The heel on the left or right foot is burning: what does it mean, what to do and the reasons for the burning sensation

The heel area of ​​the foot is the part of the body that experiences the greatest load when walking, running, or standing. Heel pain can deprive a person of the ability to move freely for a long time, which often causes exacerbation or the appearance of other problems. Unfortunately, both self-medication and not always justified treatment prescribed by a doctor often affect completely different mechanisms that need to be influenced in such pain.

And if the traditional treatment favored by some patients has virtually no effect, then the “heavy artillery” of hormonal injections or unnecessary operations can cause irreparable harm. In the following article, I will talk about the most likely causes of heel pain, possible ways to prevent it and safely treat it.

Why does fever occur?

According to many doctors, when burning legs occur, the causes can be divided into the following categories:

• The feet can burn under the influence of exogenous factors - wearing tight shoes, increased stress on the limb, cracked heels, fungal infection.
• Endogenous factors - pathological processes in internal organs can be accompanied by a symptom such as burning of the legs. For the same reasons, a child’s leg burns.

The key reasons why your feet bake may be:

• Overwork.
• Avitaminosis.
• Diseases of a neurological nature.
• Fungal infections on the leg.
• Infectious diseases.
• Diseases in the endocrine system.
• The influence of allergens.
• The period of bearing a baby.
• Diseases of the joint apparatus.

Treatment should begin only after the reason why the legs may be burning has been determined.

Treatment

Pre-hospital assistance

For heel injuries, immobilize with a splint, apply cold, and give an anesthetic. In case of inflammation of the tendon-ligament apparatus, arthrosis of the tarsal joints, limit the load, apply local anesthetics and anti-inflammatory drugs. Sharp pain, deterioration of general condition, hyperthermia, local signs of inflammation and suppuration are indications for immediate consultation with a specialist.

Conservative therapy

Conservative treatment for heel pain is usually a combination of drug therapy and non-drug methods. The following techniques can be used:

• Protective mode
  . The level of load on the foot and the duration of restrictions are determined individually, ranging from 1-2 weeks for minor injuries to 1 year or more for chronic diseases. It is possible to apply a plaster cast, use orthopedic shoes, heel pads and other devices, and walk with crutches or a cane.
• Drug therapy
  . For inflammatory processes, NSAIDs are prescribed; for infectious diseases, antibiotics are recommended. The presence of trophic ulcers is an indication for treatment with antiplatelet agents and phlebotonics, and in the case of diabetes mellitus, for correction of antidiabetic therapy.
• Other methods
  . In case of skin damage, dressings are performed, in case of hyperkeratosis, special treatment of the feet is carried out, in case of traumatic injuries and inflammatory diseases, patients are referred to physiotherapy and physical therapy.

Surgery

Surgical tactics are chosen taking into account the nature of the pathology. The following open manipulations are possible:

• Injuries
  : open osteosynthesis of heel fractures, Achilles tendon suture.
• Infectious processes
  : sequestrectomy, opening of callus abscess.
• Trophic ulcers
  : skin grafting, after healing of the ulcers - shunting, phlebectomy, miniphlebectomy.

Sometimes operations are performed for Haglund's deformity, Schinz's disease, arthrosis of the tarsal joints, and other diseases of the heel region. In the postoperative period, rehabilitation is carried out, including exercise therapy and physiotherapy.

Problems that cause heat in the legs

The reason that a burning sensation appears in the legs can be diseases of the internal organs and systems, accompanied by fever.
If a fungal infection develops, symptoms manifest themselves regardless of age and gender - a burning sensation appears, the toes itch and burn, the feet turn red and begin to peel. The heel epidermis begins to crack, the nail plate changes its color and structure. Another endogenous factor that can provoke a burning sensation is varicose veins. More often it develops in the fair sex, this is due to wearing high-heeled shoes, as well as pregnancy. The load on the heels and feet provokes the appearance of swelling, pain in the calves, bulging veins outward, and the soles of the feet begin to burn. Obliterating endarteritis can cause intense burning of the feet and heels. The cause of this disease is an infection that spreads to the arteries of the lower extremities. When this disease develops, the leg below the knee, sole and heel burns. Other manifestations of this disease are lameness and convulsions.

