"Hallux valgus," or more commonly a "bunion," used to be treated with olive oil massages. You can also use lavender oil or hyssop oil. To do this, prepare a mixture with 100 g of hyssop or lavender flowers and three-quarters olive oil, which you will heat. Store the mixture in a bottle, and every evening you can massage the toes with it. A few drops of ginger or wintergreen essential oil can be added to this mixture. Lavender oil reduces inflammation and prevents bunions from forming.
In addition, Epsom salt, also known as magnesium sulfate, can be used in foot baths. You can combine it with rue (ruta graveolens) or lavender, then soak the feet for twenty minutes in the bath.
Finally, orthotic supports will also help hold the toe in place.
What the science says: essential oils
What published research says about the remedies mentioned above, for context — these studies concern the material causes, while healing belongs to Allah.
Essential oils
Tea tree essential oil has documented efficacy on acne (Antioxidants, 2023), peppermint oil on irritable bowel syndrome (Aliment Pharmacol Ther, 2022), lavender and others on anxiety (Pharmacol Res, 2022) — but these are powerful concentrates. Precaution: always dilute on the skin, never in the eyes or undiluted by mouth without advice; several of them are forbidden for pregnant women (unless advised otherwise), children under 3 (under 6 for peppermint), asthmatics, and people with epilepsy.
