The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Sauerkraut
Posted by Susan (Ca) on 10/28/2018
★★★★★
SAUERKRAUT Healed My Feet
I injured my feet about 5 years ago (I fell getting out of the way of a bicyclist). They became very swollen and I felt like I was walking on railroad spikes (not pins and needles). I went to the doctor who said they didn't appear to be broken (I knew that). I walked around, painfully, for months until one day I decided that I needed to eat the sauerkraut in the fridge before it spoiled. The swelling was gone the next morning and about 75% of the blunt/sharp stabbing in the feet was gone, too. My feet aren't 100% and never will be. I'm a walker but I can't walk more than 3-4 miles a day now. They now get really really fatigued and become painful if I try to walk too much. But...sauerkraut gave me back my feet...who knew??? :)
Our bodies are supposed to heal themselves but it doesn't always work, especially when your'e older (I'm 64 now). You've heard, "Feed the gut, feed the brain"? Well, I say, 'Feed the gut, feed the whole body'.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Joan (South Riding, Virginia Usa) on 02/03/2012
★★★★★
Around April 2011, while doing heavy exercises, I got what I thought was another bout of
plantar fasciitis. I tried stretching my foot and my calf. I tried homeopathic remedies. I tried 12 weeks of acupuncture. I tried Chinese herbs. While many of these reduced the pain for a while, none took it away. In December 2011 my chiropracter suggested that plantar fasciitis does not last that long and perhaps it was a
heel spur. I had my foot x-rayed and, lo and behold, there was a heel spur identified.
I immediately began researching "Natural Heel Spur" remedies and can upon the Earth Clinic site. I read this post about ACV, molasses and baking soda, as well as MSM, and began them all the first week of January. I also added calcium/magnesium supplements. After about a week the pain was subsiding. After two weeks, I stopped taking the Chinese herbs. It was about that time that I stopped adding molasses to my ACV/baking soda beverage. Then I stopped the MSM, as I was feeling lightheaded whenever I took it.
By the end of Week 3, my heel spur was nearly gone. I could push on the area and feel it was slightly tender. By Week 4 (last week), my heel spur was gone. Vanished. Melted away. My foot no longer has the feeling of walking around with a nail stuck in it. While I have to be careful while my foot gets stronger, I can walk short distances without pain. ACV is a lifesaver. ACV works, if you give it time. I believe the way to distinguish between Plantar Fasciitis and a heel spur is the difference between foot pain and feeling like a nail is in your heel. The nail/heel pain signals a heel spur. Try it, and good luck!
Grapefruit Seed Extract
Posted by Donna (Ohio) on 10/23/2017
★★★★★
About 6-7 years ago my husband complained of foot pain. He worked as a mechanic and jumped down from the trucks onto the floor. We decided that it was plantar fasciitis. Knowing that grapefruit extract helped with inflammation, we tried it for the foot pain. He took 125 mg, 3-4 times a day, everyday for a week or so, then cut back to one a day. I do not think it heals the problem as it will return if not taken every day, but as long as he takes 125 mg everyday he does not have the pain.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Og (Florida) on 05/14/2016
★★★★☆
I definitely feel a big improvement with my Plantar Fasciitis. Started drinking 2 cap full of Organic Apple Cider mixed with a bit of juice every day for the past two weeks. I also drink Ginger tea, taking Turmeric tablets.
It seems to help reduce the pain by 70% so far. I can sleep at night and do not need to take Ibuprofen.
Grapefruit Seed Extract
Posted by Deb (Wyncote, Pa) on 03/24/2015
★★★★★
I read John's post a couple days ago and yesterday purchased Grapefruit Seed Extract (hint: it's an oil). Rubbed about 25 drops on my feet and felt a slight tingling, woke up overnight and felt NO pain. Thought it was a fluke and went back to sleep. Woke up in the am and the only pain I felt was very slight on the medial and lateral edges of my foot. This is unbelievable, I'm also putting the GSE in green tea with apple cider vinegar (acv), vitamin E and colloidal silver. Good luck to you!
