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What Causes Severe Heel Pain In An AF Patient?

Posted on Mon, 2 May 2016

Question: Ok I was told by one of your doctors...Dr XXXXXXX that for my husband screaming in pain in his heels that tramadol would be the only safe medicine for him to take.But what would cause this pain? he is a heart patient with afib and a pacemaker and had only 25 percent of his heart working.

Answered by Dr. Rishi (56 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
It could be Atheroembolism or Acute ischemia due to the AF.

Detailed Answer:
Hello Mam,
Sorry I did not know that he has Atrial fibrillation.
In that case he could have had a clot from the heart going to the leg leading to acute ischemia of the limb or bloodlessness. Is the foot cold and is it white and difficult to move ?.
I suggest you to take him to the ER immediately and get a Color Doppler done.
In my Vascular Surgery practice I have seen this far too commonly ignored.
Please take him to the ER and get him evaluated by a Surgeon or preferably a Vascular Surgeon. I hope he is on some anticoagulant medicines like Acitrom, Warfarin or Rivaroxaban(Xarelto). He needs an emergency shot of Heparin to begin with.
Do let me know if I can help you with any other queries.
Take care,
Dr Rishi, New XXXXXXX XXXXXXX

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Naveen Kumar

Follow up: Dr. Rishi (7 hours later)

I ask a question earlier about my husbands terrible pain in his heels and side of his foot. He is a heart patient(afib) and has a pacemaker/difibralotor and his kidney is only working 25 percent. You told me about good medication to take but what I wanted to now next is what could be the cause of his extreme pain in his foot to the point of screaming in pain.

Answered by Dr. Rishi (5 hours later)

Brief Answer:
It could be embolism. Please get him examined and get a Color Doppler test

Detailed Answer:
Hello Mam,
As I told you in my last answer he could have suffered a blood clot getting dislodged from his heart and blocking the blood supply to the foot. This is called Embolism and can lead to the severe foot pain. Therefore please show him urgently to a Surgeon or preferably a Vascular Surgeon and they would be able to tell you after examining him as to whether it is Embolism or something else.
Therefore please get him examined and also investigated by a Color Doppler test of the affected limb.
All the best and do let me know if I can help you further.
Take care.
Dr Rishi, New XXXXXXX XXXXXXX

Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar