Treatment Options For Heel Spurs

Splints At Night

If your pain is at its worst in after you get out of bed in the morning, you might benefit from wearing splints at night. A splint is like a boot you wear on your affected foot. It keeps your foot and ankle from moving around while you sleep. This ensures your plantar fascia will not contract during the night but will stay in a stretched position instead.

The only downside is some individuals find these splints bulky and uncomfortable to wear to bed. For it to work, the splint must be worn consistently for two or three months before results begin to appear. When used faithfully, this method eliminates pain in twenty-five to fifty percent of patients.

Pain Medication

There are essentially two pharmaceutical options for pain relief: over-the-counter pain medication and corticosteroid injections. Over-the-counter options include acetylsalicylic acid, ibuprofen, and naproxen. These anti-inflammatory medications will reduce the inflammation in the tissues, which may help prevent further injuries. Long-term use, however, is not recommended, since it can lead to kidney and stomach problems. Of course, consult a doctor before taking new medications.

Corticosteroid injections have no curative properties; they will only mask the pain. A doctor will make the injection around the pain site. The downside is there is a limit to how many injections you can receive, as steroids can increase the risk for tendon injury.