Foot pain and fatigue can result from many diseases and causes.
1. Muscle, tendon, and fascia disorders
- Flat feet / Abnormally high arches → Causes chronic pain and soreness.
- Plantar fasciitis → Heel pain
- Achilles tendinitis
- Plantar fasciitis / Plantar tendon tightness
- Tendinitis from overuse
2. Neuropathic syndrome
- Peripheral neuropathy
- A tingling, stinging sensation, like an electric shock.
- Diabetic foot
- Nerve entrapment
- such as Tarsal tunnel syndrome
- Morton’s neuroma
- A sharp, stinging pain between my toes, like I've stepped on a rock.
3. Circulatory syndrome
- Peripheral arterial disease
- Aches, numbness, cold feet.
- Varicose veins in the feet and ankles.
- Vasculitis
4. Joint and bone syndromes
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Gout → Pain, swelling, redness, heat.
- Heel bone inflammation
5. Behavior and triggering factors.
- The shoes don't fit properly / have hard soles / lack support.
- Walking or standing for long periods of time.
- Overweight
- Exercising with incorrect form.
- The floor is hard, and I often walk barefoot.
What symptoms should you pay special attention to?
- The pain was so bad you couldn't walk.
- Chronic numbness is becoming more and more common.
- A sharp, electric shock-like pain in the middle of the night.
- You have a wound on your foot, but it doesn't hurt.
- Swollen, red, and hot feet, accompanied by fever.
Symptoms of numbness and tingling in the feet include muscle strain, poor blood circulation, stress, and insomnia.
Herbal foot soaks can relieve pain and promote relaxation.
Herbal foot soaks have a long history, with various countries and formulas, each offering different benefits. For example, Chinese methods focus on soaking in herbs to lower blood pressure, treat numbness, insomnia, and diabetic foot problems. Thai methods, on the other hand, use warming herbs to improve blood circulation and relieve pain, numbness, plantar fasciitis, and promote relaxation.
Herbal foot soak
Most herbal foot soaks in Thailand typically contain ingredients such as turmeric, lemongrass, kaffir lime, and other herbs. These herbs are known for their pain-relieving properties and the fragrant essential oils help to relax and relieve stress and fatigue.
How to Use
Boil or soak the herbs in warm water, then soak your feet in the mixture for 15-20 minutes.
Caution
- Caution is advised for people with diabetes. They should test the water to ensure it's not too hot and could scald their skin. Diabetics have a lower sensitivity to temperature than normal individuals.
- Do not use very hot water. Always test the water temperature first.
- Soak for 15-20 minutes at a time, once a day.
- If you experience any adverse reactions such as burning, itching, rash, dizziness, or palpitations, stop using the product immediately.
- Elderly individuals should be supervised to prevent falls.
Prohibitions
- Those with open wounds, infected sores, or fungal infections on their feet should avoid this product as it may worsen the inflammation.
- In people with Peripheral vascular disease
- For pregnant women (especially in the first trimester), certain herbs may stimulate circulation or the uterus.
- People allergic to herbs such as turmeric, ginger, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves.
- In people with severe varicose veins, heat may cause the veins to swell more.
Research supports the use of herbal foot baths in Thailand.
Diabetic patients often experience numbness and tingling in their feet, which can be distressing. A study comparing a group that followed normal foot care practices with a group that used herbal foot soaks found that the group that soaked their feet had lower pain scores and fewer numb spots in both their left and right feet.
Analysis of the herbal foot soak compounds using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) revealed key active compounds, including phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and curcumin. Cytotoxicity testing on RAW264.7 cells showed low toxicity. Therefore, the herbal foot soak exhibits antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in vitro.
Patients with end-stage liver cancer often experience numbness, tingling, burning, and stinging in the soles or toes of their feet, along with depression due to the suffering. Studies using herbal foot soaks have shown that they reduce pain and improve psychological well-being.
Acupressure treatment combined with herbal foot soaks in 30 diabetic patients resulted in a reduction of foot pain and numbness scores from 5.3 to 3.4.
Reference
Jawso, K., Songnithimethawat, P., Sributr, P., Sarasuk, T., Bunsuk, P., Tanthanapanyakorn, P., Khantikulanon, N., Mungkhunthod, S., & Praserttai, C. (2025). Effects of an herbal foot bath to reduce foot paresthesia among diabetic patients with complications in a border area of Sa Kaeo, Thailand. Science, Engineering and Health Studies, 19, Article 25050017.
https://li01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/sehs/article/view/265749
Angsusing, J., Samee, W., Mangmool, S., Dortae, U., Keawthip, P., Mahasirimongkol, S., Kreechai, S., Wanaratna, K., Chittasupho, C., & Toolmal, N. (2025). Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of Thai traditional hand and foot soaking formulary and its bioactive compounds. Pharmaceutics, 17(7), 907.
https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17070907
Rachderm, A., Nootim, P., Buamahakul, T., & Mada, W. (2024). Effect of hot herbal foot bath formula on quality of life in patients with end-stage liver cancer at the Thai Traditional and Integrated Medicine Hospital. Journal of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, 22(1).
https://he01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/JTTAM/article/view/261249
Ritthithathorn, T., Nawsuwan, K., Singweratham, N., & Junwin, B. (2025). The effects of acupressure massage and herbal foot bath on foot numbness in patients with type 2 diabetes at Ban Khuan Kae Health Promotion Hospital, Ron Phibun District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. UBRU Journal for Public Health Research, 14(2), 69–78.
https://he02.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/ubruphjou/article/view/271296