There’s a wonderful world of complementary and alternative medicine that offers many unique and effective therapies for your wellness. Hydrotherapy is one of these holistic modalities that addresses some common health issues in the comfort of your own home. One such therapy is called “The Wet Socks Treatment” that I will be discussing later in this article. It may help with immune support, fever management, and hydration, as well as improve general well-being. The basis of hydrotherapy is the use of water to heal and treat. The water is applied in a variety of ways, ranging from compresses, localized baths, and steam apparatuses and rooms, to full body immersion, all using water in some form to deliver either heat or cold to the body, oftentimes alternating both in one treatment.
Hydrotherapy has a long history in what we now call “non-traditional” medicine. [1] It has been used throughout time and all across the world to fight off colds, flus, pneumonia, and even epidemics of the last few centuries: cholera, smallpox, and polio. The current pandemic can use a little help from this non-mainstream therapy.
In general, hydrotherapy can help you if you experience any of the following concerns:
✔️ Cold & flu symptoms, including fever
✔️ Sore throat, cough, and inflammation
✔️ Nasal congestion and sinus infections
✔️ Ear infections and upper respiratory infections
✔️ General pain, neck pain, headaches, and migraines
✔️ Insomnia, allergies, and a variety of health and wellness concerns
The various hydrotherapy treatments can give a much needed boost to the immune system and improve the body’s ability to ward off infection. Enhancing your immune system will help your body not only prevent possible illness but speed up its resolution if you were to get sick.
In terms of fever it is important to understand that it is not necessarily a bad thing, and when monitored and kept at a certain range, it is actually beneficial for stimulating the immune system and creating an inhospitable environment for the invading organisms. A fever of 102.2 F to 103 F is considered the optimal defense against microbes. Having said this, I stress the importance of contacting your doctor and seeking emergency care immediately if you are unable to manage the fever for a prolonged period of time.
Hydrotherapy is an effective tool for proper fever management. It can encourage heat radiation, thereby maintaining the fever at a safe and beneficial temperature, which allows the body to fight infection without the negative and dangerous side effects of a high fever. Heat radiation works by helping dissipate the heat while still keeping the body at an optimal thermal level thereby allowing the fever to speed up the healing process. Circulation and detoxification are also improved, which all contribute to safe and effective therapeutic mechanisms of action.
One example of hydrotherapy that you can do at home is called the West Socks Treatment, also known as the “Magic Socks” or “Warming Socks” treatment.
Safe and effective for adults and kids, this immune modulating therapy increases circulation throughout the body while decreasing congestion in the head, throat, and upper airways. Helping maintain a therapeutic fever, it allows the immune system to start fighting off the infection. It also has a calming effect, thereby improving sleep and decreasing stress the day of the treatment. This form of hydrotherapy is also helpful with pain relief, at least in the short term until the source of the pain is addressed.
It’s recommended to start the therapy at the first sign of illness, ideally repeating it for three consecutive nights. Even if you don’t have any specific issues that you would like to address, the Wet Socks Treatment is an excellent preventative and health maintenance “activity” that you can do on a weekly basis!
Here is how to get started:
Supplies:
1 pair of cotton socks
1 pair of thick wool socks
Towel
Warm bath or warm foot bath
Directions:
- Warm your feet first. This is an important step and must not be skipped in order to ensure that the treatment is effective (in fact it could be harmful if your feet are not warmed first. There are two good options for warming your feet: either soak them in warm water for at least 5-10 minutes or take a warm bath for 5-10 minutes.
- Start with a pair of cotton socks and soak them completely in cold water. Wring the socks out well so they do not drip and set them aside.
- Dry off feet (and body) with a dry towel.
- Place the cold wet socks on your feet. Then cover with thick wool socks over the cotton socks. Go directly to bed and avoid getting chilled.
- Keep the socks on overnight. When you wake up in the morning you will find that the wet cotton socks have become completely dry.
For those of you who prefer visuals, here is a nice summary video by a fellow naturopathic doctor out of Canada: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gv2P64Z2aNk
The Wet Socks Treatment is one of those home remedies that virtually anyone can do and all it takes is just 10-15 minutes of your time over a period of 3 nights. For such a small commitment, it provides a multitude of benefits. Next time you feel a cold coming on or just want to increase your vitality, grab 2 pairs of socks and get those feet wet!
SOURCES:
1. Mooventhan A, Nivethitha L. Scientific evidence-based effects of hydrotherapy on various systems of the body. N Am J Med Sci. 2014;6(5):199-209. doi:10.4103/1947-2714.132935