Another disease that causes fever is thrombophlebitis. When thrombosis occurs, the lower limb swells, burns, and is also hot to the touch. Not only the sole hurts and burns, but the entire limb. Atherosclerotic disease of the vascular system can cause pain and fever at night. Why do your heels and feet burn? Another cause could be an ailment such as peripheral neuropathy. It becomes a catalyst for serious problems with the lower extremities. This disease appears against the background of diabetes mellitus. Treatment must be immediate. Why do heels burn? Cracks in the epidermis of the heels can cause this problem. The reason for this may be improper care, vitamin deficiency, or fungus.

Diagnostics

Traumatologists are involved in finding out the causes of heel pain. If indicated, patients are referred to dermatologists, surgeons, neurologists, and other specialists. The diagnosis is made based on data from a survey, examination, and additional research. The following diagnostic procedures may be prescribed:

• Radiography.
  Images are taken of the heel bone or bones of the foot. X-rays reveal fracture lines, bone growths, signs of degeneration, inflammation, and avascular necrosis.
• Ultrasonography.
  An ultrasound of the foot confirms the presence of signs of inflammation of the ligaments, tendons, and plantar aponeurosis. To diagnose plantar warts, an ultrasound scan of the skin formation is performed; to clarify the cause of the appearance of trophic ulcers, an ultrasound scan of the veins of the lower extremities is performed.
• and MRI.
  They are carried out at the final stage of the examination if the results of other studies are ambiguous. They make it possible to clarify the location of fragments, localization and prevalence of pathological changes in hard structures and soft tissues.
• Laboratory research
  . For osteomyelitis and infectious arthritis, the severity of inflammatory changes in the blood is assessed; for rheumatoid arthritis, specific markers are identified; for plantar warts, PCR is performed to determine the papilloma virus; for hyperkeratosis, a histological examination is performed.

Physical therapy for heel pain

Exogenous provoking factors

Frequent stress, emotional overload, fatigue, nervous shock, and climatic conditions such as heat and high humidity can cause discomfort and burning in the feet and heels. Such conditions easily lead to dysfunction in the vegetative-vascular system, resulting in severe narrowing or dilatation of blood vessels, accompanied by heat and discomfort, tingling in the soles.

Other causes include: heel spur, genetic predisposition, allergic reactions to exogenous allergens, flat feet, obesity, vegetative-vascular dystonia.

Features of the heel area

The heel bone is the largest and strongest bone in the foot. During the day, it experiences enormous loads, as it is the main point of support when walking, running, or standing quietly. A powerful Achilles tendon is attached to the back surface of the heel bone, and a strong and wide plantar aponeurosis is attached to the bottom. More than a dozen tendons and ligaments closely touch and attach to the heel area.

The bone is protected by a thick layer of fatty tissue and strong skin. Fat under the heel is “packed” into round granules for greater durability and shock absorption. The thick leather sole has 5 layers and is thick to counteract adverse factors. The natural mobility of the joints of the foot, especially the vibrations of the longitudinal arch and the heel bone itself, also helps to absorb shock loads.

The most common causes of pain

Acute and chronic pain may occur in the heel area and may be caused by illness or injury. In this article we will pay attention to chronic pathology, since the issue of fractures and bruises is a separate complex topic. Chronic or acute non-traumatic pain most often occurs due to reasons such as:

• plantar fasciitis,
• achilles bursitis,
• Haglund's disease
• heel stress fracture,
• tunnel syndrome (pinched nerve of the foot),
• degeneration of the fat pad of the foot,
• arthrosis and arthritis of the foot joints.

If your heel hurts in the back, the most likely cause is damage or overuse of the Achilles tendon. This form of inflammation can occur both in athletes and people not exposed to physical activity. In this case, the pain may intensify when trying to rise on your toes after a long walk. The pathology is often accompanied by moderate swelling on the sides of the tendon; the intensity of the pain ranges from sharp and piercing to painfully aching.

