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Showing posts with label feet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label feet. Show all posts

Friday, 18 November 2011

Essential Oils for Feet

Using aromatherapy is a good way to rest your feet from tired, sore,and worn out feet.

Common Essential oils for feet that you can use are:
Peppermint: an anti-inflammatory with decongestant and soothing properties.
Lavender: will soothes the feet.
Rosemary: mild stimulant .good for rheumatic aches and pains.
Lemon: refresh, revive, and stimulate circulation.
Eucalyptus: very powerful bactericidal with anti-viral properties.
You can make your own blends using these essential oils for feet at you home.
The following recipe is designed just for your feet. Please try it and your feet will Thank you!

Peppermint Foot Scrub


This recipe gives relief for tired and cramped legs.Also,you can try following treatment with a foot bath.
Ingredient:
  • 4 tablespoons Epsom salt/ sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons soy oil
  • 8 drops peppermint essential oil

Foot Scrub

Foot Scrub (For rough, dry, calloused, or weary feet). This recipe will leaves feet feeling soft, smooth, tingly, and the body refreshed.
What you will need:
  • 1/4 cup (59 ml) ground oatmeal
  • 1/4 cup (59 ml) cornmeal
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) sea salt
  • Essential oil of lemon or peppermint
  • Moisturizing cream or lotion
  • Spring or tap water
Prep time: 5 to 10 minutes
Mix with: spoon and small bowl
Store in: A large batch of the dry mix could be made, stored in a zip-seal bag, low tub/jar, or tin and kept in the bathroom.
Yields: 1 treatment
Instructions:
Combine the dry ingredients with enough water to form a creamy, gritty paste. Add a few drops of essential oil and stir again. Sit on the edge of the bathtub or bench in the shower and massage feet with mixture. Really scrub all those rough areas and between toes. Rinse and dry. Apply a thick moisturizing cream mixed with a few drops of either essential oil.
Note: Make sure to clean the bathtub after this procedure as the scrub could clog the drain.
This essential oils for feet recipes is taken from : The Herbal Body Book by Stephanie L. Tourles, 1994

Tired Footbath

This blend comes in handy when you've been on your feet all day.
You will need :
  • 3 drops lavender essential oils
  • 3 drops rosemary essential oils
  • 4 drops lemon essential oils
  • 2 litre of warm water
Combine oils and mix well.Massage into legs using circular motion, massage onto dry feet. Rinse well.
Before you go to bed :
Rub olive oil into your dry, cracked feet. Do not rinse. Then, put a cozy pair of socks on and go to sleep. Your feet will drink in the moisture and feel much better by morning.

Energizing Foot Lotion

If you have been on your feet all day and they are aching then make some of this lotion and rub it on. They will feel better in no time.
You will need:
  • 1 tablespoon almond oil
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon wheat germ oil
  • 12 drops eucalyptus
Combine the ingredient in a bottle. Shake extreme well. Store in a cool and dry place
To Use: just rub into your feet and heels.
Tea Tree is another essential oils for feet that I recommended. Tea Tree oil has natural deodorizing and anti-fungal properties. It can be used for fungal infections, blisters, athlete’s foot, infected wounds, insect bites, rashes, and warts.
You can try using this oil to make foot powder.

Tea Tree Foot Powder

  • 2 drops of Tea Tree oil
  • 2 drops of rosemary oil
  • 2 tablespoon of arrowroot powder.
Add oils to the powder, stir until the oil is thoroughly mixed in, then dust onto feet before putting on your socks.

Home Remedy for Sore Feet

The feet take a beating each and every day. Walking, running and standing can all put pressure on the extremities and cause sore feet.
Sore feet can arise from a number of different causes, including medical concerns or simply be blamed on fatigue. Pain, discomfort and swelling can all accompany a number of different conditions that bring about foot problems.
How to remove sore feet issues is a concern for almost everyone at some point in their lives. When a sore foot is a problem or both of them hurt, the symptoms can include achiness, shooting pains, cracking and even overall body fatigue.
When conditions like corns, severe dried skin, gout or certain types of warts are present, to get rid of sore feet might require medical attention. Doctors do have a number of treatment options at their disposal. Natural cures for sore feet, however, can also be quite effective.

Natural Cures For Sore Feet:

There are a large number of home remedies for sore feet that can prove quite effective. The best measures to take in regard to natural cures and home remedy options do hinge on the underlying condition.

Rest:

One of the best home remedies for sore feet involves nothing more than getting some rest.
Sitting or sleeping with the feet elevated can reduce swelling, pain and pressure caused by walking and overuse.

Epsom Salts:

Soaking the feet in warm water that contains Epsom salts can make a big difference. This can ease the signs of fatigue, loosen the muscles and help with swelling with strong results.

