Heel pain may occur due to injury that caused damage to your bones, muscles, and tendons around the heel. Additionally, wearing footwear without proper support may cause your heels to ache. Moreover, conditions including Achilles tendonitis and heel spurs may cause heel pain. If the pain is mild, you can try home remedies such as icing your foot, buying pain medication, and elevating or resting your foot to manage the pain. However, this may not always work. Sometimes, the pain is unbearable, and you may need to visit a doctor. Here's when to visit a doctor when your heels are aching.

Pain Accompanied by Fever

When heel pain comes with fever or heel numbness, this is a sign of a severe condition. Visiting the doctor is vital as extremely high fever can be life-threatening, especially in infants. The fever may cause seizures and worsen the pain. Fortunately, your doctor can help lower your body temperature and diagnose the cause of the fever and pain. In return, your doctor will provide the appropriate treatment for your heel pain.

Heel Numbness

Also, see a doctor if your painful heel becomes numb. Numbness is characterized by a lack of sensation in the affected area. This may occur when you have nerve damage or insufficient blood supply to your heel. Ignoring such conditions may lead to permanent nerve damage, leading to disability. In this regard, get medical help to alleviate foot pain and address the underlying cause of the pain.

Walking or Standing Inability

When the heel pain is severe, you may not be able to apply pressure on your heel. Hence, you may be unable to walk or stand. Also, you may be unable to bend or move your heel in different directions, which can be frustrating. When this happens, visit an orthopedist immediately to treat the pain. This helps you regain your mobility.

Persistent Pain

If you perform heel pain home treatments properly, they should suppress the pain and restore your heel's function. Nevertheless, if the pain persists for a long time after treating your foot at home correctly, consider seeing a doctor. This means that you may have an advanced infection that requires advanced treatment. Your doctor will examine your heel to identify the cause of the pain and administer appropriate treatment. Sometimes, surgery may be necessary to eliminate heel pain permanently.

When you experience persistent heel pain, heel numbness, inability to walk, or pain accompanied by fever, see a doctor. Contact an orthopedist in your area to learn more about heel pain.