Did you ever fly long-haul and did you ask yourselves how to get rid of swollen ankles after flying?
If you did, then you are in the right place.
Below I provide you with three natural remedies on how to get rid of swollen ankles fast.
Why do we get swollen feet when flying?
Leg and foot swelling when you fly is something pretty common and in most of the time harmless.
If you are a frequent flyer, you’ll know that if you remove your shoes during a long-haul, you’ll probably have a hard time, later on, to squeeze your feet back in your shoes.
The most plausible issue with your feet swelling is inactivity in the plane and some cabin pressure.
The longer you set your feet on the floor, the more blood gets to your leg veins. Fluid flowing from the blood-stream veins goes to hide in the surrounding leg, feet, and ankle tissues.
How to get rid of swollen ankles?
First, it is important to remind ourselves that the above reasons for swollen feet are for individuals with no side health conditions.
Now, Edema is a word commonly used instead of the word swelling. And when someone uses this word, he or she does mean that he/she is accumulating fluid in the tissues of their bodies. In our specific flying case, it is at the lower end of your body, that is the legs and feet. (1) So, if you hear someone saying, I have a little Edema, that means he/she has swollen feet.
To this point, and apart from the above natural body reaction, the accumulation of water is sometimes due to high blood pressure, pregnancy and in a number of cases due to kidney problems.
I would like to remind you that any Edema is by itself is not really harmful.
However, having experienced this myself, any Edema can be very uncomfortable.
What is important for you to take into account is that if you see your feet swelling often, then you may be a victim of the above conditions. And as such, it is highly advisable to call your doctor.
In this case, you really want to contact your doctor quickly because it may be a blood clot in your veins. Your doctor should be able to solve that problem quickly.
Below, I provide you with three methods to get rid of swollen ankles.
1- How to get rid of ankle swelling with a mint bath
Here is a simple method that you can apply at home. The method is cheap and natural too.
Ingredients:
- Take ½ cup of mint leaves
- Ensure you have 4 cups water
Direction:
Start by placing the mint leaves and water in a pot. Heat the mixture for about 10 minutes. Do not allow the mixture to boil, but just to come to ebullition.
Now let the solution cool down for about 10 minutes.
Pour the solution in a bucket. When done, just soak your feet in it for about half an hour. This should allow your feet to ‘deflate’ quickly without the need for medicines.
2- How to get rid of swollen feet and ankles with a tonic water bath
This is probably the weirdest of the three methods described here.
In fact, my friends tell me that this is a very odd way to get rid of swollen ankles fast.
However, as weird as it may seem, tonic water does greatly help in getting rid of swollen ankles after flying.
The method is simple. Just pour tonic water in a bucket.
And now soak your feet in it. Note that the tonic water must be at room temperature.
If you can bear cold tonic water, then the results will be much faster.
Allow your feet in the tonic bath for about half an hour.
What the tonic water will do is to transfer some of the quinine to your body and reduce the inflammation. The carbon dioxide bubbles will also help the process of deflating your feet.
3- How to get rid of swelling in ankles with saltwater feet bath
I think this is the method I prefer the most.
It is very easy to perform, and best to have seawater. Unfortunately, we do not all have our homes near the sea.
But that is fine. You can prepare some salt baths. Just take any type of salt and pour a good quantity of it in a bucket.
Add some water. Cold is best, but if you do not like it, then use lukewarm water.
If you have Epsom salts, then please use it. By the way, ensure that you have enough water to cover your ankles.
You really need to know this. Epsom salts have really nice properties for relaxing the muscles. And when your ankles and feet will relax due to the salt, they will deflate slowly, nicely and you’ll feel so great.
Conclusion
It is very uncomfortable to have swollen feet or ankles. And a lot of people are asking themselves how to get rid of swollen ankles when pregnant, after flying, or just after a long drive.
And there is nothing easier than to get rid of ankle swelling.
You just need to use a mint bath, or a tonic water bath or even an Epsom salts bath.
These are three of the fastest way to get rid of swollen ankles. They are easy solutions to your endless after flight problems.
One bit of advice though, ensure that you consult your doctor in the case swelling occurs often outwith flying or long drives. You may be subject to a clot, and this is a serious condition.
The quicker you get to the doctor, the better it is for you. You may also be subjected to kidney, heart or high blood pressure conditions.
Back to you
I am pleased that I managed to provide you with simple solutions on how to get rid of a swollen ankle and feet.
This is a problem that I encounter during my long haul, and I always have a hard time when I want to put my shoes on at the end of the journey.
I hope you have enjoyed our site and I look forward to seeing you soon in another Omigy great article.
Speak soon and ensure you stay healthy and live a healthy life.