Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

"Burning" Heels

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    "Burning" Heels

    My wife has had MS for the last 20 years and in that time, her spasticity has gotten worse. When she sleeps, her spasticity always turns her body so shes laying on her back. Consequently, she suffers from heel pain, which she describes as her heals "burning", which wakes her up. Therefore, she doesn't get much good sleep. We assume the heal pain is caused by the spasticity forcing her heels down into the bed, plus the added weight of the sheet and blanket. Trying to change positions doesn't help because she always ends-up on her back. We've tried pillows under her legs to elevate her feet off the sheets, but it has had limited success.

    Has anyone else experienced this issue? If so, what have you done to mitigate it?

    #2
    Hi Bat21-

    I'm sorry to hear about your wife! I haven't experienced heel burning, but my feet "burn"/tingle most of the time - asleep and awake. I have just learned to deal with it after all these years, but it's not what used to keep waking me up.

    I suffer from spasticity to the point that it was affecting my sleep until I started taking baclofen before bedtime. No more pain, nor spastic movements while sleeping. Is your wife taking anything for the spascitity? She might want to discuss this problem with her doctor or neuro.

    I hope you can find some answers and/or suggestions either here from others or from a doctor.
    Take care!
    1st sx '89 Dx '99 w/RRMS - SP since 2010
    Administrator Message Boards/Moderator

    Comment


      #3
      I have the same problem. My spasticity causes me to have Plantar fasciitis and burning feet. I bought cooling socks and they help a great deal. There are several types available online and maybe that it is good option.

      Comment


        #4
        I too have burning feet all the time, day or night. I don't suffer from spasticity but I do have the burning sensation in my tongue as well as my feet.

        I hope your wife can find some relief. I have insomnia and it is terrible.

        Comment


          #5
          Burning feet

          Originally posted by Bat21 View Post
          My wife has had MS for the last 20 years and in that time, her spasticity has gotten worse. When she sleeps, her spasticity always turns her body so shes laying on her back. Consequently, she suffers from heel pain, which she describes as her heals "burning", which wakes her up. Therefore, she doesn't get much good sleep. We assume the heal pain is caused by the spasticity forcing her heels down into the bed, plus the added weight of the sheet and blanket. Trying to change positions doesn't help because she always ends-up on her back. We've tried pillows under her legs to elevate her feet off the sheets, but it has had limited success.

          Has anyone else experienced this issue? If so, what have you done to mitigate it?
          I too have burning feet.Find the right elevation will help.I have to sleep with my feet elevated about 5” above the bed.

          Comment


            #6
            Not sure if feasible for you, but we bought a bed that you can either elevate the head and foot portion individually or even at the same time. I have the feet slightly elevated. It seems to help some with leg spasticity. I also take baclofen as well.
            Kathy
            DX 01/06, currently on Tysabri

            Comment


              #7
              I have the same problem with just my left foot. About 4am I wake up with burning pain in my heel. The only thing that helps is to turn on my side. I’ve tried wearing a sock with a gel pad in the heel, but it’s still painful.

              The heel area is one of the locations to watch for pressure sores, so there are various padded boots and contraptions sold for elevating the heels. I just didn’t think I could sleep with them. The gel pad sock is comfortable.

              Comment


                #8
                Hi Bat21,

                I'm sorry to hear your wife is dealing with this.

                Originally posted by Bat21 View Post
                My wife has had MS for the last 20 years and in that time, her spasticity has gotten worse
                The bottom of my heels burn from them pressing down too hard from spasticity while I'm awake during the day, but not at night since I can sleep on my side. Instead my ankle bone will start to burn from pressing down from spasticity at night.

                I have a baclofen pump and have had the dosage increased and so far seems to have helped with both.

                Your wife may be a good candidate for a baclofen pump if she already takes the maximum recommended daily dose of baclofen. The dosing can be adjusted higher at night.

                Once when I was in the hospital for an extended stay, I developed pressure sores on my heels and they ordered heel suspension boots for me from a durable medical equipment supplier. They were made with metal and were clunky and uncomfortable. I haven't needed them since, thank goodness.

                There are some heel protectors that look much more comfortable available. But the ones that lift the heels up off the bed still look awkward to wear. Instead of pillows, there are special heel elevating cushions you could try for her.

                Best of luck
                Kimba

                “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” ― Max Planck

                Comment

                Working...
                X