The cause of pain on the lower surface of the heel is often a microtear and inflammation of the plantar aponeurosis. Patients often think that the pain is caused by a heel spur found on an x-ray, but this bone spike is only a sign of overload of the aponeurosis. The immediate causes of plantar fasciitis are foot deformities (flat feet, cavus foot), decreased elasticity of ligaments and tendons, and sports overload.

Other possible causes of pain are somewhat less common, but still quite common. Among the sources of inflammation there can be both completely harmless and quite dangerous processes. Therefore, if there are any signs of foot problems, you should contact a specialist - an orthopedic doctor, a surgeon or your family doctor.

How NOT to treat heel pain

Before considering the important aspects of treatment, I would like to dwell on what you definitely should not do.

The peculiarities of the fat pad and the skin of the heel exclude the effective action of any ointments or gels: they simply cannot reach the required depth. Therefore, local use of anti-inflammatory or other agents has extremely little effect. If the problem exists for a long time, you should not use anti-inflammatory drugs orally - there is a risk of developing peptic ulcers and drug-induced kidney inflammation.

Blockades with steroids are extremely undesirable. In addition to the fact that due to the density of the skin and fat of the heel, the injection itself is extremely painful, there is a high risk of dissolving the fatty tissue. In this case, the intensity of pain will increase many times, and completely adequate treatment in this case has not yet been developed.

Surgery is also dangerous. It is often prescribed after a long-term ineffective course of conservative treatment, but even the attending physician is not always able to accurately explain the benefits of surgery. Surgery only manages to destroy the nerves that transmit pain, but they soon “grow back.” Any attempts to remove a bone spine or cut the aponeurosis or Achilles tendon in the future can lead to serious complications.

How to get rid of it - first aid

When a feeling of heat appears, procedures such as baths using hot water are not allowed. Slightly heated water can harm already hot skin. The first aid for such manifestations is a cool or cold bath. You can also run your feet under cold running water. The duration of the procedure is at least two minutes.

After water procedures, you need to thoroughly dry the skin, apply a cooling agent (cream or ointment) for the feet with a cooling effect. Typically, such products contain mint or menthol. It is necessary to apply the product in the direction from the foot to the calves, using light massage movements, gently rubbing into the skin.

How to help using traditional methods

Treatment with folk remedies involves the use of herbal decoctions, infusions and lotions. You can make baths based on decoctions of medicinal plants that relieve inflammation, itching, and burning. The following plants are used for these purposes:

• Melissa;
• sagebrush;
• calendula;
• Linden blossom.

To prepare a foot bath, you can take each herb individually or a complex of herbs. The raw materials are taken in equal parts, poured with boiling water, and added to cool water. Pour the prepared solution into a container and immerse your feet in it for a quarter of an hour. In addition to using herbal decoctions for baths, you can eliminate burning and fatigue of the feet with the help of compresses and lotions. For this, hop cones, spruce buds or pine buds are used. An application is prepared from these ingredients, which eliminates heat and strengthens vascular and venous walls.

To prepare such a compress, take two tablespoons of dry raw materials and pour a glass of boiling water. Let it brew for several hours. Next, you need to soak a piece of clean gauze or cotton cloth in the broth, apply it to the sore spot, and cover it with cellophane and a towel. After this treatment, the fever goes away and the intensity of the burning sensation decreases.

Among the large number of treatment options with folk remedies, there are other options for relieving tired legs. An effective method of getting rid of burning sensation is to treat the skin with a mixture of ammonia and vegetable oil. This composition is used to treat painful areas of the limbs.

The effectiveness of this product is dictated by the fact that, thanks to ethanol, muscle spasm is eliminated, and the oil prevents drying of the skin, saturating it with useful substances. It is not difficult to make such a compress - soak a piece of clean cloth or gauze in the mixture, wrap the painful area of ​​the leg, cover it with cellophane, and put on warm socks. After this treatment, leg fatigue disappears and the intensity of burning decreases.

How to treat heel pain?

In most cases, the root cause of heel pain is purely mechanical: overloading the heel with excess weight, excessive tension on the plantar aponeurosis or Achilles tendon. Therefore, to fully solve the problem, it is worth emphasizing the correction of biomechanics, and not on an isolated fight against symptoms.

