SUDDEN SEVERE INTERMITTENT HEEL PAIN

[al59]

Nine days ago, out of nowhere, I got a pain in my foot that seemed to shoot up an inch from the right side of my left foot INTO the foot, by about an inch and a half -- excruciating, electrical burning type pain that went away after 15 seconds and scared the hell out of me. It felt neurological, not mechanical.
For the next 9 days, I wore shoes with insoles even when around the house. No pain. Yesterday, after a day of wearing slippers all day, I had for a HINT of that pain, like maybe 35 percent strength of the screaming pain. I lifted my left foot off the ground, it went away, put it back down, it came again, lifted it up and it went away and stayed away. But again it did not feel mechanical.
Just now, lying down, on three occasions over the course of five minutes the pain came back for ONE SECOND. VERY painful, but for only ONE SECOND. No swelling, no nothing. Not worse in the morning. Not better in the morning. Basically, there's nothing going on until there's something going on. But though we're only talking about three seconds of discomfort over the course of a day (in which I was active in a normal, took a long walk but nothing fancy; normally I run about two miles five days a week), those three seconds are so painful that they make me feel fragile for the rest of the night, because I never know when it'll strike.
I've read about plantar's faciitis, and this doesn't sound like it.  I should also say that I'm mentioning details like insoles and slippers, not knowing if they're relevant, but assuming that they COULD be.
This has me freaked out. It just feels wrong. By the way, I'm male and 51 years old, in good health so far as one could know, no illnesses, no history of serious illness.

[LC56]

i was very interested in your post.  i realize it was almost 3 years ago but i wondered if you'd learned anything more? i have intense burning pain in my left heel that feels almost electrical. it doesn't feel muscle related at all. it comes and goes and when it's hurting it's unbearable. but then it stops and i forget about it for a few hours. i play tennis 3 x a week and walk every day. it seems to get worse after exercise. i've seen a podiatrist who just said it was achilles tendonitis and that i should rest if for a few weeks. i did and it came back. like you, i'm curious as to why this is so intense and then goes away?
LC

[Mjasko]

I have no answer to what's causing your pain but I am having the exact same problem with my heel. There's no tenderness. there's no long lasting soreness. It just comes out of the blue, sharp psin for a couple seconds very intense . It makes me jump.  It happens in bed. It happens when I'm sitting But walking on it or standing up doesn't hurt my foot. I have not heard any suggestion here that is anything but guesswork. I have three doctors in my family and I can appreciate the difficulty of doing a diagnosis even when the patient is in your office but realistically while I'm hearing people like you and others on this forum  talk about symptoms that are similar to mine I'm not hearing answers that seem to be addressing the sharp pain or the suddenness of it and the short period of time that it occurs. Mine's just started. I hope it doesn't go on much longer but I'm afraid it will.

[sallyweaver]

Hello.  I know it's been almost 2 years, but do you have an update on your issue?

I've been having the same problems on and off for many years.  I can go months and months with no pain, then BAM, out the blue, the pain can hit me in the middle of the night.  I get a really sharp pain shooting up my left (sometimes right) heel.  The pain can last from 5 secs to 15 secs, and I can get from 1  to about 15 per day.  There's no rhyme or reason why this occurs.

I am not a runner, and I am not on my feet all day.  The pain comes while I am laying down, standing, sitting, it doesn't matter.  It doesn't see to be bone or spur related.  It seems more "electrical"/neurological.

I haven't been to a DR yet because the pain is so sporadic that I am afraid that they will find nothing, but give me "treatment" that will probably not work.  I'd like to at least find other cases and possible solutions first.

[al59]

I paid out of pocket today to see the best podiatrist in town, and he said it's tarsal tunnel.  Said I will need another cortisone shot, this time carefully placed instead of casually placed (like last time, by a physicians assistant), and that should do it.  Or two shots.  Plus orthotics.  And THAT should do it.  Worst case:  Tarsal tunnel surgery, but that's not anticipated.

[mbmitnick]

Sounds like a heel neuroma or possibly tarsal tunnel as your symptoms are neurological in nature.  I would not run out get custom orthotics just yet as they may not be of much benefit at this point.
Anti-inflammatory medication and physical therapy might be a better option initially until a definitive diagnosis is made.
Once a diagnosis is made and if excessive pronation is part of the problem, then orthotics may be of value.
Good luck.
www.****-****-*********.com/heelpain.html

[Tuckamore]

Thanks for the update Al.

Plantar Fasciitis can be very painful and a bit unpredictable like many painful conditions. I wouldn't be overly concerned that it came back for a number of reason. First your treatment is not complete. You can have a repeat cortisone injections and you've had no PT yet and probably have not have been fitted with the custom ordered orthotic(s).

The fact that it did come back so quickly back may mean that your require another injection. It's not unusual to require several. Although I understand your concern.

With all due respect a physician on the internet does not have the advantage of a clinical examination or a review of your tests. I would take the word of the physician you consulted in person over an internet opinion. However that does not mean that I would not have those suggestions investigated. They may be correct.

I am so proud of you for acting like a "good hypochondriac" :o)  LOL....and scouring the internet for those fatal diseases that are lurking and waiting to attack us all! :o)  I hope it has put our mind at ease that your symptoms do not appear fatal!!

Glad to hear that you are returning on Monday. Ask lots of questions and suggest the alternative diagnosis that you obtained from the internet physician. Just be cautious not to suggest that your current physician is "stupid." :o)

Best of luck. I'll certainly look forward to hearing how this turns out for you.

Peace,
~Tuck  

[al59]

The doctor said it was plantar's fasciitis manifesting in an unconventional but not unheard of way. Suggested custom orthotics, gave me a cortisone shot, signed me up for a little physical therapy, and that's it. Took X-rays, bones are OK, no bone spurs, etc.
    The pain just came back -- three times in five minutes -- for the first time in six days.  This is more disconcerting than anything else. Plan to go back on Monday.  A doctor on a forum similar to this thinks maybe nerve entrapment or tarsal tunnel.  In the meantime, like a good hypochondriac, I've been scouring the internet for fatal diseases this might be, and fortunately, I haven't been able to find any.  

[Tuckamore]

Hi Al,

Welcome to our Pain Management Forum. I am sorry to hear about your foot pain, even though it seems to last only seconds I can imagine it is very concerning.

This pain could be related to a multitude of issues and it is difficult to know which one is causing your problematic pain. I suggest that you make an appointment with a good podiatrist. I think that would be a good starting point. If this is beyond his./her expertise he/she should refer you to the right speciality.

In the meantime I would continue to do what seems to make the pain better or obsolete.  I hope you will keep in touch and let us know how you are doing and what you discover.

Take Care,
~Tuck