Heel pain is a common health problem and can often limit daily activities. This pain can be felt under or behind the heel and can occur for a number of different reasons. Heel pain can negatively impact daily life and become chronic if left untreated. Therefore, it is important for individuals experiencing heel pain to consult a healthcare professional.
What causes heel pain?
Left heel pain and right heel pain are conditions that are frequently felt in daily life and sometimes make life difficult. Heel pain can be caused by a variety of reasons and is usually felt under or behind the heel. If you are experiencing a problem such as “my heel hurts and I can’t step on it”, possible reasons are as follows:
- Plantar fasciitis
- heel spur
- Achilles tendonitis
- heel bursitis
- Nerve entrapment
- tendon injuries
- rheumatoid arthritis
- Gout
What is heel pain a symptom of?
Heel pain can be a symptom of many different conditions. For example, a heel spur is a bone protrusion that occurs under the heel. Rear heel pain may be felt due to heel spurs, which can cause severe pain, especially in the first steps. Another condition is Achilles tendinitis. Achilles tendonitis is inflammation of the tendon that connects the heel bone to the calf muscles, called the Achilles tendon. Achilles tendinitis can cause pain behind the left heel. Other possible reasons are listed as follows:
- Types of arthritis that affect the heel joint can cause pain in the heels.
- Nerve compression is also a cause of neural heel pain. Compression of the nerves in the heel area can also cause heel pain.
- A fracture or sprain of the heel bone can also cause heel pain.
- It can also be caused by other conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, infections, cancer, and certain medications.
In rare cases, heel pain may be a sign of cancer, but not every heel pain is a sign of cancer.
Heel pain can negatively affect a person’s quality of life and can become chronic if left untreated. There are some methods you can use at home to relieve heel pain. For those who ask what to do for heel pain, the methods that can be done are as follows:
- Rest your feet.
- You can apply ice to the painful area for 20 minutes several times a day.
- You can use painkillers recommended by your doctor.
- Use orthopedic and comfortable shoes/slippers.
- You can do stretching exercises for the heel and ankle.
- Physiotheraphy
- In cases of chronic and persistent heel pain, steroid injections may be considered.
Does heel pain go away on its own?
Whether heel pain will go away on its own depends on the cause of the pain. In some cases, the pain may go away on its own, while in other cases medical intervention may be needed. Situations in which heel pain may go away on its own are as follows:
- Standing and walking for long periods of time
- Wearing high-heeled or hard-soled shoes
- Heel pain when you wake up from sleep is usually caused by plantar fasciitis, and this pain goes away on its own when you rest.
This information is for informational purposes only. If you have a medical question, it is important to consult your doctor.