Your doctor informs you that the pain you’re feeling on your foot is caused by a bone spur, so she recommends that you have surgery. But you can’t afford to miss work for the surgery and recovery time. What options do you have to alleviate your painful foot bone so you can work? Can you take medications? Is there some kind of outpatient treatment, so you don’t have to miss a lot of work? Let’s check out some facts about bone spurs and what you can do to manage the pain.
What is This Painful Foot Bone? Why Does It Cause Pain?
A bone spur is an overgrowth of bone at or near joints, commonly found on the big toe. The bone spur itself don’t normally cause pain. Pain is usually caused by your shoe pressing against the bone spur.
What Can I Do to Alleviate Bone Spur Pain?
First, try wearing extra-depth orthopedic shoes or shoes that leave your feet more room. You can also try putting shoe pads inside your shoe, so long as they don’t put more pressure on the bone spur. Over-the-counter medications like aspirin or ibuprofen may relieve the pain temporarily, but should not be used as a long-term solution. Your doctor may offer a long-acting corticosteroid injection, which can relieve pain for months.
How Can Bone Spur Surgery Help?
Bone spur surgery essentially removes or files down the protuberance to ultimately eliminate the pressure on the affected muscles, tendons, ligaments, or nerves. Although surgery typically entails eight months of recovery, most people can resume desk work and other sedentary activities within a few days. Light walking is usually possible within a few weeks. Laser surgery for bone spurs has not yet proven to yield advantages over traditional surgery.
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