Warming Socks Hydrotherapy Treatment
The warming socks treatment is an old hydrotherapy technique intended to help rid the body of infections by raising the core body temperature. Viruses especially have very limited growth requirements, meaning that a small change in the temperature of their environment causes them to die, or at least slow their replication speed significantly. The immune system will trigger a fever to aid in killing viruses sometimes. Other times, the infection does not trigger fever and that can cause a lingering or worsening of illness. In this case, warming socks can help promote the healing quality of fever. Heating the core of the body also helps decrease congestion in the head and chest.
There are many methods of doing the warming socks hydrotherapy treatment. Below is an explanation of one of my favorites. Some of these steps might not be appropriate at all ages, for example, babies do not need to drink ginger tea. Some other parts of the treatment including the castor oil rubs and chest rubs are critical to success and should be done on everyone over 2 weeks of age.
WARMING SOCKS TREATMENT STEPS:
Take a warm epsom salts bath, drinking ginger tea in the bath, aiming to warm the body. In the warm steamy bathroom, wet cotton socks with cold water and wring them out really well. Put chest rub (like Vicks, or there are many with nice essential oils in them) on the soles of the feet, on the chest and under the nose (if no broken skin). Rub castor oil on the entire abdomen (or do a Castor Oil pack - see separate post). Put the wet, cold socks on your feet. Immediately cover with wool or fleece socks. Wear one extra layer of warm clothes to bed in addition to what you usually wear. Cover the head especially, with a hoody sweatshirt or hat. For example, in kids, fleece feety pajamas with a t-shirt under and hoody sweatshirt over. For adults and big kids, sweat pants, cotton shirt and hoody sweatshirt. Go to sleep! The treatment will pull congestion from the sinuses and allow nose breathing. It will also decrease a cough. It takes about 20 minutes typically for the sinuses to clear after the socks are on.
Again, the regimen has two purposes, to raise body temp a little bit, and flush your lymph system. The bacteria and viruses that make us sick can only live at body temperature so even a 1⁄2 degree elevation will kill them and shorten the duration of illness. The lymph system carries all our white blood cells around the body. They are responsible for fighting and killing invaders (ie – the bacteria and viruses that make us sick). By flushing the system we introduce new fighters to all the appropriate areas in the body. During the flush, congestion is moved and reduced making it easier to breath and clearing the ears, sinuses, and chest.
If there is already a fever present, this treatment may not be necessary though it can still be used if congestion is really a problem. Staying well hydrated is critical as fevers and sweating cause us to easily become dehydrated. A nursing baby is at little risk of dehydration as long as milk supply is adequate. Older children and adults should have 1/2 their body weight in ounces per day of clear sugar and caffeine free beverages when they are well, and probably a little extra if they are sick and fevering. About 1/4 or more of the fluid intake should be electrolytes.
My home electrolyte recipe is:
To a quart jar add:
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 pinch salt
Warming socks can be used anytime you are exposed to illness to prevent catching it, and can be used to treat illness already present. Using them at bedtime and nap time is appropriate. Remember to stay hydrated!