Ipsey Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Ever since I was a kid, I've suffered from chillblains on my toes in the winter. I have terrible circulation in my feet. They itch terribly, and I wake up in the middle of the night from their itchy painfulness. Does anyone have any home remedies for these horrible things? Thanks SO MUCH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 I get them too when I live in a cold climate. They're awful. This might be too obvious, but what helped me was making sure to keep my feet warm all the time. I'm a barefoot sort of person, even in the winter, but I have to wear socks when I start getting chilblains. I'd also make sure to keep them warm when I was sitting for a long time, and it was nice to soak them in warm water. Like I said, pretty obvious, but it made a huge difference for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 I was reading about these for someone else. One source said that lanolin is a good insulator to help keep the heat in. You can find it with breastfeeding pads and supplies if you've not used it before. I also read that calamine and witch hazel are better for the itching than lotions and such. I heard you should also warm up slowly when you have them so that they aren't as painful/itchy. I think I get them on my thighs, but I didn't realize what they were until I was reading up for someone else. Staying warm is my best bet--I now have a good pair of long johns and wear them anytime I am out in the winter cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Socks and slippers or shoes on my feet all the time during the day. Socks and an electric blanket at night. I've used an electric blanket, on low, for 3 winters now and it has been wonderful. I also used to get horrible cramps in my calves in the middle of the night from the cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ipsey Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 Thanks all. I'm always barefoot in the summer, but I've definitely resorted to socks and slippers in the winter, but my feet still get cold. I have cotton socks and fuzzy sheep skin slippers on right now, and my toes are still cold. My big toes are practically numb. :( I'd love a topical, so I'll look into the Witchhazel and read up on the ginko. Soaking with epsom sounds like a good idea. Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Smart wool socks and hard soled slippers make a HUGE difference in my life. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ipsey Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 Smart wool socks and hard soled slippers make a HUGE difference in my life. :) Oooh, I do have several pair of smart wool socks, but perhaps not oddly, they make my feet sweat. It's probably better than the chillblains though. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 My mother says compression socks helps her cold feet at night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 I've heard that rubbing capsaicin into some cream or lotion and then applying it to your feet can help but I've not tried that myself. I'll be back with a link for socks to keep your feet warm at night when I'm not posting from my phone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ipsey Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 I've heard that rubbing capsaicin into some cream or lotion and then applying it to your feet can help but I've not tried that myself. I'll be back with a link for socks to keep your feet warm at night when I'm not posting from my phone. Thanks! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 I got them when I was about 13 and an old lady told me that urinating on them fixes them. I tried it, they disappeared. I have no idea if it was because of urinating on them or if they went away naturally... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 my friend suffers from this and she has tried so many things. She has learned to keep her feet warm at all times. For example, even just stepping from a shower onto the cold tile floor is not good for her feet. Anything that causes the capillaries to contract is bad. Try to avoid any changes in temperature extremes. She also likes smartwool socks, but if they make your feet sweat that might not be good. Cotton is absorbent so maybe cotton socks under the smart wool? I find the idea of compression socks interesting. She has had to go in the opposite direction. Anything that presses on her feet causes her such pain. She has taken to wearing very large down slippers inside and boots that are way too big when she goes outside. She is considering buying a boot heater to keep her boots warm so she doesn't have to put her feet into cold boots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pod's mum Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 I got them when I was about 13 and an old lady told me that urinating on them fixes them. I tried it, they disappeared. I have no idea if it was because of urinating on them or if they went away naturally... Watch out for the weird suggestions from those Aussies... When working in England I was also given this advice. Soak your feet in your wee. Easy. Gross. Works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 I never soaked in it, just urinated after having a shower. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 How would that work? Chilblains (or at least what I think of as chilblains) are caused by poor circulation in the extremities, mostly feet. The capillaries have an overly enthusiastic response to the cold and shut down too much and for too long. How could an external application of urine do anything to counteract that on a permanent basis? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 How would that work? Chilblains (or at least what I think of as chilblains) are caused by poor circulation in the extremities, mostly feet. The capillaries have an overly enthusiastic response to the cold and shut down too much and for too long. How could an external application of urine do anything to counteract that on a permanent basis? I have no idea. but it worked for me, the old lady that told me, podsmuun and the British lady that told her. Come to think of it, it was a British old woman who told me.... is it a British thing....... :ph34r: maybe the British women who use this cure have been banished and now reside in Australia..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 If you don't like wool socks, you may want to try fleece. Acorn makes some nice ones. Be sure to get the correct size for your foot, because otherwise they won't fit well;they don't stretch as much as regular socks. I *love* my fleece socks, and they are *so* much warmer than cotton ones. I've also found that wearing thin tights underneath (or I suppose you could do socks, but I haven't tried them) makes them even warmer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pod's mum Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 For me it was used to treat the burning, itchy feet. It worked. For me the cause was generally feet getting wet while walking in cold rain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmama Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 I wear wool socks OVER my cotton ones at night. Keeps my feet warm, but not sweaty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammi K Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 I never soaked in it, just urinated after having a shower. Maybe you should do it BEFORE the shower :001_unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Governess Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 I've only had them once. I now keep my feet warm by wearing uggs around the house. I also make sure to never get into a hot shower with freezing cold feet. I've found that the best way to keep my feet warm in bed is to put something on my head. A hat, a throw blanket, another pillow.... Just on the top of my head. It's kind of amazing how well this works. Way better than socks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 Maybe you should do it BEFORE the shower :001_unsure: I haven't had chilblains since I was 12. Urinating seemed to give me a lifelong cure.... :coolgleamA: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pod's mum Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 You know I haven't had them since then either. I thought it was just to treat the symtoms, but maybe it does cure? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 Totally off topic, but when my father stepped on a sea urchin in the Philippines, an old woman told him to get my mother to urinate on the wound. He declined. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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