Pain is a symptom common to many foot conditions. Although pain killers or medications are a good solution for most kinds of foot pain, there are some natural approaches to relieve foot pain. These methods can be applied either before resorting to pain relievers or in conjunction with them.
1.Hot or Cold Compress
Hot and cold compresses combined are a good way to treat foot pain. A cold compress can reduce the pain and inflammation by numbing the affected area while a hot compress can help boost the blood circulation to the foot. In fact, ice therapy is one of the most useful natural remedies for foot pain. Ice can not only reduce soreness and swelling, but also improve muscle health. Fill a bucket with water, then add ice. Dip the feet into the bucket and relax. Don’t leave the feet in the ice bath for longer than 20 minutes. Perform several short treatments for the best results. However, if the feet are tired and sore and the skin feels normal or cool to the touch, try soaking the feet in a warm bath to relax and soothe them. Don’t apply warmth to an inflamed area because it will only increase the blood flow and make the inflammation worse.
2.Foot massage
Foot massage improves circulation, stimulates muscles, reduces tension, and often alleviates pain. It also provides a time to examine the feet, giving you a chance to notice a problem before it gets worse. To enhance a massage, you can buy massage devices in local drugstores or health stores. Or, you may get a foot roller. It is very convenient and can provide fast foot massages at home or at work. All you need to do is to take off your shoes and roll your feet over the massager.
3.Choose comfortable shoes
It’s important for those with foot pain to choose comfortable and roomy shoes, and avoid high heels, pointy shoes, cramped shoes or squeezed shoes. High heels can do harm to our feet since every inch of height shifts more weight onto the toes and balls of the feet and put stress on the tiny bones and joints. Any pointy shoes can squeeze the big toe out of alignment, deforming the joint and potentially triggering or exacerbating painful bunions. So, it’s important to wear a pair of flats to relax the feet. However, someone may not be aware that not all the flats are perfect. It is better to choose flats with supports for foot arches. Another thing to remember is to check the shoe size. A study shows that about 88 percent of women wear shoes—heels, sneakers and flats—that are, on average, at least half an inch too small. Small-sized shoes are not a smart choice. You may know that ligaments and tendons naturally loosen with age, and it’s been estimated that an individual can gain as much as half a size every ten years after age 40. Therefore, it is important to choose shoes with the right size that can provide enough breathing room for the feet.