The Effects of Bone Spurs and How to Treat Them
You rely on your feet daily to take you where you need to go. Any type of foot problem can not only be painful but hinder your mobility. This discomfort can be difficult to bear. Fortunately, there are treatments. Bone spurs are a common ailment that people contend with. Bone spur removal foot procedures are available to get you back on your feet and help you feel well again. It’s important to understand what this condition feels like and looks like and how it will affect your health as you age. You should also be aware of how the treatment and procedures go.
What Are Bone Spurs?
A bone spur is a corner of bone that can cause pain in your foot. It often appears as a bump in the foot. Bone spurs typically form where the bone and joints meet, along the edges. These can develop just about anywhere on the foot, but this usually happens on the heel. The top, outside and inside of the foot are also common locations. The toes can also have bone spurs.
How Painful Are Bone Spurs?
Like man ailments, bone spurs can cause a wide range of pain and discomfort. For some people, the spurs are only mildly irritating and will not inhibit activity much. However, other instances of bone spurs can be excruciating and may feel sharp. The amount of pain a person feels from them depends largely on how compressed the nerves are. Compression can occur when shoes press down on the area where the bone spurs have formed.
Available Treatment
Treatment options vary depending on the severity of the condition and the person’s preferences. Some doctors may simply recommend lifestyle adjustments. In other cases, surgery may be the right course. The doctor will consider the patient’s age, medical history, and daily routines and needs before suggesting a treatment. Bone spur removal foot surgeries can either be inpatient or outpatient procedures. If it is outpatient, the doctor will use local anesthesia to numb the affected area. The doctor will use sedation for inpatient operations. Removing the bone spurs usually takes an hour or two.
Surgery Recover
If you have surgery to remove a bone spur, you should expect about a two- to four-week recovery. After two weeks, the doctor will remove sutures from your foot. During the recovery time, you should stay off your feet as much as possible and avoid strenuous activity. The bone spurs can grow back after surgery; however, this is uncommon.
Other Options for Overcoming Bone Spurs
If you wish to avoid surgery, there are alternatives. For example, the doctor may advise you to wear arch support in your shoe. This can relieve any pressure on the bone spurs and reposition the foot. Sometimes, the solution can be as simple as changing your shoes. Larger and softer footwear can relieve pressure.
If you are having foot pain, bone spurs could be the culprit. Your doctor can diagnose the condition and recommend the proper treatment. You can then be free of the pain and discomfort that bone spurs can cause.