<human>: My husband has been complaining of pain in his right heel. For several months now he has been saying his ankle hurts, especially when getting up from sleeping , but also after sitting for short periods. Now I minimized his complaint because he has a tendency to overreact to pain but tonight I finally took a look.... It appears to have a somewhat movable lump roughly the size of a golf ball, more towards the inner side, which is slightly red and warm to touch. I told him to go to the ER to have it looked at because he says it hurts very badly. What could this be and should he be seen immediately?
<bot>: Brief answer:Planter fasciitis needing pain medications and steroid shot. Detailed answer:Hello, Based on what you told about your husband, it can be said with fair certainty that you husband is suffering from planter fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis mainly results in pain in the heel and bottom of the foot and is seen often in clinical setup. The pain is usually most severe with the first steps of the day or following a period of rest. Improvement of pain is usually seen with continued walking. The condition usually builds up slowly and cause intense pain. Your husband is most likely doing a job which require long periods of standing, and he may also be obese. If I were your husbands doctor, I would first do an x-ray foot which usually show a heel spur, although an absence of spur does not rule out fasciitis. An ultrasound heel also aids in making diagnosis. I usually advise the best rest to patient to see whether the condition improves. Along with rest, painkiller like:Diclofenac K 50 mg twice daily is advised to aid with bed rest. If this is not sufficient, a steroid injection is advised which is injected at the site of maximal pain on heel. Most of the patients improved in clinical setting after this remedy. Surgery is considered only after conservative treatment has failed to resolve the issue after six months and has rarely been needed. I shall be happy to assist you if you need further help. Wishing a safe and swift recovery for your husband