Foot bath
A foot bath is a bath that is limited to the feet and possibly lower legs . The feet are bathed in hot or cold water . Also, contrast baths and tempera turan rising baths are possible. A bath additive can be added to the water .
While warm footbaths help against cold feet in winter, a cold footbath provides pleasant cooling on hot summer days.
A foot bath can be used to treat illnesses (as part of hydrotherapy, for example as part of the Kneipp cure ), but it can also be used for body care .
A warm foot bath can typically last 10 to 20 minutes; a cold one is much shorter. Under no circumstances should soap or the like be added to the bath , as alkalis destroy the skin's acid mantle ; this can lead to an increased susceptibility to athlete's foot , nail fungus , eczema , etc.
The other additives that can be added to the foot bath depend on the health problems that are to be combated.
For some diseases, such as acute vein thrombosis , a warm foot bath should not be used because it dilates the veins and increases the risk of embolism.