Massages:

Foot massages can be quite useful for treating sore feet. This natural cure can be performed personally, by someone else or even by rolling a tennis ball under one foot while standing.

Black Cherry Juice:

If the issue behind sore feet involves gout, drinking black cherry juice can ease the pain. This natural cure has long been used with promising results.

Lemon Slices:

Among natural cures for sore feet this is one that can work well for corns. Affixing a lemon slice on top of a corn at nighttime can help soften the skin and relieve the pressure.

Shoe Alterations:

Changing the style of footwear used can greatly help sore feet. Ideally, shoes should be worn without a heel and fit snugly, but not tightly.
Comfort pads in footwear can also be helpful as a home remedy for soreness.

Tuesday, 15 November 2011

Summary of Foot Problems

Summary of Foot Problems

Condition
Location
Symptoms
Recommended Footwear
Toe Pain
Corns and calluses
Around toes, usually little toe, bottom of feet or areas exposed to friction.
Hard, dead, yellowish skin.
Wide (box-toed) shoes; soft cushions under heel or ball of foot, or customized or gel insoles for calluses. Doughnut-shaped pads for corns.
Ingrown toenails
Toenails.
Nail curling into skin causes pain, swelling, and, in extreme cases, infection.
Sandals, open-toed shoes.
Bunions and bunionettes (tailor's bunion)
Big toe (bunions) or little toe (bunionettes).
The following can occur alone or in combination:
Metatarsus primus varus. The first (big toe) metatarsal bone shifts away from the second, and the big toe points inward.
Medial exostosis. This is a bony bump at the base of the big toe, which protrudes outward. Area next to bony bump is red, tender, and occasionally filled with fluid. Toe joint may be inflamed.
Hallux valgus. This is a deformity in which the bone and joint of the big toe shift and grow inward, so that the second toe crosses over the big toe.
Soft, wide-toed shoes or sandals. Bunion shields or splints. Thick doughnut-shaped moleskin pads, custom-made orthotics or foot slings, if necessary. Avoid shoes with stitching along the side of the "bump."
Morton's neuroma (also called interdigital neuroma)
Inflammation of the nerve, usually between the third and fourth toes and bottom of the foot near these toes.
Cramping and burning pain, or electric-shock sensation. The condition may produce a thick protective sheath around the nerve that feels like a ball. This may be detected by pressing top to bottom on the top of the foot using one hand and moving the other hand from side to side. Morton's neuroma is aggravated by prolonged standing and relieved by removal of the shoes and forefoot massage.
Wide (box-toed) shoes. Orthotic or insole with pad that reduces stress on the painful area.
Hammertoe or claw toe
Usually second toe, but may develop in any or all of the three middle toes.
Toes form hammer or claw shape. In hammertoe, the first knuckle of the toe is mainly affected. In claw toe the entire toe is deformed. No pain at first, but pain increases as tendon becomes tighter and toes stiffen.
Wide (box-toed) shoes. Toe pads or specially designed shields, splints, caps, or slings. (Splints or slings are not for people with diabetes.)
Front-of-the-Foot Pain
Metatarsalgia
Ball of the foot.
Acute, recurrent, or chronic pain without a known cause.
Wide (box-toed) shoes. Orthotic with pad that reduces metatarsal pressure. Gel cushions. Metatarsal bandage.
Stress fracture
Most often in the area beneath the second or third toe.
Sudden pain (which persists) when injury occurs.
Low-heeled shoes with stiff soles.
Sesamoiditis
Ball of foot beneath big toe.
Pain and swelling.
Low-heeled shoe with stiff sole and soft padding inside.
Heel and Back-of-the-Foot Pain
Plantar fasciitis or heel spurs
Back of the arch right in front of heel.
At onset, some people report a tearing or popping sound. Pain is most severe with first steps after getting out of bed. Pain decreases after stretching, returns after inactivity.
Over-the-counter foot insole (cut quarter-size hole surrounding painful area). Possible night splints. Orthotics if necessary.
Bursitis of the heel
Center of the heel.
Pain, with warmth and swelling. Increases during the day.
Heel cup.
Haglund's deformity (pump bump)
Fleshy area on the back of the heel.
Tender swelling aggravated by shoes with stiff backs.
Soft shoes. Heel pads. Possible orthotic to support heel.
Achilles tendinitis
Achilles tendon: area along the back between calf muscles and heel.
Pain worsens during physical activities (particularly running), after which the tendon usually swells and stiffens. If it ruptures, popping sound may occur followed by acute pain similar to a blow at the back of the leg.
Insoles, tendon strap, heel cups.
Arch and Bottom-of-the Foot Pain
Tarsal tunnel syndrome
Anywhere along the bottom of the foot.
Numbness, tingling, or burning sensations, pain, most commonly felt at night.
Specially designed orthotics to relieve pressure.
Flat feet or posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD)
The arch.
No arch. Often no pain or discomfort. Three stages in PTTD:
Pain and weakness in the tendon.
The arch flattens but is still flexible.
The foot becomes rigid and possibly painful at the ankle. Sometimes people report fatigue, pain, or stiffness in the feet, legs, and lower back.
For children, possible custom-made insoles.
High arches (hollow feet)
The arch.
High arches. Lower back pain, possible tendency to lower limb injuries.

