If you've ever suffered from a bone spur on your body, then you'll know how annoying and painful it can get. Read the following article to know all about this condition and how to go about treating the same.

Bone spur on top of foot, technically termed osteophyte, is an addition of extra bone formed on a normal bone. This extra bone is the body's way of trying to protect the bone which has been exposed to constant wear and tear, pressure, or even trauma. This extra bone can cause a lot of pain and discomfort as it can rub against the tendons, ligaments and soft tissues in the body thus causing tears. In this following article, we will try to go into more detail about this condition and understand it better.

What Causes Bone Spurs

Many times it becomes difficult to diagnose that a person has developed a bone spur(s) on the foot because there may not be any symptoms of the same. It is only when there are instances of pain, swelling or the formation of corns and calluses that it becomes clear that a person has developed this condition. There are several reasons for why bone spurs come about. The following are some of the same.

Age
The formation of bone spur is a common phenomenon that comes with the aging process. Spurs lead to the building of extra bone as a method of protecting and repairing itself. Bone spurs (especially on the foot) come about as a result of excessive pressure, stress, or rubbing of the area over prolonged periods.

This condition can also come about when the cartilage (the tissue covering the end of the bones and joints) begins to break down and eventually wear off. Since there is no cushioning for the bone and joints, the bone will produce an extra growth called bone spur which will also lead to joint pain.

Running
This condition could develop as a result of running, dancing or due to any other activities which involve putting pressure and stress on the foot, thus leading to trauma and causing the spur to develop.

Other Reasons
Spurs can also come about as a result of being overweight or wearing ill-fitting shoes. This can happen when the long ligament (plantar fascia) which is found at the bottom of the foot becomes tight and stressed. This will then cause a pull in the heel, lead to an inflammation of the ligament and ultimately form a bone spur in the foot.

How to Treat Bone Spurs

A treatment for this condition becomes necessary for varied reasons. One, there could be varying degrees of pain, swelling and discomfort caused; and two, it could end up causing corns and calluses. Treatment can be administered targeting the causes, symptoms or the spurs themselves. Some treatment forms for this condition include the following.

Treat the Inflammation
Begin by treating the inflammation on the foot. For this, it is necessary to apply an ice pack on the inflamed region at least 4 - 5 times a day. This reduces the inflammation considerably. But if it doesn't work, then applying a heating pad on the region will also help.

Apply Herbs
Consume about 500-1500 mg of curcumin on an empty stomach, about 3-4 times a day. The pain that is caused by these spurs can be lessened by applying a flaxseed hot pack to the area. So also, taking alternate hot and cold baths helps a lot. It helps to take certain painkillers to lessen the pain as well. Consult your doctor for a prescription. If the pain becomes unbearable, the doctor might also administer a corticosteroid injection to help you deal with the same.

Use Linseed Oil
Take some warm linseed oil, dip a cheese cloth in it and apply on the affected area. Cover the cloth with plastic. Then put a heating pad over it and let it stay for 2 hours.

Undertake Weight Loss
If being overweight is causing that extra pressure on your foot then undertake weight loss so that this problem does not become a recurring one. This is extremely necessary if problems like plantar fasciitis or osteoarthritis are causing the pain.

Change Footwear
If it is the donning of wrong footwear that is causing the spur to appear, then make sure that you remedy it by discontinuing the usage of that footwear. Adding a padding like a shoe insert or changing the footwear altogether will help tremendously.

Treat the Corn
If the growth of corn and calluses on the foot is causing discomfort and pain then make sure you get it treated immediately by consulting a foot doctor. This will reduce the pain and provide the much-needed relief.

Surgery
If none of these methods work and the spur continues to grow, or leads to a lot of pain, then conducting a bone spur surgery is the only alternative that you can avail of. Excision of the bone spur will be imperative in this case.

Along with all these, it is necessary to take plenty of rest so that you allow the bone spur to heal.

Given above are some of the reasons that could cause bone spurs on top of foot and the remedies for the same. It is important however to understand that these spurs are caused when you do not take care of your foot properly. So make sure that you treat your foot right and you won't have any problems.