General information
The heel spur (also called calcaneal spur) is a new bone formation of the heel bone (calcaneus). There are two forms of heel spurs; a lower (plantar) and an upper (dorsal) heel spur. The plantar heel spur is formed in the insertion area of the tendon plate of the foot on the underside of the calcaneus.
This may be associated with an inflammation of the same tendon plate, which is known as plantar fasciitis. In contrast, the dorsal calcaneal spur is located at the base of the Achilles tendon and is associated with bursitis. About one in ten people in Germany has such a bony spur of the calcaneus.
The most frequently affected are 40 – 60 year olds. In most cases, a calcaneal spur remains asymptomatic, i.e. without symptoms, and is only discovered by chance in an X-ray. In some cases, however, the affected persons suffer from sometimes severe pain caused by inflammation, especially when running.
Treatment is often lengthy and does not aim to cure, but rather to relieve the acute pain and combat the inflammation. However, this is often not crowned with success, so that many patients look for alternative healing methods. Home remedies that are praised as very effective and without side effects, some of which seem absurd, are hardly helpful.
Cooling
Since the pain in heel spurs is caused by inflammation of neighboring structures, especially tendons, cooling of the painful area is a useful treatment for acute pain. It is important to ensure that the cooling packs used do not come into direct contact with the skin, as this can lead to a painful “burning” of the skin. Instead, the cooling pack should be wrapped with a (hand) cloth.
Homeopathy
If therapy methods such as wearing insoles, drug-based pain therapy or other classic therapy methods have been unsuccessful, a number of other treatment options are available outside of surgery. In addition to the treatment of malignant tumor diseases, X-rays in much lower doses are also used for inflammatory soft tissue and degenerative joint diseases such as arthrosis. In addition, a few years ago a study showed good efficacy in heel spur patients.
According to this study, the response rate was very high at 70 to 100 percent, although the actual effectiveness of radiotherapy on heel spurs has not yet been conclusively clarified. Acupuncture is another option. Since 2007, acupuncture has been covered by statutory health insurance companies as part of the treatment of chronic pain in the lumbar spine and knee joint arthrosis.
However, as part of the overall pain therapy concept for heel spurs, it must be covered by the patient himself. Although it has not yet been proven to be effective in heel spur patients, there is still the possibility of an analgesic effect. Medi-Taping, which is derived from Kinesio-Taping, is an acrylic, stretchable Kinesio-Tape applied to the skin.
This has the purpose of promoting the blood circulation of the skin and at the same time exerting a relieving effect on the locomotor system (especially joints). An effect on heel spurs, as well as in general, is nevertheless controversial. In addition, there are several other alternative treatment methods, which are mostly aimed at promoting the blood circulation in the inflamed area and thus strengthening the healing processes. These include laser treatment, stimulation current therapy or magnet therapy.