Saturday, 29 October 2011

Painful Feet

For the past month i have been getting Sore Burning Feet, it started with my right foot, the longer i am on my feet the worse it gets, till i can barely walk or stand.

It then progressed to my left foot but it is not as bad, so far.

The agony is indescribible at times, sometimes it comes on very sharp like a knife slicing the sole of my foot.

To begin with i put it down to my shoes as they are about 18 mths old, i thought they lacked cushioning, but i have now disregarded this idea, because i think my feet are so bad and it is getting progressively worse.


Of course an additional problem to all this, i can't do walking which i love and i can't exercise, which of course doesn't aid my weight loss.

The longer i am on my feet the worse it gets, and when i am at work 3 days running is a killer.  My days off work are just so boring and frustrating, because i try and rest it....



I googled it and this is the closest possibilty i could find.

Metatarsalgia

Definition

Metatarsalgia is a condition marked by pain and inflammation in the ball of your foot.
You may experience metatarsalgia if you're physically active and you participate in activities that involve running and jumping. Or, you may develop metatarsalgia by wearing ill-fitting shoes. There are other causes as well.
Although generally not serious, metatarsalgia can sideline you. Fortunately, conservative treatments, such as ice and rest, can often relieve metatarsalgia symptoms. And proper footwear, along with shock-absorbing insoles or arch supports, may be all you need to prevent or minimize future problems with metatarsalgia.

Symptoms

Symptoms of metatarsalgia may include:
  • Sharp, aching or burning pain in the ball of your foot — the part of the sole just behind your toes
  • Pain in the area around your second, third or fourth toes — or, only near your big toe
  • Pain that gets worse when you stand, walk or run and improves when you rest
  • Sharp or shooting pain in your toes
  • Numbness or tingling in your toes
  • Pain that worsens when you flex your feet
  • A feeling in your feet as if you're walking with a pebble in your shoe
  • Increased pain when you're walking barefoot, especially on a hard surface
Sometimes these symptoms develop suddenly — especially if you've recently increased your usual amount of running, jumping or other high-impact exercise — but problems usually develop over time.

What are the causes of metatarsalgia?

One or a combination of many factors can cause metatarsalgia.
Among the most common is over-training or over-activity. Studies show that runners – who tend to put excessive pressure on their metatarsals when playing – develop metatarsalgia more than others do. Intensive, extended training puts an abnormal amount of stress on the balls of the feet, often causing irritation and eventually, inflammation.
A high arch, an abnormally long second toe, and other such structural factors can also cause metatarsalgia. People with hammertoes , those who wear high heels (which prevent the toes from relaxing flat), and those who are overweight are also more prone to metatarsalgia because their conditions tend to put more pressure on the balls of the feet.
The risk of developing metatarsalgia also appears to go higher as a patient grown older. This is because the fat pads on the metatarsals thin out as a person ages, diminishing the ability of the metatarsal bones to protect themselves.

Tests and Diagnoses

Most doctors require a patient to undergo an x-ray in order to rule out other foot problems which cause symptoms similar to those of metatarsalgia. Most doctors also ask about a patient’s lifestyle, exercising habits, activity levels, etc.

How to treat metatarsalgia?

Most metatarsalgia cases only require conservative treatment.
Metatarsalgia treatment can be as simple as applying ice packs to the affected area several times during the first day, for example – in most cases, this can already significantly reduce swelling and ease pain. Rest is another simple but effective form of metatarsalgia treatment. By keeping stress off the balls of the feet, inflammation and pain are reduced. Athletes who need to still keep active even during recuperation period are usually advised to temporarily switch to low impact exercises like swimming.
In some cases, doctors may prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen. These drugs aid in lessening pain and swelling. Doctors may also prescribe specially-designed orthotics to minimize pressure. Shock-absorbing insoles are also great in cushioning the balls of the feet.
When conservative metatarsalgia treatment options fail, the doctor may recommend metatarsalgia surgery. During surgery, the metatarsal bones are realigned.