I am a huge fan of chiropractic care. It has always amazed me that my doctor could look at and manipulate the feet, and then go directly to the point on my back that hurt and manipulate it with a little hand held plunger.
When it comes to the overall condition of the body, it seems the feet have a story to tell.
In the same way that foot acupressure points can be used to relax the body, the foot can also signal when the body has issues that needs to be addressed.
When Foot Pain Signals Other Problems
According to Health A to Z, foot pain can signal serious medical problems in other parts of your body.
- You may have arthritis if you have pain, tenderness or limited motion in the joints of your feet. This is especially true if this pain worsens over time.
- You may have diabetes if notice tingling, and numbness in the foot and lower legs.
- You may have gout if you are a male over 30 with acute pain the big toe or other joint.
- You may have obesity issues if you have regular foot discomfort and pain. This pain is likely to lessen as you lose weight, and get worse when you gain weight.
- You may have circulation problems and nerve disorders if you have pain in your feet or swelling in your feet.
- You may have kidney or heart problems if you have swollen feet.
- You may have hypertension if your feet lose color and if you notice increased or periodic swelling in the lower extremities.
- If you have pain in your ankles, it can be a sign of problems in your knee and hip joints.
Sources: California Podiatric Medical Association and Health A to Z
As you can see, foot pain and discomfort is not normal and should not be ignored. If you have any kind of foot pain, especially if it persists, you should see a doctor or podiatrist.
When Foot Pain Signals Foot Problems
Sometimes, foot pain can simply be a sign that there is something wrong with the feet (rather than another part of the body).
Common foot ailments include achilles tendonitis, bunions, corns, calluses, heel spurs, and ingrown toenails. And none of these problems should be ignored either. Why? Because corns, calluses, and other foot problems tend to get worse over time and can even result in crippling effects and amputation of the toes and feet.
And here are some serious foot and body pains that you shouldn’t ignore, including a burning sensation in the feet and legs.
It’s pretty easy to find home remedies for many common foot discomforts. And many of them actually work quite well. It is wise, however, to get a doctor to diagnose the problem before trying to treat it on your own.
For example, even if your foot problem seems as minor as a repeat case of athletes foot, you should still see a doctor because it could be a sign of groin fungus and should be treated simultaneously.
Check out 7 home remedies for treating athlete’s foot.
How A Chiropractor Gets "Clues" From Your Feet
As stated above, my chiropractor uses what is called a plunger to manipulate the spine as opposed to a manual adjustment where he would "crack" my spine or neck. It is a more exact science, as he places the head of the little tool against the vertebrae that is out of line and he gently pushes it back in with the pressure that pushing the trigger on the tool provides through a spring mechanism.
To determine which vertebrae is out of alignment, the patient lies on his or her stomach and the chiropractor looks at which direction the feet are pointing when the patient is relaxed. This signals that certain vertebrae are out of alignment.
The chiropractor also moves the patient’s feet around and looks at the patient’s back for movement or tension in order to find vertebrae that are out of place.
Here’s an article that gives one patient’s experience with this chiropractic method: The Benefits Of Chiropractic Care After A Car Accident
RELATED:
5 Foot Fixes For Corns & Calluses
Before You Have Bunion Surgery…
18 Soothing Feet Treats For Foot Aches
I have been a certified tightwad since I became pregnant with my first child and decided to find a way to stay home with him. I enjoy sharing my experiences in my journey back to financial health and planning for a future — which will include sending 2 kids to college and early retirement.
