Homeopathic medicine, treatment and remedies for Heel Pain

• Apis Mellifica
  Common name: The honey bee
  Symptom: Apis mellifica is a remedy commonly indicated when the affected part of the body is swollen or is sensitive to touch with pain and redness. Other symptoms, where apis mellifica are prescribed, are:
  • Stinging pain in the heel or sole of the feet
  • Swelling or redness of heel
  • Burning pain that is eased with application of ice
• Arnica Montana
  Common name: Leopard’s bane
  Symptoms: This remedy is generally prescribed to treat pain occurring due to physical damage like from a fall or injury. Common symptoms, where arnica montana is prescribed, are:
  • Pain that improves on application of heat or warmth
  • Heel pain due to footwear
• Bellis Perennis
  Common name: Daisy
  Symptoms: Daisy is mainly used to treat deep tissue injuries occurring after surgery. It is also indicated in case of the following symptoms:
  • Soreness of feet
  • Damaged muscle fibres
  • Physical damage leading to deep bruising
  • Injured nerves that result in excruciating pain and sensitivity to coldness
• Bryonia Alba
  Common name: Wild hops
  Symptoms: Bryonia alba is commonly used in pains that worsen with wear and tear. Bryonia is often prescribed to individuals with a dark complexion with its best working conditions being in the evening in an airy, warm climate. Symptoms, where bryonia alba is prescribed, are:
  • A sensation of burning in the affected area
  • Swelling with sensitivity to sensation
  • Stinging pain
  • Increasing pain even at the slightest movement
  • Red feet
• Hypericum Perforatum
  Common name: St. John’s wort
  Symptoms: This medication is widely used in cases of nerve damage and for dealing with post-surgery blues. It is also helpful in cases of burning sensation and numbness. People who benefit from hypericum perforatum also experience the following symptoms:
  • Burning pain
  • Pain due to nerve damage, which is felt arising from the heel to the lumbar region
  • Tingling pain or numbness
• Kalium Bichromicum
  Common name: Bichromate of potash
  Symptoms: Kalium bichromicum is a homeopathic remedy best suited to fair, fat individuals who have a syphilitic or scrofulous history. Symptoms, where kalium bichromicum can be introduced, are:
  • Wandering pain
  • Soreness of feet on application of pressure
  • Pain in the Achilles tendon
• Ledum Palustre
  Common name: Marsh tea
  Symptoms: Patients who benefit from ledum palustre experience some of the following symptoms:
  • Swelling around the heel
  • Painful soles, which make walking impossible
  • Increase in pain during night hours and when lying on the bed
  • Reduction in pain on application of ice or anything cold
• Rhododendron Ferrugineum
  Common name: Snow rose
  Symptoms: Rhododendron ferrugineum is prescribed where symptoms are agitated around the time of a storm and get better after the storm breaks out. Common symptoms where the medicine is advised are:
  • Swollen heels
  • Pain that gets worse even while resting the feet
• Rhus Toxicodendron
  Common name: Poison ivy
  Symptoms: Rhus toxicodendron is often applicable in conditions of damage to fibrous tissues and tendons, which result in pain. Common symptoms, which indicate a need for this remedy, are:
  • Burning and pain in the affected area
  • Tearing pain in the ligaments and tissues around the heel
  • Sensitivity to cold
  • Tingling sensation in feet
  • Pain increases while resting
• Ruta Graveolens
  Common name: Rue bitterwort
  Symptoms: Symptoms, where ruta graveolens is prescribed, are:
  • Bruising of feet
  • Pain in the Achilles tendon
  • Pain in feet and restlessness
  • Sore tendons around the feet
• Staphysagria
  Common name: Stavesacre
  Symptoms: Staphysagria helps relieve the following symptoms:
  • Intense pain in the soles of feet
  • Pain in the Achilles tendon
  • Trouble in movement and on applying pressure

