Constant pain, with just a sprinkling of depression:

[fini]

What recipe would you suggest?

[Parrot]

To create it or to cure it?

[seti]

Some fine Lagavulin Scotch and throw on some Robert Johnson and Louis Armstrong

[fini]

Paul, you nut! I've already got it! Seti, I'm halfway there, well, maybe 1/4 (at least it's a barley product)...There are ups and downs to that approach...

[Travis In Austin]

What recipe would you suggest?

Heavy doses of Vicoden with some Paxil, Bookers Bourbon can't hurt. That is the fun way, you could consider what the source of the pain is and try and address that but it won't be as much fun.

Travis

[scott0527]

Stay away from Jazz?

[lwhaples]

I feel you pain,mine is a 15 year old boy that knows more than me.

Larry

[Woodog]

Fini my friend, I'm sorry to hear that you have this.

Exercise brought me out of depression and eliminated (for now) arthritic joint pain. I also dropped major poundage in the process.

What's the cause of your physical pain?

[mark1101]

Yes....physical exercise. Then....more physical exercise.

Hey woo, your back! Good.

[jt1stcav]

If I didn't know you, Gregg, I'd say it's a naggin' wife.

Since you don't have one of those...maybe mid-life crisis?

A quick cure? Turn on your system and listen to your favorite music through your horns. Works for me!

[ZAKO]

Your cry for help has not gone unnoticed. We can only suggest some small relief ...Tomorrow call your doctor or get a new one.....Good professional help will be needed. Stress to him what its really doing to you...And you dont want it to get out of control. Internal inflamation can lead to heart disease.

[fini]

Forrest,

No doubt the weight is a huge component of the pain. Mainly, it's in my left heel. Achilles tendenitis, with a 3/4" bone spur right up into the tendon. The podiatrist, who I've been seeing for about 6 weeks, says bone spurs in this location are usually not painful. Yeah, right! Now granted, I have not been resting as I should. I've been working every day for the past 8 weeks (OK, I took my birthday off), getting Mom's house fixed up to go on the market (a big rush, as it's the tail end of the "selling season" and the market is shifting heavily in favor of buyers). Well, it's done (been on the market one week, and tomorrow is the first open house), and my body is paying the price. I can hardy walk. Took a forgotten homework assignment to my daughter this week (walking 1/8 mile tops), and I was ruined for the day. It's getting old, dreading stepping out of bed in the morning. At least I can sleep OK.

[djk]

Ultram is an OK pain reliever, with an interesting side-effect, it's also a SSRI (anti-depressant). It's cheap, and your regular doctor can write a 'script for it.

[Allan Songer]

You need to get to an MD, buddy! A really good orthopedic guy. Podiatrists are NOT medical doctors!!!

And get your butt down here next week--a night at Charlie O's will fix you up good--just ask Gary and Scott!!!

[rcarlton]

Fini,

Stretch the tendon (the calf muscle). Hold for 30-seconds and repeat. Ice afterwards. Might even consider taking a coke bottle (hopefully with the ribs), fill 3/4 water, freeze, and rub your left foot back and forth on the bottle. (NSAID) such as ibuprofen will help with the pain and swelling. I've followed this post up with some additional information on heal injuries.

[rcarlton]

snip Mainly, it's in my left heel. Achilles tendenitis, with a 3/4" bone spur right up into the tendon. The podiatrist, who I've been seeing for about 6 weeks, says bone spurs in this location are usually not painful.

snip

The podiatrist is right...it shouldn't be painful. The pain in the morning sounds more like plantar fasciitis.

Plantar Fasciitis

When your first few steps out of bed in the morning cause severe pain

in the heel of your foot, you may have plantar fasciitis

(fashee-EYE-tiss). It's an overuse injury affecting the sole or flexor

surface (plantar) of the foot. A diagnosis of plantar fasciitis means

you have inflamed the tough, fibrous band of tissue (fascia) connecting

your heel bone to the base of your toes.

You're more likely to get the condition if you're a woman, if

you're overweight, or if you have a job that requires a lot of walking

or standing on hard surfaces. You're also at risk if you walk or run

for exercise, especially if you have tight calf muscles that limit how

far you can flex your ankles. People with very flat feet or very high

arches are also more prone to plantar fasciitis.

The condition starts gradually with mild pain at the heel bone

often referred to as a stone bruise. You're more likely to feel it

after (not during) exercise. The pain classically occurs again after

arising from a midday lunch break.

If you don't treat plantar fasciitis, it may become a chronic

condition. You may not be able to keep up your level of activity and

you may also develop symptoms of foot, knee, hip and back problems

because of the way plantar fasciitis changes the way you walk.

Treatments

Rest is the first treatment for plantar fasciitis. Try to keep weight

off your foot until the inflammation goes away. You can also apply ice

to the sore area for 20 minutes three or four times a day to relieve

your symptoms. Often a doctor will prescribe nonsteroidal

anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen. A program of home

exercises to stretch your Achilles tendon and plantar fascia are the

mainstay of treating the condition and lessening the chance of

recurrence.

