Hydrotherapy is a wonderful way to help treat the common cold or flu.
Here are two of my favorite home hydrotherapy treatments which I’ve used and encouraged my family to use. Give these a try next time your coming down with something – I think you might be surprised!
Warming Socks:
This treatment can help alleviate headaches, sore throats, sinus infections, coughs or other upper respiratory infections.
Items to have ready: 1 pair of cotton socks and 1 pair of wool socks.
What?
Right before you are going to get in bed warm your feet in a small foot bath or run a small amount of warm water in the bath and step into it for 5-10 minutes. Take a pair of cotton socks and rinse them under cold water. Place the cold socks on your feet. Then take the wools socks and put them on over the cold cotton socks. Jump into bed! You can sleep with them over night.
Why?
This helps blood and lymph circulate in your body. Your body will warm the cold socks and in doing so with will help move congestion in your upper respiratory system. It also helps induce sleep! It can create a restful sleep. This can be done three nights in a row. The socks will be dry by morning.
Warming Throat Compress:
This treatment can help a sore throat, tense muscle of the neck, and swollen lymph nodes.
Items to have ready: Two small towels or pieces of cloth and one warm scarf.
What?
First take a small cloth, run it under warm water, ring the water out and place around your neck for 5-10 minutes. Next take your other small towel or cloth and place under cold running water, ring out the material and wrap it around your neck. Then wrap a warm scarf over the cold cloth. Leave the compress around your neck for at least 30 minutes.
Why?
This treatment helps heal the body by increasing circulation to the area which decreases congestion. This will help increase the body’s ability to heal and can significantly decrease the duration of a cold and reduce pain in the area of the throat.
As always, it’s important to consult with your physician about other treatments or medications that you might need in addition to home treatments like these. The effectiveness of both of the above home hydrotherapy treatments can be boosted tremendously with the right pairing of herbs, supplementation, and, of course, acupuncture.
Wishing you Health and Wellness!