A foot soak may relieve sore, tired feet, but it can also help relieve foot problems like fungus. A regular foot bath of hot water may relax your feet, and additives like essential oils can enhance the experience and expand upon potential usages. Many treatments are not scientifically proven to cure anything, so consult your doctor before trying them.
Aromatherapy Oils
After a long walk or run, soaking your feet provides warmth and relaxation; adding some Epsom salt can help relieve foot cramps, according to SpaMagazine.com. For extra relaxation, add some lavender and chamomile aromatherapy oil to the foot bath. Even small amounts of chamomile can help fight bacteria, too. Aromatherapy oil in a foot bath in the morning can be stimulating and refreshing to help get you energized. Use rosemary and peppermint for an invigorating effect. None of these oils should irritate or burn your skin, but peppermint may cause a mild, temporary tingle.
Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil from tea tree leaves is a natural way to treat a variety of problems. Tea tree oil is used to fight infections like athlete's foot and toenail infections. It also may soothe insect bites and burns. Adding tea tree oil to a foot bath and soaking your feet may help with these conditions. Tea tree oil can also be added to bathwater for coughs and bronchial congestion. According to the National Institutes of Health's MedlinePlus website, direct application of tea tree oil to the skin is possibly effective for athlete's foot, fungus infections of toenails and mild to moderate acne.
Vinegar
Vinegar may help treat plantar warts on your feet. Plantar warts are small, noncancerous growths caused by the human papillomavirus that can be present on the bottom of your feet. Soaking your feet in a solution with vinegar may help the warts to fall off over time, possibly after a few weeks, according to the University of Pittsburgh. MayoClinic.com states that soaking plantar warts in apple-cider vinegar for 20 minutes can help treat plantar warts. Use a pumice stone to remove dead tissue and dab petroleum jelly around the warts. Cover each wart with a piece of cotton soaked in vinegar and secure with a bandage.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Many people use hydrogen peroxide to disinfect cuts, but you can also put it in a foot soak to disinfect your feet. Fungus on the toenails is unattractive and can spread to other parts on your feet. Athlete's foot may develop from an infection of your toenail. Soaking your feet in hydrogen peroxide kills the fungus that causes athlete's foot and toenail infections. Soak your feet every day for 20 to 30 minutes until the infection is gone. However, HealthGuidance.org warns that there are no studies that prove the effectiveness of hydrogen peroxide for foot fungus.
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