Have you noticed pain or swelling on the heel of your foot? You might have developed heel spurs, or deposits of calcium in the heel of the foot that can hurt and impact your quality of life.
Some patients may worry about invasive treatments to get rid of heel spurs. But your podiatrist can address your symptoms through physical therapy rather than surgery in many cases. Do not hesitate to talk to your foot doctor about your concerns. Read on to learn about three reasons that you should seek treatment from a podiatrist if you have heel spurs.
Why Treat Heel Spurs?
Alleviate Your Foot Pain
The bony growths of heel spurs can feel sharp when you put pressure on your feet to walk, stand, or perform other movements. Not only are the deposits uncomfortable, but they can lead to other problems with your feet that can leave you in pain.
Heel spurs can impact surrounding tendons and tissue, creating inflammation that may create more pain and discomfort throughout your feet. You may also notice arthritis pain increase if you develop a heel spur.
You should not suffer through this pain in your feet. Even if it feels intermittent, or only occurs when you put pressure on the area, you should not ignore the pain’s effect on your life. Get your foot pain evaluated and have your podiatrist alleviate your symptoms by scheduling an appointment today.
Restore Function in Your Feet
As mentioned, pain from heel spurs can impact your ability to stand, walk, or otherwise complete your daily activities. Heel spurs often form due to strain on ligaments and muscles in the foot and ankle. This strain can worsen if heel spurs remain on the foot.
You may tread differently to reduce this pain on your own, which could heighten your risk of obtaining an injury to the foot. This would further negatively affect the function of your feet.
Your foot doctor can use physical therapy to reduce the pain and the disruption of your heel spurs. You can move with ease once more when you receive expert treatment and care from your podiatrist.
Prevent Nerve Damage in the Feet
Heel spurs can cause acute pain and discomfort in patients. But as mentioned, their presence can create inflammation and other symptoms throughout the foot. If these issues persist, the nerves in the foot may be impacted and sustain irreversible damage.
Trauma to the nerves can lead to a condition called neuropathy. Patients can experience a variety of symptoms related to this issue, including numbness, tingling, and shooting pain.
Though neuropathy cannot be cured, your podiatrist can offer therapies to alleviate uncomfortable sensations or lack thereof in your feet. Your foot doctor will need to analyze your condition to develop a personalized treatment plan for this issue. You can prevent neuropathy and other lasting damage to your feet if you seek treatment for bone spurs as soon as you can.