In one exercise, you lean forward against a wall with

one knee straight and heel on the ground. Your other knee is bent. Your

heel cord and foot arch stretch as you lean. Hold for 10 seconds, relax

and straighten up. Repeat 20 times for each sore heel.

In the second exercise, you lean forward onto a

countertop, spreading your feet apart with one foot in front of the

other. Flex your knees and squat down, keeping your heels on the ground

as long as possible. Your heel cords and foot arches will stretch as

the heels come up in the stretch. Hold for 10 seconds, relax and

straighten up. Repeat 20 times.

About 90 percent of people with plantar fasciitis improve

significantly after two months of initial treatment. You may be advised

to use shoes with shock-absorbing soles or fitted with a standard

orthotic device like a rubber heel pad. Your foot may be taped into a

specific position.

If your plantar fasciitis continues after a few months of conservative

treatment, your doctor may inject your heel with steroidal

anti-inflammatory medications (corticosteroid). If you still have

symptoms, you may need to wear a walking cast for 2-3 weeks or

positional splint when you sleep. In a few cases, you might need

surgery to release your ligament.

[rcarlton]

If you have Achilles tendonitis the treatment would be about the same.

"Achilles

tendonitis is a painful and often debilitating inflammation of the

Achilles tendon, also called the heel cord. The Achilles tendon is the

largest and strongest tendon in the body. It is located in the back of

the lower leg, attaches to the heel bone (calcaneus), and connects the

leg muscles to the foot. The Achilles tendon gives us the ability to

rise up on our toes, facilitating the act of walking, and Achilles

tendonitis can make walking almost impossible.

Side View of Foot

Back View of Foot

& Calf Muscles

Click on the images to view a larger version.

There are three stages of tendon inflammation:

Peritenonitis

Tendinosis

Peritenonitis with tendinosis

Peritenonitis

is characterized by localized pain during or following activity. As

this condition progresses, pain often develops earlier on during

activity, with decreased activity, or while at rest.

Tendinosis

is a degenerative condition that usually does not produce symptoms

(i.e., is asymptomatic). It may cause swelling or a hard knot of tissue

(nodule) on the back of the leg.

Peritenonitis with tendinosis results in pain and swelling with activity. As this condition progresses, partial or complete tendon rupture may occur.

Incidence and Prevalence

Achilles tendonitis is more common in athletes and overall

incidence of the condition is unknown. It occurs in approximately 6?1.8%

of runners.

Risk Factors and Causes

Poorly conditioned athletes

are at the highest risk for developing Achilles tendonitis.

Participating in activities that involve sudden stops and starts and

repetitive jumping (e.g., baseball, basketball, football, tennis,

running, dancing) increases the risk for the condition. It often

develops following sudden changes in activity level, training on poor

surfaces, or wearing inappropriate footwear.

Achilles

tendonitis may be caused by a single incident of overstressing the

tendon, or it may result from a series of stresses that produce small

tears over time.

The

condition also develops in people who exercise infrequently and those

who are just beginning an exercise program, because inactive muscles

and tendons have little flexibility because of inactivity. It is

important for people who are just starting to exercise to stretch

properly, start slowly, and increase gradually.

In some cases, a congenital

(i.e., present at birth) condition causes Achilles tendonitis.

Typically, this is due to abnormal rotation of the foot and leg (pronation), which causes the arch of the foot to flatten and the leg to twist more than normal.

This

condition causes the lower leg muscles (e.g., gastrocnemius, soleus) to

stretch more than normal. Like a rubber band, the further the muscles

stretch, the tighter they become. The force on the Achilles tendon and

the heel bone increases, resulting in Achilles tendonitis. Because the

arch of the foot naturally flattens over time, especially in athletes,

Achilles tendonitis often develops later in life.

Women who wear high-heeled shoes

often and switch to sneakers for exercise also can develop Achilles

tendonitis. The Achilles tendon and lower leg muscles gradually adapt

to a shortened position because the shoes prevent the heel from

stretching all the way to the ground. When this occurs, wearing

sneakers or flat shoes forces the Achilles tendon to stretch further

than it is accustomed to, causing inflammation. If high heels are worn

everyday, stretching should be done every morning and night to keep the

Achilles tendon lengthened.

Signs and Symptoms

In most

cases, symptoms of Achilles tendonitis develop gradually. Pain may be

mild at first and worsen with continued activity. Repeated or continued

stress on the Achilles tendon increases inflammation and may cause it

to rupture. Partial or complete rupture results in traumatic damage and

severe pain, making walking virtually impossible and requiring a long

recovery period.

Patients

with tendinosis may experience a sensation of fullness in the back of

the lower leg or develop a hard knot of tissue (nodule).

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of

Achilles tendonitis usually involves taking a patient history, and

performing a physical examination and imaging tests (e.g., x-ray,

ultrasound). Patient history includes the following:

History of prior pain or weakness in the lower leg

History of recreational activity

Recent changes in activity level, footwear, or training duration or surface

Physical examination

involves palpating (i.e., feeling with the fingers) the lower leg for

tenderness, swelling, nodules, warmth, and decrease in mass (atrophy).

