A simple practice of soaking feet in a basin of warm water is said to help relieve migraines. This was conveyed by a lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition IPB University (FKGiz), dr Christy Efiyanti, SpPD, FINASIM.
According to her, research on warm water compresses or soaking feet in warm water for migraine patients has indeed been conducted. However, the number of research subjects is still limited.
She explained that the effect of soaking feet in warm water on blood flow to the head is still speculative.
“Research on warm water compresses or soaking feet in warm water for migraine patients has been conducted, but with a limited number of subjects. Its effect on blood flow to the head is also still speculative,” she explained.
Physiologically, sensory stimulation from hydrotherapy can dominate pain stimulation by activating large-diameter myelinated fibers. This condition can cause the loss of the gate to small nociceptive impulses.
Both hypothermia and hyperthermia are known to have strong physiological and hemodynamic effects on the body. Exposure to warm water also reduces sympathetic strength and increases vagal tone.
Regarding its effectiveness on various types of headaches, dr Christy mentioned that so far, research has been limited to migraine cases only. She has not found sufficient scientific evidence for other types of headaches.
For those who wish to try it, she recommends soaking the feet in warm water at a temperature of around 40℃.
“Lavender oil can also be added. The soaking duration is around 20 minutes, and after soaking, immediately dry the feet with a dry cloth. This intervention is given 5 days a week,” she said.
She emphasized that this method can be tried as an adjunct therapy. Therefore, medical consultation, especially for those with recurrent or severe migraines, remains necessary. (dr) (IAAS/DAM)
