When it comes to your feet, you want to be comfortable. Foot pain makes everyday errands take longer and become more difficult. If you are having problems standing and putting pressure on your feet, see your doctor. You may have bone spurs.
What Are Bone Spurs?
Bone spurs are extra bone growths that are prone to appear in feet. Bone spurs may develop from an injury to the foot, ill-fitting shoes, or even obesity. Sometimes, bone spurs are a result of osteoarthritis.
What causes the growths is the deteriorating cartilage between bones. Bone spurs are a result of your body attempting to compensate for the lack of cartilage. Unfortunately, this process can sometimes come with pain.
Symptoms of Bone Spurs
Sometimes, though not always, people with growing bone spurs will experience no symptoms. Other times, however, people may feel the following symptoms:
- Pain on the top of their mid-foot
- Swelling
- Stiffness
- Limited joint mobility
- Difficulty standing or walking
All of these symptoms lead to discomfort. If you aren’t sure that your symptoms mean you have a bone spur, visit a podiatrist, or foot doctor, for a diagnosis. A doctor will examine your foot and take an X-ray or another type of imaging test to identify the problem.
Treatment Options for Bone Spurs
Bone spurs do not disappear on their own, so you may want to change your routine and try some home treatments to ease your pain.
Weight loss. One treatment would be to lose weight. Because bone spurs form from pressure on the bones, losing weight helps reduce that force. Exercise, portion control, and healthy eating can all affect your feet.
Proper footwear. Tight-fitting or even lose-fitting shoes can contribute to the unnecessary duress your foot endures. Invest in some well-fitting shoes with extra padding if needed. If you find it is still too painful to walk, try using a walking boot to take the pressure off the area. These boots are especially useful if you decide to get surgery; they can be worn before and after the procedure.
Pain relief. Taking an over-the-counter pain reliever will also help by reducing the swelling around the site. Heat and ice also help with swelling. Using a heating or cooling pack for 15 minutes throughout the day can ease stiffness and inflammation. If you still are experiencing pain, see your doctor about a cortisone injection.
Prevention
While treatments can help an affected site, they can also prevent bone spurs, namely by wearing proper shoes. Wearing padding in your shoes and avoiding shoes that are too tight can help you fight the process of a growth spur. Losing weight may also help you avoid the problem. However, if you have arthritis, be aware of the risks and speak to your doctor if you notice any symptoms.
Be Comfortable
Bone spurs, if painful enough, keep you from walking and being comfortable. If you know the symptoms, treatment, and prevention methods for avoiding bone spurs, you will stay more comfortable and your routine will not be hindered by the pain and disruption of a bone spur.
If you think you may have a bone spur or are experiencing regular foot pain, give our office a call today and we’ll help you come up with a treatment plan.