If you often feel that your feet are swollen or you suffer from swollen ankles, it is time to find the cause that is causing it and remedy it. While it's important to see a doctor to rule out serious conditions that require medical attention, there are many mild and easy-to-treat causes that may put an end to this annoying inflammation.
Do you want to know how to deflate your feet? we give you the keys to simple care that will help you improve the condition of your feet and reduce inflammation. Discover the best treatments for swollen feet.
Why do feet swell?
If you have come this far, you probably suffer from swollen feet or ankles. What causes foot swelling? Although it is a very common problem, the causes of swollen feet can be very varied:
- Spending many hours on your feet.
- Shoes that press on the feet.
- Hormonal changes, such as menopause and pregnancy).
- Vascular alterations.
- Biomechanical alteration that produces imbalance.
- Fluid retention.
- Renal insufficiency.
- Overweight or obesity.
- High temperatures.
- Infection.
- lymphedema.
- foot injury
- Certain medications.
Activates circulation
Knowing how to deflate swollen feet will allow you to put an end to this discomfort immediately. One of the best remedies to deflate your feet is to activate the circulation in the area. How? It's very simple: raising them and stretching them . Putting your feet up, while keeping the rest of your body lying down, will help reduce inflammation. Follow these tips:
- If you spend a lot of time sitting, try to move your feet by raising them slightly, or get up to walk for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Another option is to lie down and raise your feet until they are above the rest of the lying body.
If you have circulation problems, you can take a look at this other article on How to treat poor circulation naturally.
Take baths of warm water, vinegar and salt
One of the most effective and efficient remedies to deflate your feet is to take a bath of warm water, vinegar and salt. This is because vinegar has natural properties to reduce inflammation. In addition, thanks to the warm water you will help activate circulation. To perform this treatment against swollen feet, follow these steps:
- Fill a tub or basin with warm water. Avoid that the water is very cold or very hot, because remember that extreme temperatures are not good friends of the circulation.
- Next, add a splash of vinegar and a handful of salt.
- Then soak your feet for 15 to 20 minutes and relax.
Dip your feet in chamomile baths
Another good natural remedy for swollen feet is chamomile baths. And it is that this medicinal herb has very beneficial anti-inflammatory properties for the body. To perform this treatment on your feet you must:
- Prepare an infusion with plenty of chamomiles and plenty of liters of water. You can do it in a pot.
- Then, put the infusion in a basin or tub and when it is warm, submerge your feet until the infusion has cooled completely.
- Next, perform a small foot massage to encourage chamomile to penetrate the skin.
Get lymphatic drainage
Lymphatic drainage massages activate circulation and reduce swelling of the feet. In addition, they help reduce fluid retention and edema. To perform them properly, you ‘ll need to massage your feet and ankles using gentle, repetitive, circular motions .
For the massage to be much more effective, we suggest you do it with some type of oil, preferably extra virgin olive oil, which also has anti-inflammatory effects.
Massage your feet with a ball
In addition to lymphatic massages, we offer you another simple option that you can do at home. It involves massaging the foot with a tennis ball. For it:
- Place the tennis ball on the ground and step on it with the sole of your foot.
- Then, move your foot forward, backward, or in circular motions so that the ball goes all the way across the bottom of your foot.
Drink infusions
If the cause that is causing the swelling of the feet is poor circulation, you can incorporate some infusions into your daily life. They can help you activate the circulation and, consequently, reduce the inflammation of the feet.
Among the most recommended natural infusions for their anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties, we highlight: sage, mint, horsetail, dandelion, ginkgo biloba, ginger, peppermint, mistletoe or rosemary silver, among others. Here you can learn more about which are the most diuretic infusions.
Take diuretic foods and drinks
In addition to infusions, it is very effective to incorporate diuretic drinks into your diet that allow you to reduce foot swelling caused by fluid retention. The objective of this type of drink is to help you expel retained liquids . We leave you the list of some of the most effective foods and drinks:
- carrot juice
- blueberry juice
- Tomato juice
- horsetail infusion
- Diuretic foods: asparagus, artichokes, watermelon, celery, cucumber, tomato or eggplant, among others.
Apply ice to your swollen feet
The cold is an ally against inflammation. For this reason, we recommend using ice to deflate the ankle or foot. If the cause of this inflammation has been a minor injury, such as a blow or a sprain, it will also help to reduce the pain. To do it correctly, keep in mind the following considerations:
- Never apply ice directly to the skin, you could burn yourself.
- Place ice cubes or a frozen bag wrapped in a towel or cloth .
- Apply the cold to the inflamed area for a few minutes for it to take effect.
Use cold cucumber slices
Cucumber is a food that has anti-inflammatory properties. Just as you use it to reduce eye inflammation or dark circles, it is also used to treat swollen feet and ankles. The trick is simple:
- Cut a cucumber into slices. It is recommended that the cucumber is in the fridge beforehand to help reduce inflammation, also, through cold.
- Place the slices on the inflamed foot and take the opportunity to place it high, which also helps to reduce the swelling.
- Let it act for a few minutes.
Reduce salt intake
Excessive consumption of sodium, in addition to promoting hypertension, can also cause fluid retention and, consequently, favor swelling of the feet. Therefore, if you want to show off inflammation-free feet, you should start reducing your salt intake. Low-salt diets aim to take no more than 200 mg of salt per day.
If you are determined to reduce salt in your diet we will tell you how to substitute salt when cooking.
Wear the right shoes
As we have previously pointed out, wearing inappropriate footwear can be one of the causes of foot and ankle inflammation. To avoid this, try to always choose comfortable shoes , in addition to using the correct size. In this sense, avoid buying them without having tried them before and do not forget that high heels can promote inflammation.
Change posture
If you are one of those who spend many hours sitting, whether for work or a long flight, for example, you should know that to avoid swelling of the feet it is necessary to change your position every 15 minutes or so . During this change, try to keep your legs straight or get up and walk around for about 5 minutes. This will help you deflate your feet.
Perform exercise
A sedentary lifestyle causes poor blood circulation and is one of the causes of swollen feet. If this is your case, try to change your habits and start doing moderate exercise on a regular basis .
Walking is one of the most recommended exercises in these cases, but you can practice any sport, always warming up and stretching both before and at the end of your routine. Also, exercising regularly is very important to keep your body and mind healthy.
