If you're struggling with ankle pain, it is a good idea to make an appointment with a podiatrist office like Scola Podiatry. These doctors specialize in diagnosing and treating problems with the feet and ankles. Since ankle pain has a lot of possible causes, ranging from arthritis to strained ligaments, it is always wise to have an expert take a look. But what do you do while you're waiting for your appointment? How can you keep the ankle pain under control in the meantime? Here are a few strategies.

Apply Capsaicin Cream

Capsaicin cream is available over-the-counter at most pharmacies. The active ingredient is capsaicin, which is the chemical that makes hot peppers hot. The cream is generally marketed as a treatment for arthritis. So, if your ankle pain is due to arthritis, the cream should give you plenty of relief. If your ankle pain is caused by some other ailment, the cream may not be quite as effective. However, it is unlikely to hurt anything or do any damage since it's a natural, simple product. Apply the cream every couple of hours, as needed, and see how it goes.

Soak In Epsom Salts

Epsom salts are magnesium sulfate. You can dissolve the salts in water, and the magnesium ions dissociate from the sulfate ions. It's thought that the magnesium can then be absorbed through your skin, and it can help relax muscles. Soaking your ankle in Epsom salts can therefore help relieve any pain that is coming from the muscle tissue. Even if the root cause of your ankle pain is not muscular, there is a good chance your muscles are under stress due to the nearby injury, which means an Epsom salt soak can still help. All you need is a bucket of warm water with a handful of these salts dissolved in it. Stick your whole foot in, and soak it for about 20 minutes or as long as directed.

Elevate Your Leg

As much as you can, sit with your foot elevated. Prop it up on a stool or on some soft pillows. This will encourage some of the extra fluid to drain out of the injured tissues, reducing inflammation. When inflammation goes down, the pain also tends to decrease. Plus, relieving the inflammation by elevating your ankle will help encourage tissues to start healing, assuming an injury is causing your ankle pain.

Follow the tips above, and you should be able to keep yourself relatively comfortable until your podiatry appointment arrives.