfort is growing again. As time passes, the bump becomes bigger and bigger.
It hurts to walk: what to do?
It is known that the treatment of heel spurs with the shock-wave method gives good results, but you can’t immediately sign up for a session, first you need to conduct a full examination and identify the features of the pathology. And for this you have to look for a really good doctor.
Usually, patients visit a local therapist who writes out a referral for further treatment of the disease. As a rule, they are referred to a surgeon. Here they examine the leg, take an X-ray to get the maximum information about the growth. This allows you to choose the optimal treatment method.
What to treat?
The treatment of heel spurs with the shock wave method is widely known, but this is not the only possibility. The most modern option is ultrasound, although such a technology has not been sufficiently developed. It is truly innovative, but not yet very accurate. In addition, quite a few contraindications are known for ultrasound, which limits the possibility of applying the methodology.
An alternative is radiation therapy. They resort to x-ray radiation directed to bone formation. With high efficacy rates, the technique is good with minimal contraindications.
How else?
A fairly common option is laser therapy. The technology is based on the following: when passing through the tissues of the human body, the laser beam relieves pain without removing the growth. This technique is considered gentle, simple, but requires regular repeated courses of treatment.
Another option to get rid of discomfort is physiotherapy. As a rule, doctors prescribe a special massage and select gymnastic exercises, so that the pain decreases and the quality of life returns.
However, if soft, non-invasive techniques do not give a result, an operation is prescribed.
Treatment features
Typically, a spur grows from three to 12 millimeters. To eliminate soreness, they resort to folk methods. Known for their effectiveness against spurs:
- plantain;
- mustard;
- vinegar;
- hot hot pepper.
It is worth understanding: folk recipes help in combination with medical measures to eliminate the growth and in consultation with the attending physician. Otherwise, there is a likelihood of a complication of the situation. As a rule, compresses are made on the affected area, applying a bandage with shredded leaves or a liquid-soaked bandage, then put on warm socks. Compresses hold from 15 minutes to several hours (depending on the chosen tool).
Shock wave therapy
This method can be safely called the most famous. He has proven himself and is effective against a variety of bone growths - large and small, localized in different places. In addition to good performance, it is painless.
The idea of the technology is as follows: an infrasound wave acts on the affected part of the foot. Under the influence of the shock-wave method, calcium salts, the crystals of which form a growth (spur), loosen. Over time, bone tissue is restored.
Osteopaths Against Spurs
Osteopathy is another fairly well-known method of combating the disease. Its idea is to intensify the work of internal organs, systems, which positively affects bone tissue. In this case, the growths resolve, the seals go away. Properly applied methods of osteopathy can improve the periosteum, including the supply of tissues with blood and nutritional components.
It is important to contact a certified osteopath. Combining this treatment with other methods is strongly not recommended. Do not resort to traditional medicine.
Is chronic disease a sentence?
Spur is a chronic disease provoked by metabolic problems in the body and associated with overstrain of ligaments in the foot. To cure a spur once and for all is a practically impossible task, at least for the time being, therefore almost all known methods of therapy come down to eliminating pain.
Nonsteroidal medications that eliminate inflammation and pain have proven pretty good. The doctor chooses a specific option, most often prescribing one of the drugs from the following list:
- Ibuprofen
- Movalis
- Diclofenac.
All these drugs on sale are represented by tablets, ointments, gels. They relieve pain, block inflammation, that is, they treat not the problem, but its manifestations. You need to choose the tool carefully, since each of the listed options has many contraindications. It is unacceptable to use these funds for long courses, and treatment is always carried out under the supervision of a doctor.
Hormones Against Spurs
Another effective approach to fighting spurs is hormonal drugs. They are good against inflammatory processes, which means they quickly relieve pain in the damaged area. The right choice of hormone therapy allows you to block the growth of tumors. The most widely used tools are:
They are administered topically to avoid side effects. This is due to the high efficiency of the active substance.