How To Relieve Foot Pain: 5 Easy Home Remedies for Gout, Plantar Fasciitis + More

It’s no secret that taking 5,000 to 10,000 steps per day safeguards against heart disease, diabetes and dementia. But foot pain can prevent you from walking and engaging in other “stepwise” activities as often as you’d like. In fact, a survey conducted by the American Podiatric Medical Association found that 72 percent of people with painful feet were sidelined from exercising. Keep reading to discover how to relieve foot pain using a few simple strategies—no over-the-counter pain relievers required. 

How to relieve foot pain wherever it strikes 

No matter where your foot pain occurs—heel, arch, toes or anywhere in between—you want fast, effective relief. Here’s what can reduce pain: 

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Big toe pain? Sip cherry juice 

Compounds found in tart cherries and their juice have a study-backed ability to lower uric acid levels in the body, which can cause toe pain in people with gout. And according to Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD, author of Arthritis-Proof Your Life, drinking 4 Tbs. of juice mixed in 8 oz. of water can deliver pain relief in as little as 20 minutes.

Prefer to snack on whole cherries instead? A study from Boston University School of Medicine found that people who ate about a cup of cherries daily significantly reduced their risk of gout flare-ups within just two days. 

Wellness

Ease Arthritis Pain Fast With 9 Natural Home Remedies That Work

Between family game nights, pickleball with friends and walking Fido, the last thing we want is to be sidelined by joint pain and inflammation, a problem that plagues more than 53 million people in the United States. And cold temperatures and barometric pressure shifts only worsen discomfort by irritating nerves and making it harder to […]

Burning feet? Take B12 

Burning and a painful pins-and-needles feeling in the feet are classic signs of diabetic neuropathy, the nerve damage triggered by diabetes. Fortunately, research conducted in India reveals that taking 500 mcg of methylcobalamin, a highly absorbable form of vitamin B12, three times a week can help alleviate nerve pain in as little as four weeks. Experts explain that B-12 boosts nerve healing and regeneration while reducing erratic nerve signals that can trigger pain. One to try: Life Extension Vitamin B12 Methylcobalamin.

Achy arches? Wear insoles 

Fitting shoes with supportive insoles eases pain-producing pressure on arches, say experts reporting in the journal Clinics in Orthopedic Surgery. And in welcome news for budget-conscious women, investigators at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center concluded that prefabricated insoles eased pain as effectively as pricier custom-made orthotics. A study-backed arch support insole to try: Dr. Scholl’s Custom Fit Foot Orthotics 3/4 Length Inserts, CF 410 

Wellness

4 Ways To Relieve Ball of Foot Pain, Plus the Best Cushioned Shoes

Most of us take walking for granted — until it becomes too painful. When you’re dealing with ball of foot pain, each step can cause a sharp, burning sensation behind your toes. And even small tasks, like standing in line at the grocery store, can be too much. Pain the ball of your foot is […]

Heel pain? Grab a tennis ball 

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Sure, draping an ice pack over sore feet can ease discomfort. But when it comes to taming the heel pain caused by plantar fasciitis, a study in the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork suggests rolling your soles over a frozen tennis ball provides even better relief. 

Researchers found that folks who used the strategy on their affected foot for two minutes every other day experienced marked reductions in heel pain after five days. The icy massage lowers pain-producing tension and inflammation in the plantar fascia, the ligaments that run along the bottom of your foot.

Sore joints? Try a capsaicin cream 

If arthritis is making your feet and ankles ache, consider reaching for a capsaicin cream. Capsaicin is a compound that tricks the brain by faking a sensation of warmth, which confuses the body’s chemical messengers and makes them less able to transmit pain signals. A study at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland found that 80 percent of folks with osteoarthritis who used capsaicin cream daily reported less pain in two weeks—that’s better than nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and without side effects.