Of course, during an exacerbation, you cannot do without painkillers. These include a number of universal tips that will be short-term effective in most cases:

1.Provide maximum rest for your leg. Lie down and do not put pressure on your foot.

2.Apply a cold accumulator or an ice bottle to the painful area for 15-20 minutes. Repeat this every 2-3 hours. It is important to apply something cold through a layer of fabric so as not to freeze the skin.

3.If there are no contraindications, according to the doctor’s recommendation, you should take an anti-inflammatory drug. This will not solve the problem, but it will reduce the intensity of the pain.

During the period when the pain does not bother you or is minimal, it is worthwhile to correct the condition of the foot. Exercises are useful to increase the elasticity of the plantar aponeurosis, calf muscle, and mobility of the toes. Massage and reflex therapy (Lyapko applicators, massagers) can give a good effect. Correction of excess body weight brings significant relief, and many patients experience good results after losing even 2-3 kilograms.

Safe and effective solutions to correct causes and symptoms

The heel area experiences the greatest load when moving. The presence of flat feet, a hollow foot, and decreased elasticity of the ligaments leads to heel trauma, pain and swelling. Orthopedic insoles help distribute the load evenly and relieve some of the stress from the heel. The presence of a whole range of insoles from various materials at Medtekhnika Orthosalon allows you to individually select the most effective option for each pathology.

If maximum cushioning is needed to soften your step and provide pleasant support for the heel and entire foot, insoles made from elastic, soft materials are the best solution. In many cases, the necessary correction of the “rolling” of the foot is achievable by wearing less pliable arch supports. They are equipped with gentle heel pads to ensure no discomfort. There are models for casual and sports shoes, shoes with high heels.

Custom-made insoles provide an even greater effect. With the help of a set of special bolsters, corners, and shock-absorbing heel pads, it is possible to consistently and fully select the option that will most quickly eliminate pain. Various protrusions of the insole have a massage effect; regular wearing of an individual instep support stimulates the work of the own muscles of the foot and lower leg, normalizes the position of parts of the foot, and relieves the heel area.

Special ankle bandages help eliminate pain in the Achilles area. They gently massage the area of ​​inflammation, regularly squeezing it with special anatomical inserts. Soft heel pads, which are indicated for all patients with Achilles bursitis and Achillodynia, help to relax the calf muscle and reduce the tension of the Achilles tendon. They can come complete with a special bandage or be purchased separately.

What to do in case of extreme heat

In extreme heat, it is recommended to apply vodka or alcohol to the skin; this will warm it; if there are cracks, they are disinfected, reducing the severity of the inflammatory process.
An effective method for getting rid of fever is blue clay. Based on it, compresses or applications are made, which are applied to painful areas, wrapped in cellophane and put on warm socks. This procedure lasts no more than an hour, after which the foot is rinsed under warm water. You can wipe your skin with a clean piece of cloth or napkin pre-treated with tea tree oil. Treat both left and right legs the same way, regardless of which one is baking.

In extreme heat, it is recommended to take a foot bath using soda. Boil half a liter of water, cool slightly, add 3 tablespoons of soda. Pour the solution into a container and place your feet in it. The duration of the procedure is no more than 20 minutes. Then dry the skin well, wipe with a cotton pad soaked in triple cologne. With this treatment option, the skin of the feet softens, the burning sensation goes away, and cologne helps disinfect, eliminate pathogens, and promote the healing of wounds and small cracks.

Preventive actions

If you often experience a burning sensation in your feet or heels, it is recommended to take preventive measures.
This will help prevent the occurrence of unpleasant symptoms. It is recommended to purchase only those shoes that will be convenient and comfortable; women should limit wearing high heels, shoes that are too tight and uncomfortable, or with pointed toes. Shoes must be kept dry and clean at all times. This prevents the development of fungus, which causes burning and cracks. If a burning sensation occurs in the feet, it is recommended to get rid of the problem in a timely manner. The first step towards treatment is visiting a doctor and identifying the cause of such a symptom. If you have chronic infections, you need to treat them promptly.