Does your heel hurt with every step, as if a nail were stuck in your foot? This could be a heel spur. When overloaded, a thorn-shaped bony outgrowth forms, which is usually not painful. The pain only occurs when the tissue around the heel spur becomes inflamed.
Taking the homeopathic remedy Hekla lava e lava early will relieve the pain without side effects. The medicine is made from the lava of the Icelandic volcano Hekla.
Which homeopathic remedies help?
Physical symptoms are described below. Choose a heel spur homeopathic remedy that best suits your situation.
Hekla lava
Pain when stepping on heel or Achilles tendon.
Calcium carbonicum
Severe heel spur with inflammation of the ball of the foot.
Calcium fluoratum
Heel spur with strong hump formation. Bone growths can occur anywhere in the body.
Silicea
Heel spur in connection with inflamed ball of foot.
Zincum metallicum
Heel spurs with pain and restless legs. Patients constantly move their legs and feet.
What is a heel spur?
Stabbing pain in the heel when stepping on it is very often caused by a heel spur. With every step, the entire body weight rests on the heel. People who walk, stand, or carry heavy loads put even more stress on their feet. In the long run, excessive strain, the wrong shoes or poor posture can lead to the smallest tears in the connective tissue – the so-called plantar fascia. The body reacts to these micro-injuries by forming a bony structure in the shape of a spike. A persistent inflammatory response develops on the plantar fascia. About every 10th person between the ages of 40 and 60 will develop a heel spur in their lifetime.
These factors favor the development of a heel spur:
- Standing for long periods or walking long distances during work (e.g. gastronomy, postmen, warehouse workers, nurses)
- intensive sport (e.g. jogging, marathon) • sport on hard floors (e.g. handball, basketball)
- overweight
- Malpositions of the feet (kneefeet, flat feet, splay feet or hollow feet)
- Metabolic disorders (e.g. dyslipidemia, gout)
Symptoms of a heel spur under the heel
Typical of a lower heel spur is the intense pressure pain on the heel when the foot strikes. For the patient, it feels like there is a nail in the foot that is being driven further into the foot with every step. In the early stages, there is a morning start-up pain that decreases after a few steps. If the heel spur persists for a long time, the pain spreads throughout the day.
Symptoms of a heel spur at the insertion of the Achilles tendon
The upper heel spur is noticeable through stress and pain when pressure is applied to the Achilles tendon. The rear edge of the shoes presses on the heel spur at the base of the Achilles tendon and triggers an inflammatory reaction there.
Treatment of a heel spur
Early and gentle treatment with the homeopathic remedy Hekla lava e lava is beneficial. In many cases, the drug can relieve pain and promote healing of the inflammation. The homeopathic remedy is usually taken as tablets in the potency D6. The dosage is 1 tablet 3 times a day. The treatment should be carried out for at least four weeks. In the case of acute pain, Hekla lava e lava D6 can also be taken every hour – up to 6 times a day.
Other uses of Hekla lava e lava
The homeopathic remedy is also suitable for the treatment of other foot problems that are caused by the joints, ligaments or bones. A spa treatment alternating three weeks with Rhus toxicodendron D12 globules and external rubbing with Rhus rheumatism gel has proven itself.
Which shoes for heel spurs?
The strain on the feet cannot always be avoided. Changing jobs or reducing the physical strain at work is not always possible. Patients should then wear shoes that are not too tight or too rigid and that allow the foot to roll naturally. Special insoles or orthopedic shoes relieve the heel, reducing inflammation and relieving pain. Athletes who train on hard surfaces should reduce the amount of training and wear flexible sports shoes with insoles during training.
Stretching exercises for heel spurs
Special foot exercises relieve the pain and can even prevent heel spurs. The aim of the exercises is to stretch the foot and calf muscles. The stretching exercises must be carried out regularly over a longer period of weeks to months. A light massage with a hedgehog ball or a fascia roller also supports the feet under stress.
Further tips and information on treatment
Overloading the foot should be avoided as far as possible. If you are carrying a few kilos too much, you should try to lose excess weight. Furthermore, Medi-Tapes, acupuncture and – in the case of pronounced heel spurs – shock wave therapy can help to relieve the pain.
