1. Rest Is Essential
Too much movement will irritate your heel spurs even more. Stay off your feet as much as possible while the spurs are acting up. Keep walking to a minimum, and avoid standing for long periods of time.
2. Cushion Your Heel
Buy cushioned heel cups to place inside your shoes. The cushioning will keep the heel spurs from being irritated by rubbing against the back of your shoes and will take some of the pressure off the spurs. You can get heel cups at any store that sells foot care supplies. If you have very bad heel spurs that have been difficult to treat, your doctor may prescribe custom cups or even full orthotic inserts for your shoes.
3. Take Anti-Inflammatory Medications
There will be some inflammation in your heel when the spurs are acting up and causing irritation. The inflammation will increase the pain you're already feeling. Taking an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication will help take the edge off. Ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory that's readily available in most supermarkets and drugstores. Your doctor may prescribe a stronger anti-inflammatory medication to you if you're having an unusual amount of inflammation or pain in your affected heel.
4. Ice the Area
Ice will calm any inflammation around the heel spurs or in the surrounding connective tissues. Use ice packs as necessary, as many times a day as you feel like you need. When you apply ice, leave the pack on your heel for no more than 20 minutes at a time, and always wrap it in a towel so as not to cause damage to your skin.
5. Some Heel Spurs May Require Surgery
If your heel spurs are particularly bothersome, you may need to have surgery to remove them. This is typically a minimally invasive surgery that requires only a small incision. The heel spurs may be chipped off or smoothed down. You'll probably need to wear a cast for a few weeks afterward.