Heel pain is a very common condition among Indians, so common that many individuals do not even recognise it until the symptoms become intense. The condition is often a result of negligence of the feet, a heavily used body part. Footwear with bad soles or high heels can also result in this condition with faulty eating and lifestyle habits causing more damage to it. Also, it is important to avoid certain foods and fragrances to maintain the efficiency of homepathic medicines and treatment. Here is a list of a few such things:

Do’s

• Take a healthy and nutritious diet
• Perform mild exercises as advised by a physiotherapist
• Living conditions must be improved if the present accommodation is not suitable for the patient’s condition
• The temperature of patient’s surroundings should be maintained according to the symptoms manifested, as heel pain is commonly sensitive to either hot or cold weather

Don’ts

• Avoid consumption of alcohol and tobacco during the treatment. Strong beverages such as coffee and tea should also be avoided as they interfere with the working of homeopathic medicines.
• Sour and spicy food such as pickles and chillies must be avoided
• One should never walk without proper footwear or support advised by the doctor
• Exercises that impact the feet and are unnecessary should be avoided during the course of medication or physiotherapy
• Extremes of hot or cold weather should be avoided for better recovery and to prevent any chances of further aggravation of the condition as it is sensitive to both

Heel pain is often neglected until it becomes severe or acute. In a study involving the x-rays of the feet of 200 people, 100 males and 100 females, it was found that around 59% or 118 individuals had a calcaneal spur, with a majority of them being women. 

Individuals suffering from heel pain often find conventional painkillers or, in many cases, physiotherapy to be a good alternative but both have drawbacks. Whereas excess consumption of painkillers can result in several side effects and can potentially affect the kidney, physiotherapy needs to be performed even after getting symptomatic relief to avoid a relapse of the symptoms.

Homeopathy, on the other hand, treats the individual as a whole instead of suppressing symptoms so it provides a long-term releif from conditions. Upon visiting a podiatric homeopathic physician, the process involved is almost the same as any other physical examination. In this condition, a homeopathic physician can ask for an x-ray to rule out a fracture.

Introduction of a homeopathic remedy depends solely on the patient’s symptoms and appearance and, hence, provides permanent results free from any side effects.

A clinical study involving 92 participants, 70 women and 22 men, suffering from heel pain with or without calcaneal spur, reports that homeopathic remedies are effective in reducing pain in heels.Calcarea fluorica, rhus toxicodendron, and ledum palustre were a few of the medications introduced to the participants involved in this study. After the course of the treatment, around 3/4th of the participants reported a successful recovery from the condition.

Other homeopathic ointments that are known to be helpful in reducing the underlying causes of heel pain are:

• Arnica montana cream for bruising
• Bellis perennis cream for deep bruising
• Hypericum perforatum cream for nerve pain
• Ruta graveolens cream for inflammation

Homeopathic remedies are obtained from natural substances and are prescribed in extremely minute doses after serial dilution, so the risk of developing any side effects is greatly minimised. However, there is no ‘one remedy suits all’ in homeopathy and consuming higher doses of medicine may lead to some unwanted secondary effects. So, it is important to check in with a doctor before taking any of these remedies at home. 

Heel pain and other issues of feet and heels are really common in a wide range of population. However, around 80% of the people are not even aware of having a condition of their feet until it starts to affect their activities of daily living.

As a recorded fact, no particular medicine in allopathy is deemed as a permanent solution to heel pain and surgery is not an ideal choice for a body part that undergoes daily wear and tear. With physiotherapy being a drag and routine requirement, people look elsewhere for a more permanent and practical alternative.

Homeopathy offers a very welcoming and effective array of treatments with its wide range of remedies, all customised to different symptoms and signs. Remedies like calcarea fluorica and rhus toxicodendron are very effective and widely prescribed medications in cases of heel pain, which are also sensitive to weather and sensation. When taken under the guidance of an experienced physician, these remedies do not show any side effect and also help in preventing recurrence of the condition.