TLC Tips For Your Achy Breaky Feet

We are on our feet every day.  And now that the holidays are here, our feet are going to take a beating.  In fact, an average person walks the equivalent of 4 times around the world in a lifetime.  It’s no wonder our feet hurt and that more than three-quarters of United States adults have foot issues.

There are several areas of the foot where the pain is most prevalent.  From shin splints to neuropathy pain, these debilitating afflictions can slow you down. The good news is there are ways to relieve foot pain that we can do on our own and naturally.  So sit back, take a load off, put your feet up, and get rid of foot pain today...

Achilles Tendonitis: Pain above the heel or back of the leg.

The Achilles tendon is in the back of the heel and is the strongest and largest tendon in your body, but it’s also one of the most vulnerable.  So when it hurts, it’s extremely painful.

Achilles Tendonitis is an inflammation of the Achilles tendon due to overuse. As we get older, this tendon gets weaker and if you overwork it by playing sports or dancing all night long, fibers in the tendon can develop small tears and swell.  It can take up to 3 months for Achilles tendonitis to heal and during that time it’s recommended you avoid high-impact activities such as running and maybe try swimming, biking, or other low-impact activities.

How to Heal:  Start by icing down the area that hurts.  Icing reduces swelling and helps the tendon to heal.  Apply ice for 20-minute intervals throughout the day and if possible, keep your foot elevated.  Also, try using heel lifts in your shoes. These thin wedges raise the heel to reduce stress and help the tendon heal quicker. Use lifts in both shoes to keep your body balanced.

You can also use roll-on pain relievers such as our New CobraZol which helps reduce pain and inflammation.

Morton’s Neuroma: Pain in the ball of the foot - like a pebble is in your shoe.

Morton’s Neuroma is the thickening of a nerve in the ball of your foot. It can cause sharp pain or a burning sensation that worsens as you walk. The thickened nerve tissues result from irritation from either too tight a shoe or wearing high heels. Even jogging can cause Morton’s Neuroma due to the repetitive pressure put on the toes.

How to Heal: Wearing wider shoes and giving your toes more room to move, reduces pressure so the nerves can shrink back to normal. This usually takes one to two months.  Also stretching your toes can release a nerve that may be trapped under a ligament in your foot. Over the course of the day, bend your toes up and down with your fingers and stretch them as far as you can comfortably, and repeat about 12 times.

Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: The most common type of neuropathy that occurs slowly and initially affects the foot but will eventually spread to the ankle and leg.  

Untreated high sugar levels damage nerves and the blood vessels that take oxygen to your nerves. Due to the nerves being damaged, patients don’t feel pain and may be unaware of foot injuries which can lead to open sores. If the sores aren’t healed and/or become infected, severe complications can arise.

The symptoms of peripheral neuropathy of the foot can include tingling of the feet, “pins and needles” sensation, burning or shooting pains, and sensitivity to touch.  Additional symptoms can include numbness, temperature change (hot or cold), or the sensation “of not feeling my feet”.

How to Heal:  Actually there is no cure for neuropathy - nerve damage cannot be reversed. Treatment focuses on three goals:

1. A slow progression of neuropathy: to do this it’s critical to keep blood glucose levels to normal levels.  Monitoring glucose, a healthy diet, physical activity, and medication can help control glucose levels. Keeping good glucose control prevents or delays future problems.

2. Relieve Pain: Commonly medications are prescribed for diabetic neuropathy. These include antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and prescription topical agents. Depending on the medication, side effects can include constipation, dizziness, headache, nausea, dry mouth, fatigue, diarrhea, weight gain, and insomnia.

Natural topical remedies are also available. Naturasil Neuropathy Rub is formulated with only natural essential oils and works wonders when rubbed into the bottom of the feet.  

Also available is the roll-on gel, CobraZol, a new clinically proven, pain reliever. This homeopathic medicine contains 8 of the world’s most powerful natural pain relievers, analgesics, and skin absorption enhancers.

3. Treat infections: These can be treated with antibiotics and other medications.

Seek out advice from a medical professional.