Grapefruit Seed Extract
Posted by Joan (Chewelah, Wa) on 01/25/2016
★★★★★
After months of constant pain, I went to the podiatrist and came out with a plan: stretching, support inserts, anti-inflammatories. And then I found this site. The only thing I actually did was get the inserts (but don't wear those shoes that often) and apply GSE.
After a couple of days of GSE, the pain was GONE! I NEVER would have thought to use it in this situation, but it works!
Massage Gun
Posted by Magnolia (US) on 09/26/2022
★★★★★
Plantar Fasciitis
Get you a massage gun from Amazon - many to choose from. It will cut the pain almost immediately and begin the healing process. My daughter-in-law and I both had it at the same time and it worked for us both. She delayed getting one about 6 six weeks and was sorry she waited. Go slowly and on low speed and keep it moving over the bottom of the foot and over the calf muscles - beats anything else that I tried by far!!!!
Diatomaceous Earth
Posted by Mytake (Wilmington, DE, USA) on 09/10/2014
★★★★★
I have used food grade diatomaceous earth for a little over two months now, worked my way up to two tablespoons a day in a glass of water. What I have noticed so far is my plantar fasciitis no longer hurts on my right foot, my nails are growing so fast I have to "tend" to them twice a week, improved energy levels, 2X daily bowel elimination (as opposed to one). All of this has taken about two months so patience is key. At 51 years old, I do exercise daily, eat about a 75% clean diet, but have about 30 pounds to loose. I believe the food grade DE is really pretty awesome...and is not a danger if properly used. I am a nurse and do believe many simple natural products support our immune system greatly. DE is one that I will continue the rest of my life with one day off a week. Good luck everyone - follow your intuition.
Grapefruit Seed Extract
Posted by Angela (Sacramento, California Usa) on 06/11/2010
★★★★★
WOW! Thanks John, the GSE worked on my heel pain too! I woke up this morning w/o the pain. I just rubbed the GSE on both heels yesterday mourning and again last night and today the pain is gone. Love, love, love, this site!
Lysine
Posted by Eva (PA) on 10/27/2026
★★★★★
I've been coming to earth clinic for well over a decade and once again, it did not disappoint! I've never had foot problems and have always been active and enjoyed long walks etc. Last summer I overdid it for a marathon week of working on my homestead, wearing stiff garden shoes because I was working in mud and manure. I was gardening a lot and planting which entailed jamming on the shovel with my foot. I developed what turned out to be plantar fasciitis, and it plagued me for around two months. It was painful, walking a lot, doing chores, or when I'd wake in the morning and step on the foot, or after getting up from sitting down. Sometimes a stabbing, burning pain, other times a niggling deep pain. It was a bit swollen at times. I tried the stretches (which are also recommended by orthopedic doctors), but they only offered temporary relief. I tried wrapping it. I tried massage of the foot and leg, acupressure, castor oil, DMSO and magnesium oil. These things helped some, temporarily, but they didn't fully resolve the problem.
I decided to try the lysine people wrote about here as we had some in our cabinet, so - hey, nothing to lose. I'm on day 5 of taking lysine and what a WORLD of difference! I barely felt anything upon waking in the morning, I feel almost nothing when I get up from sitting, and I only have the faintest feelings of pain upon walking a lot or being on my feet for hours (I am always moving). Thank you, all you wonderful earth clinic people who write in to share your experiences with the rest of us. Thank you so much, I am able to enjoy all my chores and hobbies and taking care of my children without that pain. I will update this if anything changes. At this rate, the pain is 95% gone. It's not even pain, it's just a shadow of the pain. I took 500 mg capsules. The first day I did 1,000 (separate doses 500 morning and 500 night). I felt some relief so upped to 1,500 the following day, and I've been doing between 1,000 to 1,500 daily. I was feeling continued improvement every day, and now on day 5, I'm so grateful and thankful - my foot feels SO MUCH better. I look forward to making a complete and permanent recovery. I would give this remedy 100 stars if I could!
