severe heel pain - help and advice please

twinney
twinney Member Posts: 80
edited 6. Apr 2010, 11:21 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hello Everyone,
Hope you are all well. For the last two days I have been suffering with terrific pain in my left heel, it is so bad I cannot walk on it!
I am awaiting results from the Rheumy re R/A , but in the meantime any help or advice from you kind people would help. I have tried heat/cold appliances, resting/ painkillers etc, but nothing helps at the moment.
Thank you
Regards
Lynda

Comments

  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 30,355
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    OUCH!!!

    If it were me - I would continue with the rest until the docs are open again and get down there asap thereafter :?

    In the meantime keep off it as much as poss and try to use a stick if you HAVE to get up and walk.

    Hopefully someone else will have had this and will help more. I take it it is the underneath of your heal, not the ankle itself. Does it look swollen??

    Love

    and sympathy

    Toni xx
  • elnafinn
    elnafinn Member Posts: 7,412
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi Lynda

    Heel pain has a variety of different causes, although the most common is a condition called plantar fasciitis. Other conditions that may cause heel pain include policeman’s heel (inflammation of the bursa, a fluid-filled fibrous sac under the heel) and pain coming from the nerves in the lower back.

    Depending on the diagnosis it could go on its own. Exercise may help by stretching out achilles tendon and calf muscles. Anti inflammatories may help too but perhaps you already take them.

    You would seem to be doing all the things I can think to do, for pain relief. Wear supportive shoes but if you are putting no weight on it then that is no use.

    Heel pain can be sorted out, so I hope that is of consolation to you.

    I hope it all gets better soon,

    Luv
    Elna x
    The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

    If you can lay down at night knowing in your heart that you made someone's day just a little bit better, you know you had a good day.
  • valval
    valval Member Posts: 14,911
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    if it feels hot keep going with the ice sorry but not much help to you rest but strech and move with no weight on it good luck
    val
  • tkachev
    tkachev Member Posts: 8,332
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    I have had this on and off for many years.It is so painful I cannot walk on it at times. Recently I was diagnosed with OA in the ankle after an x-ray but that may not be the case with you.
    The pain comes and goes and is not permanent but it is awful awful pain!

    Elizabeth
    Never be bullied into silence.
    Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
    Accept no ones definition of your life

    Define yourself........

    Harvey Fierstein
  • abfab1963
    abfab1963 Member Posts: 41
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    I have this too...in both heels, although it is NOT as bad as it was at first and I have been told by my Rheumy it is Plantar Fascitis, which is common in Arthritis in feet. I feel this most forst thing in the morning or getting up after resting etc. I also have fallen arches...allegedly! My Rheumy is going to be injecting my heels one week after the other, hopefully asap!

    I am waiting to see a Podiatrist who I believe will get inserts for my shoes made for me....lovely!! No more strappy high heels! :-)

    I hope your results come back soon and you can get treatment for this as I know how painful it is.

    Abfab
    x
  • twinney
    twinney Member Posts: 80
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hello There everyone.
    Thank you to one and all for your help and advice. I continued with all that I was doing heat/cold etc. The pain seems to have eased a little and I am able now to put my heel on the floor for some of the time.
    I will see how it goes, thanks again for your help!
    Best Wishes
    Lynda
  • bailey27
    bailey27 Member Posts: 689
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi
    I get this in my left heel quite often.
    I have a spondyloarhtropathy oftenr referred to as AS. It is a common symptom of this type of arthritis as it effects where the tendons insert and they get inflammed.
  • marion1952
    marion1952 Member Posts: 963
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    I have plantar fascitis (and achilles tendonitis) intermittently, when I am having a flare up of RA in my ankle.. It's very painful! I found some exercises on the internet/you tube which really help... basically you flex your foot upwards (especially before you get out of bed).. or stand on the edge of a stair and drop your heel downwards. This stretches the tendons. I find with these
    exercises, some rest, and some painkillers, it usually passes off now within 24 hours..


    Hope this helps.

    Marion
  • holmesi
    holmesi Member Posts: 96
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    marion1952 wrote:
    I have plantar fascitis (and achilles tendonitis) intermittently, when I am having a flare up of RA in my ankle.. It's very painful! I found some exercises on the internet/you tube which really help... basically you flex your foot upwards (especially before you get out of bed).. or stand on the edge of a stair and drop your heel downwards. This stretches the tendons. I find with these
    exercises, some rest, and some painkillers, it usually passes off now within 24 hours..


    Hope this helps.

    Marion
    hi,i have similar problem and do the same exercise ,i must add what ever you do dont bounce the heel downwards ,just stretch it gently .holmesi

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