10 Home Remedies For Foot Pain
Your feet carry you everywhere. But you don’t pay much attention to them until they begin to hurt. Whether it is due to a hard fall you had a while ago or your love for high heels and shoes, foot pain is unpleasant to deal with. Taking every step is nothing short of torture, and hence this problem needs to be treated soon. Here is a list of 10 simple home remedies that can help you in reducing the severity of foot pain almost instantly.
Table Of Contents
What Causes Foot Pain?
Signs And Symptoms Of Foot Pain
What Causes Foot Pain?
Home Remedies To Relieve Foot Pain
Prevention Tips
What Causes Foot Pain?
Your foot could be hurting due to an injury or a medical condition. The most common factors that cause foot pain include:
- Wearing footwear that doesn’t fit properly
- Wearing high heels, which puts a lot of pressure on the toes
- High impact exercises or sports activities
- Medical conditions like arthritis, diabetes, and plantar fasciitis
- Obesity
- Pregnancy
- Foot injuries
- Corns, calluses, warts, and ingrown toenails
- Medications that cause swelling of the feet
From a minute injury to an underlying medical condition – any of these factors might be responsible for your foot pain. Let us now look at the common symptoms associated with this issue.
Signs And Symptoms Of Foot Pain
The signs and symptoms that usually accompany foot pain are:
- Pain and tenderness in the foot
- Swelling
- Redness
- Bruising
- Numbness or tingling sensation
- Shooting pain in the affected foot
- Pain while moving or while standing for too long
- Skin discoloration and burning or itchy sensation around your foot
The signs and symptoms vary to a great extent depending on the cause and type of foot pain. Let’s now take a look at the types of foot pain.
Types Of Foot Pain
- Heel Pain: The pain in the heels of your feet could be due to medical conditions like plantar fasciitis or heel spurs.
- Ball Foot Pain: Aches in the ball of your foot are usually caused by wearing ill-fitting shoes or medical conditions like metatarsalgia, Morton’s neuroma, or sesamoiditis.
- Arch Pain: The common culprits behind arch pain are plantar fasciitis and flat feet.
- Toe Pain: Gout, which is also a form of arthritis, is the most common cause of foot pain. Those with a bunion, hammer toe or claw toe are also susceptible to toe pain.
Other than these, you may sometimes experience pain in the outer edge of your foot. This could possibly be because of a broken metatarsal bone.
Irrespective of the type or cause of foot pain, the following home remedies can provide quick relief by masking the symptoms.
Home Remedies To Relieve Foot Pain
- Essential Oils
- Baking Soda
- Coconut Oil
- Epsom Salt
- Ginger
- Hot Or Cold Compress
- Vitamins
- Sesame Oil
- Mustard Seeds
- Cayenne Pepper
How To Manage Foot Pain Naturally
1. Essential Oils
a. Eucalyptus Oil
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You Will Need
- 10 drops of eucalyptus oil
- A large bowl filled with hot water
What You Have To Do
- Add 10 drops of eucalyptus essential oil to a bowl of hot water.
- Soak your feet in the bowl filled with hot water for 10 to 15 minutes.
How Often You Should Do This
You can do this 1 to 2 times daily.
Why This Works
Eucalyptus oil is derived from the leaves of the eucalyptus tree. It contains a substance called eucalyptol that accounts for most of its medicinal properties. Eucalyptus oil is anti-inflammatory and analgesic and can hence be used for treating foot pain (1).
b. Peppermint Oil
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You Will Need
- 10-12 drops of peppermint oil
- A large bowl of hot water
What You Have To Do
- Add a few drops of peppermint oil to a large bowl of hot water.
- Soak your feet in the hot water bowl for 10 to 15 minutes.
How Often You Should Do This
You must do this on a daily basis.
Why This Works
Peppermint oil, like eucalyptus oil, is also used for treating pains. This could be due to the presence of a strong anti-inflammatory compound called menthol. The anti-inflammatory properties of peppermint oil can help in not only relieving foot pain but also overcoming other symptoms like redness and swelling (2).
[ Read: Best Anti-Inflammatory Foods ]
2. Baking Soda
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You Will Need
- 1/2 cup of baking soda
- A bowl of hot water
What You Have To Do
- Take a large bowl of hot water and add half a cup of baking soda to it.
- Mix well until the baking soda dissolves completely.
- Soak your feet in this for 15 to 20 minutes.
How Often You Should Do This
You must do this at least once daily.
Why This Works
Baking soda is widely used for treating various ailments owing to its anti-inflammatory, soothing, and neutralizing properties. These properties can help relieve foot pain and inflammation.
3. Coconut Oil
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You Will Need
2-3 teaspoons of coconut oil
What You Have To Do
- Take two to three teaspoons of coconut oil in your palm and massage it gently on the affected foot.
- You can also add a few drops of your favorite essential oil.
- After application, you can seal in the oil by wearing socks.
How Often You Should Do This
You must do this once daily, preferably before bedtime.
Why This Works
Coconut oil is one of the best natural options for treating any type of foot pain. It contains medium-chain fatty acids that have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and analgesic properties (3). Coconut oil not only treats foot pain but also combats microbes and keeps your feet moisturized and infection-free (4).