B-12
Posted by Deb (Claremore, Oklahoma) on 07/18/2012
★★★★★
I was recently diagnosed with Plantar Fascia. I have suffered with the pain for almost two years. A friend of mine told me that if I took about 7-9, B-12 pills a day, it would very likely help. Well, I didn't have anything to lose, so, I started taking, about 7 of the 1000 mg B-12 pills throughout the day and within three days I noticed I was pain free. I still take two B-12 pills each morning, and after 1 month, I am still pain free. Thank the Lord!!!
Foot Stretch
Posted by Rexe (Junction City, Ar) on 12/31/2010
★★★★★
This is what I did for plantars fasciiatis, stand straight facing a wall. Place your well foot to the wall, move the sore foot away from the wall-behind you- until you feel a good streach in the back of your leg stretch and release, stretch and release, do this 3 or 4 times, the next day do the same thing, you probably will not notice any change except you can move the sore foot back farther each day, keep doing it everyday, soon the problem will be gone, and you will have no heel pain. It has worked for me and a family member.
Calc. Fluor 6X
Posted by Art (California) on 12/06/2021 2979 posts
★★★★★
I recommended a homeopathic remedy to one of my sister's friends. The remedy is often suggested for foot pain in general and many other uses. In this case, Jane had an actual diagnosis from her doctor of plantar fasciitis
and heel spurs in both feet. Her severity was such that she could only get around in a wheelchair because it was too painful to stand on her feet.
There are quite a few homeopathic remedies for these two conditions, but I recommended only one remedy to make it easier and simpler for her.
I recommended Calcarea Fluorica 6x (CF) which is commonly used for heel spurs and rarely suggested for plantar fasciitis.
https://www.pureformulas.com/calcarea-fluorica-6x-500-tablets-by-hylands.html
Her two doctors told her that her only option was surgery, but she also has another condition that I do not understand and is as yet undiagnosed. This condition from her description of it, sounds like seizures. She had one of these episodes while at the doctor's office and when he saw it, he told her that surgery is no longer an option for her with this seizure like condition. Needless to say she was distraught after the doctor told her that he had no treatments to offer her and she would have to use a wheel chair for the rest of her life. So my sister asked if I would recommend something for her friend, which I did.
She started on it as soon as she got the CF and about 1 1/2 months later, she reported that the inflammation had diminished to almost nothing and according to her doctor, the plantar fasciitis was much improved, but the bone spurs were still an issue. I had told her at the outset to allow 3 months to see benefit.
At two months she reported that the plantar fasciitis was no longer an issue and the heel spurs were about 95% resolved and her doctors were very surprised at these changes as they had told her that surgery was the only remedy and she was not a candidate for the surgery. All this was good news, but the best news was that she is now walking with a cane and no longer needs a wheelchair!
She is very happy! Her seizure like events have also diminished in quantity and intensity! At 2 1/2 months in, Jane remains on this regimen to see if she can reach 100% recovery. I will suggest regular exercise to try and recover muscle strength in her legs. Being in a wheelchair all the time has no doubt weakened her leg muscles and strengthening those muscles now, will help keep her more stable on her feet and much less likely to fall.
In addition to the homeopathy remedy, I had suggested the use of mag oil or Epsom salt foot soaks with borax. I had also suggested icing to help get the inflammation under control initially and after initial control, to be used only on an as needed basis. That is the whole remedy that was very successful for Jane.
