5 Alternative Remedies for Feet Health Complications
It’s easy to take the health of your feet for granted. However, many occupational stresses can cause feet health complications. When your feet are sore or injured, your entire outlook on life gets affected. If you’re experiencing foot irritations, there are alternative remedies you can try before seeking out professional help. Below, we’ll examine what job stresses to look out for as well as five home remedies that work wonders for our feet.
What Jobs Cause Foot Problems?
If you find yourself dealing with some sudden foot pain, it’s helpful to evaluate the cause of the issue. Generally speaking, jobs that require you to stand all day (or most of the day) are likely to cause problems. If you have a pinched nerve or an anatomical anomality in your feet, this will likely compound your job stresses.
Fellow lifestyle blogger Sarah Khandjian dealt with severe foot pain for years, only to discover that her persistent pain was caused by an entrapped nerve and extra bones in her feet.
Healthcare and Constructions Workers
While an issue with anatomy may well be the culprit, the more likely case is that your job is at the root of your pain. Healthcare workers and construction workers are at a particular risk. For those on the move all the time, a pair of comfortable work boots for standing all day are a must.
Heel Shoecide
Women who wear heels to work are also at risk for foot pain. The American Osteopathic Association notes that high heels often lead to heel pain and toe pain. Frequent wearers may experience long-term health complications.
If you know that your job is causing feet health complications, there are things you can do at home (that don’t involve quitting your job) to improve your pain.
Five Alternative Remedies
1. Rest, Ice, and Elevation
Even if you’re able to wear comfortable work boots for standing all day, it’s still possible to experience foot pain during and after work. A simple nightly foot care routine may be all it takes to find relief. Applying ice and elevating your feet will reduce inflammation, which in turn lessens pain. Because this is one of the most basic and inexpensive items on the list (and also one of the most time-tested treatments for pain), it’s a good idea to try this one first.
2. Bunion Splints
For many people, wearing shoes to work causes chronic foot issues. One woman, who identifies herself on a blog only as Judy, explains that at her worst, she could only walk about half a block before experiencing severe pain. Judy took matters into her own hands and began making her own shoes to accommodate her feet.
You may not be able to make your own shoes, but a well-made bunion splint offers a convenient and affordable way to reduce foot pain associated with bunions. Some of these splints are low-profile enough to be worn in most shoes, so they offer an alternative for those who cannot switch to more comfortable shoes.
3. Arnica
Arnica Montana is a mountainous herb that has traditionally been used for pain relief. Scientists believe it contains compounds that reduce inflammation. It’s commonly used by athletes to reduce muscle soreness.
If you find yourself experiencing foot health complications due to standing all day at work, rubbing a gel preparation of arnica may help reduce pin. Alternatively, you can pour an arnica tincture into warm water and soak your feet after a long day.
4. Epsom Salts
This old-fashioned and affordable remedy works well for sore feet and other aches thanks to its high magnesium content. Like many alternative remedies, this one works best if you do it regularly.
To make an epsom salt soak, you’ll need to add a cup of salt to a warm footbath. Once the salt has dissolved (stirring will speed this step along), soak your feet for 10 minutes. For some people, adding in an essential oil improves the experience. If you don’t have a footbath, you can also fill your bathtub to ankle height. If you do this, be sure to use two cups of the salt rather than one.
5. Stretches
If chronic foot pain is an issue for you, doing targeted stretches each day may reduce symptoms. One especially useful stretch to do right when you wake up is the towel stretch, in which you loop a towel or exercise band around your foot and gently pull toward you. In a similar vein, heel raises will improve foot flexibility and reduce your likelihood of experiencing pain. Foot stretches are most likely to help those who wake up and immediately experience foot pain or stiffness, although they also reduce anyone’s risk of foot injury.
Conclusion
Feet health complications, if left untreated, may create other physical and mental issues if not treated correctly. If you find yourself struggling with foot pain, one or more of the above solutions may be able to provide some relief or get rid of your symptoms entirely. If you use them regularly, and not just when you experience pain, you’ll be more likely to find that your foot health issues lessen over time.