Chinese herbal foot baths show promise for early-stage diabetic foot care: study
2025-09-28
in 2025, a systematic review and data mining study published in Frontiers in Pharmacology pointed out: Compared with simple warm water foot baths, Chinese herbal foot-baths have shown certain auxiliary therapeutic effects in the treatment of diabetic foot at Wagner stage 0 or 1 (i.e., early-stage lesions that have not yet formed severe ulcers).
This meta-analysis included 13 studies involving a total of 921 patients. The results showed that Chinese herbal foot baths could significantly improve the clinical response rate (compared with warm water foot baths, the hazard ratio RR ≈ 1.42).
In addition, they also observed that Chinese herbal foot baths significantly improved indicators such as ankle-brachial index (ABI) and motor/sensory nerve conduction velocity of the common peroneal nerve, suggesting that it may be beneficial
In terms of safety, no significant increase in the incidence of adverse events was observed in Chinese herbal foot baths during the study
News comments point out that this research provides new evidence support for the auxiliary application of "foot bath therapy" in the early stage of diabetic foot, raising expectations among the public and the clinical community for its potential value
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Health Science Popularization Report: Foot Soaking for Health Preservation and the Popular Sayings of Mugwort foot Soaki
2025-09-28
In November 2024, a CCTV/science and technology/health science popularization platform reported that in autumn and winter, people often add Wormwood (mugwort leaves) to their foot baths to "warm the meridians, dispel cold, remove dampness, unblock the collidians and relieve fatigue", etc. It is reported that this practice is quite popular in traditional Chinese health preservation, and it is suggested that the water temperature and duration should be moderate.
In early 2025, some local health reports also mentioned that "red flower, mugwort and ginger foot bath" is more recommended for people with cold hands and feet, as it can promote local blood circulation and improve sleep, etc
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Case Warning of Fungal Infections Caused by Improper Foot Soaking (2025)
2025-05-02
In March 2025, media reports indicated that a 69-year-old man in Wuhan experienced redness, swelling, heat and pain in his left toe the next day after soaking his feet in mugwort at night. After examination, he was diagnosed with a fungal infection. The patient often takes foot baths and is accustomed to putting mugwort into the water. However, due to reasons such as excessively high water temperature, prolonged foot baths, and failure to dry the Spaces between the toes in time, conditions for the reproduction of fungi may be created.
In the report, physicians from the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine and dermatology pointed out that when taking herbal foot baths, one should pay attention to individual constitutions, avoid excessive combination of hot-natured herbs, control water temperature and soaking duration, and use them with caution in cases of skin damage or athlete's foot
This incident was used in the media as a warning case that "herbal foot baths may also have risks".
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Systematic Review of Chinese Herbal Foot Bath in the Adjuvant Treatment of Dysmenorrhea (2024)
2025-09-28
A systematic review and meta-analysis published in Frontiers in Pharmacology comprehensively evaluated the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal footbaths (CHF) as an adjunct therapy in the treatment of dysmenorrhea.
The results showed that the 18 included randomized controlled trials (involving a total of 1,484 patients with dysmenorrhea) indicated that the use of traditional Chinese medicine foot baths could improve dysmenorrhea symptoms to a certain extent (including pain score, menstrual symptom score, etc.), and the total effective rate was better than that of the control group. The adverse reactions are relatively few and the recurrence rate is also low.
However, the author also pointed out that these research methods have limitations such as the risk of bias, small sample sizes, and uneven design quality. In the future, higher-quality, multi-center studies are still needed for verification
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What herb is best for foot bath?
2025-05-30
When it comes to foot baths, mugwort (Artemisia argyi) is widely regarded as one of the best herbs due to its exceptional health benefits and long-standing use in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).
Mugwort is celebrated for its warming properties, which make it ideal for dispelling cold and dampness from the body—common causes of fatigue, poor circulation, and muscle soreness. When used in a foot bath, its active compounds (such as volatile oils like eucalyptol) are absorbed through the skin, while the warm water stimulates acupoints on the feet (e.g., Yongquan, the Kidney Meridian point), enhancing blood flow and relaxing tense muscles. This combination helps relieve daily exhaustion, soothe cold-induced joint pain, and even improve sleep quality by calming the nervous system.
Additionally, mugwort has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, making it useful for addressing foot issues like athlete’s foot or mild itching. It can be used alone or paired with other herbs:
Ginger (for stronger cold-dispelling effects, ideal for winter).
Chinese prickly ash (to dampness removal).
Safflower (for promoting blood circulation, suitable for those with cold hands/feet).
To use, simply steep 10–30g of dried mugwort (or a pre-made foot bath powder) in hot water, dilute to a comfortable temperature (38–43°C), and soak feet for 15–20 minutes. Note: Avoid use if you have a heat-based constitution (e.g., frequent shàng huǒ—"internal heat"), skin wounds, or are pregnant. Always consult a TCM practitioner for personalized advice.
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