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In this month's issue:
From head to toe - are your feet causing a headache?
Recent website additions
Say what?! Podiatry
From head to toe - are your feet causing a headache?
Do you get a headache, or even a migraine attack, when you've been on your feet a lot? Did you ever consider that your feet may be causing a headache?
Both alternative and traditional types of medicine have come to realize that your feet can influence the health of your entire body. I remember finding foot massage very helpful during a migraine attack. It can help relax your whole body, when done properly. Let's look at some of the ways you can harm your feet, and a few ways you may be able to remedy the situation.
How could you be harming your feet?
Are you wearing cheap shoes with poor soles?Do you get very little exercise, then end up on your feet all day?Do you walk straight, or on one side of the foot? Are the soles of your shoes wearing unevenly?Does one foot tend to get sore easily? Both feet? Where? These questions may help your doctor diagnose the problem.
What can you do to help your feet?
If you're having pain in your feet, talk to your doctor. Fallen arches may require special insoles (not necessarily the cheap ones you see at the department store). Pain may be a sign of arthritis, or diabetes. Check it out with your doctor to rule out serious conditions.Make sure you buy decent footwear, both for indoor and outdoor use. WebMD has some tips for buying footwear, but remember that if you have a condition such as fallen arches you may need something more specific.Try a basic foot massage, or get a friend to massage your feet (a good friend). Here are some foot massage techniques. For personal massage, try an inexpensive massager such as the foot roller. I have one of these and it's surprisingly effective.If your walk is a problem, a physical therapist who specializes in movement can be a huge help. I went to see one of these and learned that I was doing a lot of things wrong when I walked. Walking "wrong" can tire you out sooner and cause problems all over the body.A foot bath can relax the whole body, and is especially helpful for tension headacheGo to a professional for a foot massage. You can try a massage therapist, for example. There are various theories of foot massage, such as reflexology, but the jury is still out on how much more effective some of these treatments are.Get proper, regular exercise. This is much better than suddenly tiring out your feet.
Here are some more general tips from the American Podiatric Medical Association
Recent website additions
If only they knew... what do you wish family and friends understood about your migraine attacks, or headaches? Now's your chance to say what you were afraid to say before - or maybe what you have said before. It's the new community question - stop by and give your opinion!
If you haven't read the updated version, check out a few of the answers to our last community question about getting to sleep with migraine. Thanks for all your excellent suggestions!
Some recent tidbits from Migraine & Headache News:
Alka-Seltzer Gold for migraine?New ways to encourage your friendsInvisible symptoms in pictures
If you haven't checked lately, you'll see that the page with other blogs is continuing to improve. It's being updated more often, and shows which blog the entry comes from. Check it out - Migraine Blogs, Headache Blogs.
Don't forget, as a subscriber you're a shareholder in this website! Drop by the HeadWay MailRoom and leave your comments and suggestions (password: nomoache).
Say what?! Podiatry
Podiatry or Podiatric Medicine is the field of medicine related primarily to the foot and ankle. It's also known as Chiropody. Physicians in the field usually have a degree in the field after several years of education. For more, visit Podiatry Today or Feet for Life. |
