Useful Natural Remedies for Heel Pain

Even though heel pain rarely triggers a serious health condition, it may create an intense discomfort that affects your daily life, especially if you practice sport. Sometimes, the pain can be so intense, that even walking becomes a challenge.

Usually, a heel pain can be described as a mild or severe pain on the bottom or back of the heel. Other times the pain can be localized in the arch of the foot. If you haven’t had an injury or a fracture, and you experience the pain for only several days, the cause may be a new pair of shoes. Flat shoes usually worsen the pain.

There are some natural remedies and exercises that you can try in order to relieve your heel pain, but if you feel that the pain is not eased and you continue to have difficulties in walking, it is recommended for you to see a doctor.

• Massage

Massage helps you to ease the pain and to relax the muscles of your feet. The stiffness will also be reduced and you can enjoy your activities without having a heel pain. However, the effect of this remedy only lasts for a few hours. Then, you may have to repeat the process. If you have an active life, massaging your feet and especially your heel before jogging or exercising will definitely help you to reduce the pain that you would normally feel during and after such an activity. Moreover, you are also advised to massage your heel after sports activities. It is also very important to massage your painful heel before going to bed. This way, the risk of severe heel pain in the morning will be significantly reduced.

The massage can be done with the help of some warm oil, such as olive or coconut oil. Apply a few drops of oil on the affected area and massage it with your thumbs for a few minutes, and then gently use circular moves.

• Cold Compress

Another efficient way to get rid of the heel pain is to apply a cold compress on the affected area. You can even use an ice cube for this. A cold compress will reduce the inflammation, and it will numb the pain. This remedy works great in the case of plantar fasciitis, foot tendonitis, and a bone spur.

Smash some ice and put it in a plastic bag and then wrap it in a towel. Apply it on the painful area and leave it there for 10-15 minutes. You can repeat the process as needed, but don’t apply the ice directly on the skin.

• Turmeric

This is a famous natural remedy for inflammation and pain. In fact, turmeric contains a substance named curcumin that has wonderful anti-inflammatory proprieties and it acts as a painkiller. For this reason, turmeric is an efficient remedy when you suffer from heel pain. However, scientific studies have proven that curcumin cannot be properly absorbed by our bodies without piperine. That’s why it is recommended to use turmeric next to some black pepper while cooking. Another solution is to mix turmeric, black pepper and raw honey and to take a teaspoon of this mixture daily in order to benefit from the wonderful proprieties of turmeric.