“Can bath salts help in treating heel pain?”
I feel a lot of pain within my heels. I think it's because I walk a lot for my job in the city. Can soaking my feet in water with bath salts help in treating heel pain?
28 Answers
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Warm water with epsom salt is good for reducing swelling. Pain in your heels could be from improper footwear. To start, avoid flat shoes with no arch support. Bring your work shoes with you to the podiatrist office for evaluation.
Soaking may give some temporary relief, but will not cure the problem. Most likely you need more support with either a better shoe, with a good insert or an orthotic. Stretching your calf and the bottom of the foot may also help. I recommend seeing a podiatrist to have an exam and xrays to rule out issues such as a stress fracture
Not aware of it. Use ice if any topical treatment is used.
Soaking in bath salts and water (warm) is certainly helpful, but not curative. It is not normal to have heel pain just from walking. There are multiple causes for heel pain. You need to be evaluated and treated by a Board Certified Podiatric Surgeon.
It would feel good while you’re soaking but it really does not do anything therapeuticly.
Yes.
Not likely, would recommend ice massage.
The bath salts may feel good on your feet but that is not treating the underlying problem. Heel pain can be from plantar fasciitis or even a bursitis causing the pain. Both of those I would recommend seeing a podiatrist for to have it treated.
Yes, bath salts in warm or cool water can help with heel pain. Mild to moderated heel pain can temporarily feel better, but if the condition persists or gets worse you will need professional help. Plantar fasciitis is the most common reason, but it's not the only reason for heel pain.
Some people do have success using warm water and epsom salt. I also recommend rolling frozen water bottle up and down arch for 15 min
Yes, foot soaking with Epson salt water does give some limited relief. Make sure the water is not too hot, especially if you are diabetic.
No. Bath salts will not help. Heel Pain is typically caused by a tight and inflamed ligament called the plantar fascia. Soaking will not reduce the tension or the inflammation.
The etiology of heel pain is not consistent with soaking although soaking can feel soothing it may also overly dry your skin
Not really. Aspercreme with lidocaine, icy hot, biofreeze, or even ben gay will offer more relief. Don't walk barefoot.
Warm salt baths can be therapeutic for your sore feet, so you're welcome to try soaking them for 20 mins daily. That being said, treating heel pain effectively requires a professional evaluation and treatment plan.
Typical heel pain is a bio mechanical condition that is usually caused by a muscle imbalance and overuse type injury. Soaking the feet will make it feel better, but you need an evaluation to determine the cause of the heel pain so the appropriate treatment can be rendered. I recommend you make an appointment for evaluation with a podiatrist
Soaking will help initially, but is not a long term solution. Generally what is needed is appropriate support
Soaking the foot can give her some relief but in order to have the resolution of heel pain a person needs a accurate diagnosis.
Frazier Ben Todd
Podiatrist (Foot and Ankle Specialist)
Epson salt foot soaks have a long history of relieving symptoms of pain in joints and muscle tenderness.
Some find relief with that. Others need more aggressive treatment such as inserts, injections, oral medication, icing, stretching and even sometimes surgery.
The heat from warm water may make your feet feel better, but you are actually drying the skin out. Most pathologies do better when you ice them to decrease inflammation. Soaking in warm water or using hot compresses will increase inflammation and can increase pain
Heel pain can be due to multiple causes. The most common being a condition called plantar fasciitis which is an inflammation of a band of tissue on the bottom of the foot that supports the arch of the foot. It is unlikely that bathing in salt and water will have any significant long-term effect on relieving your discomfort. It may feel good temporarily but in general it will have no therapeutic benefit. On the other hand ice massage to the area 10 to 15 minutes at a time several times a day is much more beneficial. I would recommend you see a sports Podiatrist who can evaluate your condition and determine what the most appropriate form of treatment would be. It may be as simple as changing your shoes to a more supportive shoe, doing stretching exercises, taking some anti-inflammatory medication, or possibly making a foot orthotic to go in your shoe. This can be best determined by seeing a sports podiatrist.
I have seen that help.. but saying that I don’t think that is the long term answer. See your local Podiatrist for an exam
Epsom salt foot baths help with many ailments of the feet. They can help to relieve muscle tension and are often used by those who have tired, achy feet by the end of the day. Heel pain in and of itself can occur as a results of many etiologies and usually require medical attention for proper plan and treatment. Salt soaks may reduce the pain temporarily, but often times will not be the definitive treatment for the heel pain.
Bath salts don't have an effect on the pathology in heel pain unless the discomfort is caused by some type of skin lesion. The bath salts do not penetrate through the skin. The skin is a great barrier that acts to keep harmful solutions and toxins from penetrating the skin where they could be dangerous to the individual.
Soaking the foot in warm water that is not too hot will increase blood flow to the area bringing more of the body's own healing elements to the area being soaked. So, the increase in local temperature is what helps heal any damage, not the bath salts.
A word of warning. Individuals with compromised circulation, especially patients with diabetes, must be vigilant about water temperature. Individuals with decreased circulation will burn at a lower temperature than patients with normal circulation.
Rod Tomczak, MD, DPM, EdD
Soaking the foot in warm water that is not too hot will increase blood flow to the area bringing more of the body's own healing elements to the area being soaked. So, the increase in local temperature is what helps heal any damage, not the bath salts.
A word of warning. Individuals with compromised circulation, especially patients with diabetes, must be vigilant about water temperature. Individuals with decreased circulation will burn at a lower temperature than patients with normal circulation.
Rod Tomczak, MD, DPM, EdD
Warm water soaks and gently rubbing/massaging the heels may help alleviate the pain, but the salts will have no beneficial effect.
Some people enjoy soaking. I have not usually found this to be helpful. Typically icing will give more relief. Do not ice for more than ten minutes at a time and do not apply ice to bare skin.
