Home Remedies for Swollen Feet
Epsom salts work magic on painfully swollen feet. There are a lot of reasons feet can swell and the accompanying pain can cause a lot of discomfort. Dissolving a few cups in your bathwater will do the trick on fatigued tootsies, calves, and ankles. If you don’t want to waste water on a full bath, you can always prepare an Epsom salt foot bath in a shallow bucket of water. Soak your feet for at least 15-20 minutes, longer if you have the time.
Some health professionals recommend using Epsom salts for swelling, but also for feet that are injured or infected, and even for arthritis. These salts are quite low in price with potentially great benefits for overall foot health. Epsom salts are made of magnesium sulfate that is absorbed through the skin – the reason why these salts are so successful at reducing swelling and improving blood circulation. An added bonus? They’ll also make and keep your feet smelling good for longer and sooth dry skin.
2) Yoga
Gentle exercises such as yoga postures can do much to encourage blood circulation, which will stop blood from pooling in certain areas like the feet and ankles. Many posture to help with swelling involve flexing and extending your toes and feet. By stretching the muscles in your lower legs and feet, you can improve circulation. Yoga inversion postures that elevate the feet above the heart – such as lying on your back and putting your legs straight up against a wall – can also alleviate pressure and swelling on fatigued lower extremities.
Yoga is a common remedy for edema, a medical condition that causes feet and legs to retain fluid, resulting in uncomfortable swelling. Pregnant women are especially susceptible to this condition, which can add to the already-present discomfort of carrying a child. If you want to try home remedies like yoga for swollen feet, it’s best to talk to your doctor beforehand, as well as take a yoga class to learn how to do the poses properly.
3) Tonic Water
For those of you living in the medical Dark Age, Tonic water is carbonated water to which a little quinine has been added. Initially used as a cure for malaria, tonic water is also a good way to bring down the swelling of the feet. Soak your feet in cold or room temperature tonic water. The quinine acts as an anti-inflammatory agent and the fizz in the carbonated water is a great relaxant.
For those of you living in the medical Dark Age, Tonic water is carbonated water to which a little quinine has been added. Initially used as a cure for malaria, tonic water is also a good way to bring down the swelling of the feet. Soak your feet in cold or room temperature tonic water. The quinine acts as an anti-inflammatory agent and the fizz in the carbonated water is a great relaxant.
4) Magnesium Supplements
If you suffer from painfully swollen feet, ankles and calves regularly, you may want to ask your health care provider if magnesium supplements might relieve pain. Oftentimes, a magnesium deficiency can contribute to inflammation of the feet or even cause edema, which causes you to retain fluid in your feet and legs. Even if you don’t have a magnesium deficiency, supplements might still be a good remedy because extra magnesium has been known to help. On top of many pregnant women developing edema, women in general can be more susceptible to swollen feet each month before their menstrual cycle, the time when a woman’s body naturally retains more water.
Speak with your doctor before taking any supplements because magnesium and some other supplements known to reduce swelling can interact with other medications, making the swelling worse. And people with heart or kidney disease should not take magnesium supplements, as there’s an increased risk of complications.
This is another way to alleviate swelling of the feet that uses the easiest of all mediums – water. One of the best natural remedies for swollen feet. Take half a bucket of hot water (not scalding hot, or you will be reading ‘home remedies for hot water burns’ next!) and another half bucket of cold water (not icy cold). Soak your feet in the hot water first and switch to the cold water bucket after about 10-15 minutes. Switch back to hot water one last time, this time for about 5 minutes. This works by encouraging better blood circulation in the feet. As a bonus, you get some free time to read, listen to music, meditate or just chill!
6) Elevate your Tootsies
Inverted gravity can be a great ally to swollen feet and ankles. Try propping up your lower legs in bed using a pillow so that your feet are elevated above your heart and encourage fluid to drain away, and be absorbed, or eliminated (via urination) by the body. You’ll likely have to do this several times a day, depending on how severe your condition is.
Inversion tables are also a good way to elevate your feet and decrease swelling. Lying on your back, these tables lock in your feet and then allow you to pretty much hang upside down. This remedy for swollen feet doesn’t work for everyone, but it’s a good one to try. And inversion tables are known to help with many back problems and alleviate back pain, so you may help treat another area of your body at the same time you reduce the swelling in your feet.
If you suffer from painfully swollen feet, ankles and calves regularly, you may want to ask your health care provider if magnesium supplements might relieve pain. Oftentimes, a magnesium deficiency can contribute to inflammation of the feet or even cause edema, which causes you to retain fluid in your feet and legs. Even if you don’t have a magnesium deficiency, supplements might still be a good remedy because extra magnesium has been known to help. On top of many pregnant women developing edema, women in general can be more susceptible to swollen feet each month before their menstrual cycle, the time when a woman’s body naturally retains more water.
Speak with your doctor before taking any supplements because magnesium and some other supplements known to reduce swelling can interact with other medications, making the swelling worse. And people with heart or kidney disease should not take magnesium supplements, as there’s an increased risk of complications.