B-12
Posted by Clatterbuck (Beltsville, Md) on 09/12/2018
★★★★★
This sounds strange, but I think vitamin B12 shots cured my plantar fasciitis. I had a very painful right heel for more than a year and a podiatrist said I would probably need an operation. Before I could decide what to do about my heel, I was diagnosed with severe B12 deficiency. For whatever reason, my body can't process the B12 I consume so I have to get a B12 shot every month for the rest of my life. Anyway, after my loading doses of B12 I noticed my heel didn't hurt anymore. I don't know if it was the B12 shots or something else, but the pain in my heel went away and hasn't returned.
B-12
Posted by Tessa (Okanagan) on 12/15/2020
Thank you Lindy for mentioning Dr. Berg's exercises. I looked them up on YouTube and will start doing them today.
2 Simple Stretches / Exercises to Fix Plantar Fasciitis: Dr Berg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXdlPuKfyXs
Cheers,
Tessa
Magnesium Oil
Posted by Mrsg (Jupiter, Fl, Usa ) on 06/14/2018
★★★★★
I have tried everything under the sun to help relieve the pain including the cortisone shot, ice pacs, prescription anti inflammatory and pain meds and nothing was helping. I heard about the benefits of magnesium chloride but I have a hard time drinking. I search for info to make my own magnesium oil cream (recipe found in Pinterest). I put cream on feet then wear socks at night or whenever I was home. I noticed almost immediate results! The first morning it was not as painful to take that first step. The next day or two more improvement. Within a week I had a business trip that involved a lot of walking. I still took the anti inflammatory pill but still I noticed I was almost pain free in the afternoon!!! Worth trying. I may even cancel my MRI appt since I am feeling so much better.
Iodine
Posted by Rw (Bluefield, Va) on 09/04/2016
★★★★★
My feet were in pain from plantar fasciitis so bad it was hard to stand for very long. I started taking an Iodine supplement and within a week all pain was gone. I could tell some difference by the third day. The capsules contain 1,000 mcg (that's Micrograms) as a combination of potassium iodide and seaweed extracts. If you start to get acne on your face after starting the iodine, just skip it for a day or two or take every other day.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Ecurb P (Albuquerque, Nm) on 06/20/2015
★★★★★
To everyone suffering with foot pain, joint pain, tendon pain etc--along with ACV, which can give really good results look at your coffee intake and try cutting back to none or just one cup a day. The same for black tea. Many will scoff--coffee can't hurt--oh, yes it can, especially in excess.
Massage Gun
Posted by Magnolia16 (VA) on 08/08/2022
★★★★★
The fun of plantar fasciitis! I've been suffering with this for about 2 months in one foot, not long from what I have read. I tried many of the exercises on youtube and they were usually too aggressive for me and made the pain worse. I have iced, rubbed my foot with a concoction of magnesium oil, grapefruit seed extract and DSMO and have gotten some relief, but have to do that several times a day. Every "cure" posted here, I have tried and there has been no overnight cure. The only exercise that brings relief is to put my aching foot over the other knee and bend my toes back and forth (into the arch) and hold each one for 30 seconds and do this at least three times. Very helpful and also rolling my foot over a frozen water bottle, and rolling my foot over a golf ball as it massages the sorest parts. Very helpful too. I have new shoes w/expensive arch support that I have since swapped out for old arch support as the new ones were too aggressive.
What has helped most has been a massage gun recommended by a chiropractor. I got mine from Amazon and after using 3 times (twice a day) the pain was reduced at least 50%. I can now walk, more or less normally on that foot and it feels like a deep bruise instead of screaming agony, especially at night. I have been able to do some stand-up cycling on a little machine at home for about 1 mile before it aches and then I roll the foot on a golf ball and then do about 2 minutes of the massage gun. It feels so much better. My gait was so off for weeks that I activated arthritis in my opposite hip and have pain from that to heal now. I am using the massage gun on it now too. I now feel like there is an end in sight and want to share this with you. My massage gun with about 8 different massage heads was about $80 and I had to get a USB-C charger, which many people already have. Good luck with this as it is a real pain! I am glad I am retired and can stop when I have to and I really feel for people who have to work with this painful affliction.
