Have you experienced burning in your heel? Does your heel feel like it is on fire? Are you getting pins and needles in your heels? This could be a condition called Baxter’s neuritis or an entrapped nerve in your foot. This can often be confused with plantar fasciitis and the two can be difficult to distinguish.
I saw a few patients this last week that had Baxter’s neuritis and it made me want to write a few words about it. This condition was brought to popularity by Dr Baxter and prior to that this pathology was often thought of as plantar fasciitis. It should be noted that many patients I see have both conditions present. The most notable difference seems to be the burning pain and radiating nerve pain that can be reproduced by tapping the nerve. However, a nerve study can be helpful to confirm the diagnosis and help with planning treatment.
There are a few conservative measures that can provide pain relief. Orthotics, injections, and some medications prove to be successful. However, some patients do not find any improvement and surgical decompression of the nerve is done at that point. The constricting structures around the nerve are freed up and the pain typically resolves. I always recommend trying conservative measures first before considering surgical intervention.
If you have burning heel pain I can help, call to make an appointment with me at 425-391-8666 or schedule an appointment online.
Sincerely,
American College of Foot & Ankle Surgeons