5) Contrast Baths
This is another way to alleviate swelling of the feet that uses the easiest of all mediums – water. One of the best natural remedies for swollen feet. Take half a bucket of hot water (not scalding hot, or you will be reading ‘home remedies for hot water burns’ next!) and another half bucket of cold water (not icy cold). Soak your feet in the hot water first and switch to the cold water bucket after about 10-15 minutes. Switch back to hot water one last time, this time for about 5 minutes. This works by encouraging better blood circulation in the feet. As a bonus, you get some free time to read, listen to music, meditate or just chill!
6) Elevate your Tootsies
Inverted gravity can be a great ally to swollen feet and ankles. Try propping up your lower legs in bed using a pillow so that your feet are elevated above your heart and encourage fluid to drain away, and be absorbed, or eliminated (via urination) by the body. You’ll likely have to do this several times a day, depending on how severe your condition is.
Inversion tables are also a good way to elevate your feet and decrease swelling. Lying on your back, these tables lock in your feet and then allow you to pretty much hang upside down. This remedy for swollen feet doesn’t work for everyone, but it’s a good one to try. And inversion tables are known to help with many back problems and alleviate back pain, so you may help treat another area of your body at the same time you reduce the swelling in your feet.
7) Baking Powder
This simple, unassuming ingredient has many remedial benefits. To solve your swollen feet issue, take a 1:1 mixture of baking powder and rice water (boil rice and use the starchy water). Example: take 2 teaspoons of baking powder in 2 teaspoons of rice water. Make a paste and apply it over your feet. You can also take a larger quantity of this paste, add some water to it and soak your feet in it. The baking powder and rice act as water absorbers.
This simple, unassuming ingredient has many remedial benefits. To solve your swollen feet issue, take a 1:1 mixture of baking powder and rice water (boil rice and use the starchy water). Example: take 2 teaspoons of baking powder in 2 teaspoons of rice water. Make a paste and apply it over your feet. You can also take a larger quantity of this paste, add some water to it and soak your feet in it. The baking powder and rice act as water absorbers.
8) Hydrate
A significant amount of people don’t drink enough water every day, contributing to swelling. When your body doesn’t get the water it needs, it begins to retain water in an attempt to avoid dehydration, leading the retained water to cause swelling in the feet and legs. Oftentimes, just drinking more water throughout the day will help dilute sodium and caffeine, main contributors to lower inflammation. Drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water per day will help flush toxins out of the body.
Swollen feet can cause pain and discomfort, it can be difficult to get your feet in shoes, or even make you unable to walk far or drive if the swelling is severe. To maximize the benefits of drinking more water to help reduce swelling, try adding a few slices of lemon to your water for the added anti-inflammatory benefits. For some people, simply hydrating can alleviate their symptoms, while others may have to use a combination of remedies. But regardless of whether it helps with your swollen feet, you should still make sure you drink enough water regularly.
A significant amount of people don’t drink enough water every day, contributing to swelling. When your body doesn’t get the water it needs, it begins to retain water in an attempt to avoid dehydration, leading the retained water to cause swelling in the feet and legs. Oftentimes, just drinking more water throughout the day will help dilute sodium and caffeine, main contributors to lower inflammation. Drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water per day will help flush toxins out of the body.
Swollen feet can cause pain and discomfort, it can be difficult to get your feet in shoes, or even make you unable to walk far or drive if the swelling is severe. To maximize the benefits of drinking more water to help reduce swelling, try adding a few slices of lemon to your water for the added anti-inflammatory benefits. For some people, simply hydrating can alleviate their symptoms, while others may have to use a combination of remedies. But regardless of whether it helps with your swollen feet, you should still make sure you drink enough water regularly.
9) Essential Oil Soak
Take essential oils of eucalyptus, peppermint and lemon with some water and use this aromatic mixture to soak your swollen feet for about 15 minutes. Essential oils have nothing to do with the word ‘important’; they mean that the oils contain the ‘essence’ of a particular plant. Besides alleviating the swelling in the feet, this remedy also acts as a natural relaxant through its beautiful aroma.
Take essential oils of eucalyptus, peppermint and lemon with some water and use this aromatic mixture to soak your swollen feet for about 15 minutes. Essential oils have nothing to do with the word ‘important’; they mean that the oils contain the ‘essence’ of a particular plant. Besides alleviating the swelling in the feet, this remedy also acts as a natural relaxant through its beautiful aroma.
10) Elevate To Alleviate Swelling
This is something you can try while sitting at work or lying down in bed at home. When at work, prop up your feet on a stool and keep flexing the ankles at regular intervals. When you are in the comfort of your bed, you can try elevating the feet (to the point where they are at least a foot above the heart’s level). This can be done by propping the feet on some cushions or even on the wall for 5-10 minutes. I have tried it many times, and it is immensely and immediately relieving.
This is something you can try while sitting at work or lying down in bed at home. When at work, prop up your feet on a stool and keep flexing the ankles at regular intervals. When you are in the comfort of your bed, you can try elevating the feet (to the point where they are at least a foot above the heart’s level). This can be done by propping the feet on some cushions or even on the wall for 5-10 minutes. I have tried it many times, and it is immensely and immediately relieving.
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