4. Epsom Salt
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You Will Need
- 1/2 cup of Epsom salt
- A bowl of hot water
What You Have To Do
- Add half a cup of Epsom salt to a large bowl of hot water.
- Mix well until the salt dissolves.
- Soak your feet in the Epsom salt solution for 10 to 15 minutes.
How Often You Should Do This
You must do this on a daily basis.
Why This Works
Epsom salt is also known as magnesium sulfate. The magnesium in Epsom salt imparts anti-inflammatory and soothing properties to it (5). It is widely used for treating muscle aches and spasms and can also be used to treat foot pain (6).
5. Ginger
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You Will Need
- 1 inch of ginger
- 1 cup of hot water
- Honey
What You Have To Do
- Add an inch of chopped ginger to a cup of steaming hot water.
- Steep for 5 to 10 minutes and strain.
- Add some honey to the ginger tea and consume before it turns cold.
How Often You Should Do This
You must drink ginger tea thrice daily.
Why This Works
Ginger is another effective remedy for treating foot pain. It contains an enzyme called zingibain that possesses excellent analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, which help in combating foot pain and inflammation (7), (8), (9).
6. Hot Or Cold Compress
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You Will Need
- Hot water bottle
- Ice pack
What You Have To Do
- Place a hot water bottle on the affected area.
- Hold it there for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Replace the hot water bottle with an ice pack.
- Hold it on the affected foot for 10 minutes.
- Repeat this 2 to 3 times.
How Often You Should Do This
You must do this whenever you experience pain.
Why This Works
Hot and cold compresses can work great in combination for treating foot pain. While a hot compress can help in improving the blood circulation to your foot, a cold compress can reduce the pain and inflammation by numbing the affected area (10), (11).
7. Vitamins
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Deficiencies in certain vitamins can also lead to the development of foot pain in some individuals. A deficiency in vitamin B is associated with foot pain. Also, deficiencies in vitamin D are known to cause chronic pain and weakness (12), (13). Hence, it is important that you follow a diet containing all important vitamins and minerals to stay healthy. Some foods that contain vitamins B and D include fish, meat, eggs, dairy, cheese, oranges, soy milk, and cereals. If you want to take additional supplements for these vitamins, consult your doctor before doing so.
8. Sesame Oil
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You Will Need
1-2 tablespoons of sesame oil
What You Have To Do
- Take one to two tablespoons of sesame oil in a small bowl.
- Gently massage this oil on the affected foot.
- You can also add your favorite essential oil to it for additional benefits.
How Often You Should Do This
You must do this on a daily basis.
Why This Works
A gentle massage with sesame oil can help in getting rid of foot pain quickly. Sesame oil possesses anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive properties that can help reduce inflammation as well as the intensity of the foot pain (14).
9. Mustard Seeds
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You Will Need
- 1/2 cup of mustard seeds
- A large bowl of hot water
What You Have To Do
- Take half a cup of mustard seeds and blend it.
- Add the ground mustard seeds to a bowl of hot water.
- Soak your feet in this mixture for 10 to 15 minutes.
How Often You Should Do This
You may do this 1 to 2 times daily.
Why This Works
Mustard seeds are a rich source of various nutrients, which impart anti-inflammatory properties to them and make them beneficial in treating foot pain. Mustard seeds can also help reduce other symptoms like swelling, inflammation, and tenderness (15).
10. Cayenne Pepper
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You Will Need
- 1/2 teaspoon of powdered cayenne pepper
- A large bowl or bucket of water
What You Have To Do
- Add half a teaspoon of powdered cayenne pepper to a bowl/bucket of slightly hot water.
- Soak your feet in this solution for 10 to 15 minutes.
How Often You Should Do This
Do this at least once daily.
Why This Works
Cayenne pepper is a rich source of a compound called capsaicin. Capsaicin is known to possess excellent anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties that can help reduce the intensity of your foot pain (16).
These remedies are apt for relieving the symptoms of foot pain. If you want to prevent its recurrence, here are some tips that might be helpful.
Prevention Tips
- Wear comfortable shoes.
- Avoid high heels and narrow-toed shoes.
- Eat healthy and maintain a good weight.
- Stretch before engaging in any vigorous activity.
- Practice foot hygiene.
- Always wear footwear when you are outside to prevent damage to your feet.
- Massage your feet once in a while to promote blood circulation.
Practicing good foot hygiene and wearing well-fitting shoes are important if you want to steer clear of any kind of foot pain and damage. As you know, your body is a reflection of how you treat it. Similarly, the health of your feet depends on your lifestyle choices to a great extent. So, follow the remedies and tips listed here to deal with foot pain.
Expert’s Answers For Readers’ Questions
Why do I have pain in the middle of my foot?
Any pain in the middle or the arch of your foot could be a result of a common medical condition called plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is caused due to the inflammation of the fibrous tissue at the bottom of your foot (called plantar fascia).
What does diabetic foot pain feel like?
Diabetic foot pains are usually the result of peripheral neuropathy, which is one of the most common forms of diabetic neuropathy. Your legs and feet are affected first, and that is why they begin to ache and feel numb.
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