The doctor also measures active and passive range of motion of the

knees, ankles, and feet, and determines the resting alignment of the

ankles and feet.

A Thompson test

is performed to detect rupture of the Achilles tendon. In this test,

the patient lies face downward on the examining table with bent knees

and the doctor squeezes the back of the lower leg (calf). If the

Achilles tendon is at least partially intact, this test causes the foot

to flex.

Imaging tests that may be used to help diagnose Achilles tendonitis include x-ray, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI scan). X-rays

cannot conclusively diagnose the condition, but they may be used to

detect soft tissue swelling and heel bone calcifications (i.e., calcium

deposits) or fractures.

Ultrasound may be used to detect thickening of the Achilles tendon. MRI scan can be used to detect partial tendon rupture and degenerative tendon changes.

Treatment

Treatment

for Achilles tendonitis depends on the severity of the injury. If heel

pain, tenderness, swelling, or discomfort in the back of the lower leg

occurs, physical activity that produces the symptoms should be

discontinued.

If the

problem returns or persists, a medical professional should be

consulted. If pain develops even with proper stretching and training

techniques, the patient should consult a podiatrist to check for hyperpronation and adequate arch support. The addition of an orthotic may be enough to maintain good arch and foot alignment and eliminate pain.

If damage to the tendon is minor, the injury may respond to a simple course of treatment known as RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation). Patients are advised to:

rest the tendon by keeping off their feet as much as possible;

apply ice packs for 20 minutes at a time every hour for a day or two to reduce swelling;

compress the ankle and foot with a firmly (not tightly) wrapped elastic bandage; and

elevate the foot whenever possible to minimize swelling.

A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as ibuprofen may be used to reduce pain, swelling, and inflammation.

Additional

treatment may be required if injury to the tendon is severe, if mild

Achilles tendonitis does not respond to basic treatment, or if symptoms

return with the resumption of physical activity.

A flexible cast may be used to immobilize the foot and reduce swelling, and crutches may be used to keep weight off the foot. This treatment may be necessary for up to 8 weeks.

If the

injury responds to this treatment, the patient may then be advised to

wear low-heeled shoes and perform rehabilitation exercises (e.g., physical therapy) to gradually stretch the tendon before full activity is resumed.

Severe Achilles tendonitis, tendon rupture, or tearing away from the heel bone may require surgery and lengthy rehabilitation. Surgery involves removing the tendon's inflamed outer covering and reattaching the torn tissues.

Following surgery, patients undergo passive range of motion physical

therapy and progressive strengthening exercises for 2?3 weeks. Most

activities can be resumed in 6?10 weeks and competitive sports usually

can be resumed after 3?6 months.

Prevention

Proper

conditioning and appropriate footwear are the best defense against

Achilles tendonitis. People who engage in physical activity should

always warm up (e.g., jumping jacks, light jogging) and stretch

properly before beginning the activity. Cold muscles are inflexible and

working them hard without stretching causes excessive stress to the

muscles and tendons.

If

discomfort occurs, the activity should be discontinued immediately and

ice should be applied to the affected area to relieve inflammation. If

the problem persists or recurs, medical evaluation is necessary. It may

be advisable to consult a physical trainer to determine whether a flaw

in technique is contributing to the problem."

[fini]

Well, the pain is not in the bottom of my heel, it's in the back. Except for this secondary thing, deep cracks in my heel (so deep they bleed). They produce excruciating pain, too. I'm certain it's not plantar fasciitis (I have had that before). I'm wearing orthotics (2 weeks now), which may or may not help.

[jt1stcav]

Well, I'm glad I was wrong about a nagging wife!

You can learn so much on this forum...all ya gotta do is ask!

Gregg, see a specialist if need be to get back in better spirits (and to rid yourself of the discomfort you're in). Good luck, buddy.

[funkyhambone]

i had plantar fasciatis for two years. it sucked. here is how i was treated.

i wore a splint at night when i slept for several months. did not work

custom made inserts for both feet (only had it in one foot though) i still wear these today, but was not a cure. i do believe this will help prevent a reoccurrance.

i received two cortisone shots. the first one was painless and made me pain free for about 1-2 weeks. the second shot many months later was teeth gritting and hands held up in the air painful, about a week of relief.

finally the ossotron (might be misspelled). it was designed for kidney stones. it uses concentrated sound waves to break up the spurs (scar tissue) and dissolve away in the blood stream with no cutting!!!!!!!!!! i have been pain free for 2 years now. i also resumed my exercise routine. i was unable to do so when i had the spurs. the exercise is key for feeling good. it sucks at first because of the soreness, but ease into it. after a few weeks, you will look forward to it and be pissed when you miss a workout. you got to do it. exercise will take care of so many nuisance pains not to mention an increased energy level. it also helps me keep my girly figure.