Top Tips for Bunion Care
You are one of those amazing people who is always prepared, right? This year you are hosting the family Thanksgiving dinner and you’ve already got your Martha Stewart on—shopping for the turkey, stuffing, cranberries, and veggies, plus table decorations and mums for the entryway—and your poor feet are aching. It’s time to give those sore bunions a little TLC. You are so organized, you probably have the ingredients for these foot soak recipes already on hand:
- Fill a basin with very warm water and stir in 2 – 3 tablespoons of Epsom salts. Soak your feet for 10 – 15 minutes. The magnesium in the salts soothes your pain and helps fight off infection, but it can be drying to your skin, so be sure to apply lotion afterwards.
- Add 2 tablespoons vinegar to a basin of warm water for a soak that helps reduce inflammation along with the pain. (Combine this with the Epsom salt recipe to get even more benefit for your sore joints.)
- Try ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper in your foot bath and soak for a few minutes. The capsaicin in the pepper is known for its ability to relieve pain—including aches from bunion deformities.
- Grind up some mustard seed and stir into warm water. Soaking in this solution for 10 – 15 minutes helps remove toxic water from the body, improve blood circulation, and reduce inflammation, which can help relieve swelling and pain in your feet.
- 4 drops of eucalyptus and rosemary oils plus 2 drops of peppermint oil in very warm water makes a soothing foot soak to treat bunion pain and rejuvenate your spirits at the same time.
Once you are finished soaking, be sure to pat your feet dry all over—especially between your toes, and then apply a moisturizer to condition your skin. You’ll be amazed at how much better your feet feel!
If you have diabetes, you should consult with us before using any at-home foot treatment to make sure it is safe. For chronic bunion pain, let us evaluate your condition and recommend the best treatment. Call Advanced Foot & Ankle Specialists of Arizona at (480) 963-9000 to schedule an appointment. We want your feet to be healthy and pain free so you can enjoy those special holiday times with friends or family.