Ayurvedic management of Haglund's deformity diagnosed as Vatakantaka - A case report

Haglund's deformity is one of the orthopedic problematic conditions manifest as a painful plantar heel. Haglund's deformity is a posterosuperior calcaneal projection of bony overgrowth from calcaneum bone which occurs when the foot is exposed to constant strain leading to calcium deposition in the heel bone, can be correlated with Vatakantaka in Ayurveda. It can be treated with a combination of Viddhakarma (therapeutic needle-piercing therapy), and Agnikarma (therapeutic heat therapy) with oral Ayurvedic medications which cure disease and provide long-term relief. A 48-year-old female came with complaints of difficulty in walking, pain in the left heel region which aggravates after awakening in the morning, standing long time, and after excessive walking. She had taken analgesics, and steroids drug for 8 months but didn't get relief. So, she opted for an Ayurvedic medication for further treatment. With the help of seven settings of Viddhakarma, and Agnikarma there was a significant improvement in clinical features, assessment scales of pain, function, swelling, tenderness, and in bony outgrowth. Viddhakarma and Agnikarma an easy, affordable, and straightforward techniques that may be carried out at the OPD level with basic facilities. It can be inferred from this case study that the Combination of Viddhakarma, Agnikarma with oral Ayurvedic drugs is an effective treatment modality for Haglund's deformity.