Magic Socks: My Go To Home Remedy For Fever and Stuffy Nose

Magic socks is magic for fever and stuffy nose.

No more sucking on the snot and wiping nose. No more waking up with a dry mouth and sore throat. No more broken sleep.

This is a simple and effective hydrotherapy technique all parents should know about. 

It helps redirect the heat and congestion away from the head, this allows the child to breathe through the nose and sleep comfortably at night.

Bottom line: THIS STUFF WORKS!

If you haven’t tried, you must! It’s free. It’s easy. It’s a total gamechanger. Seriously, you will not believe anything I say until you try it (I didn’t either).

How To Do Magic Socks

All you need are 2 pairs of socks – one thin cotton socks and one thick wool socks.

I’ve experimented with just regular thicker socks and it still works as long as the socks are thick enough to contain moisture. But I prefer wool socks (80% wool or higher) because wool is a breathable yet water-resistant material that help prevent your sheets and blankets from getting wet while allowing the wet socks to dry up overnight.

Here’s a step-by-step instruction on how to do Magic Socks.

1. Check to ensure that the feet are warm. If the child already has warm feet, move onto step 2. If not, soak the feet in warm water for 5 min.
2. Run the thin cotton socks under cold water and wring them tight. Place the wet socks over the warm feet.
3. Over the cold wet socks, place the thick wool socks (dry). Voila! You’re done.

Wait, wait, wait… You want me to make my child wear a cold, wet socks when they’re sick? Yup!

I know, I know… When I first heard about it, I was like heck no. But once I tried, I was blown away by the results.

The cold, wet socks actually put your child’s body to work. As the circulation and lymph are directed towards their feet to warm them up, all that congestion around the head and nose disappears.

Here’s a video demo for you.

What To Look Out For…

About 30 minutes in, you would notice that your child starts breathing differently – from mouth breathing to nose breathing, allowing the child to sleep more deeply and comfortably.

The warm, wrinkly toes and the dry socks that the child wakes up with are another sign that the wet socks were done correctly.

One thing to note, when a child has a fever, the socks may dry up more quickly and the child may become stuffy again. In that case, you may have to repeat the wet socks to help them sleep through the night.

Troubleshooting

Wet socks are not working?

• Check the feet BEFORE putting the cold, wet socks. If they are not warm to begin with, you need to dip those feet in warm water first. It’s like getting the fire started.
• Check the material of outer socks. Are they thick enough? contain enough wool?
• Lastly, check body mechanics. Often there are physical restrictions that are preventing the body from effectively clearing mucus.

When neither wet socks nor my naturopathic medicines are working as they should, I take my kids to see an osteopath to remove physical restrictions and ensure smooth body mechanics. I often see kids recover more rapidly when the physical tension or blockage or misalignment is corrected.

What’s In It For YOU?

More comfortable and better sleeping child aka more sleep for you as well.

Plus, you can also do wet socks on yourself when you get sick.

A personal confession.

I have dreaded trying wet socks on myself for years (I hate cold things touching my body). But I must say this and saline nasal rinse saved me from a nasty sinusitis years back.

Simple things can do wonders.

Give it a try and let me know how it goes! Share this with a friend who’s losing sleep because of their stuffy, congested child.

Why Mouth Breathing Is NOT Good For You

If you or your child is a chronic mouth breather because your nose is constantly blocked up, then we have a problem.

Mouth breathing dries up the mucus membrane inside your mouth and your airways. This will make you more prone to cavities, bad breath, and sore throat as well as crowding of teeth. Mouth breathing can also affect the jaw development resulting in underdeveloped upper jaw and restricted forward growth of the lower jaw [1].

Let’s not forget to talk about why nose breathing is so important.

Breathing through your nose not only filters the air you breathe in, keeps the airways moist, prevents the growth of bad bacteria inside your mouth but also calms your nervous system. This benefits not only your respiratory and oral health but also your digestive and immune health.

Most chronic rhinosinusitis (blocked nose) is due to allergies. Many think it’s due to dust mites but it is often exacerbated by hidden food sensitivities that are overstimulating their immune system.

If this sounds like you, book a consultation to see how naturopathic medicine can help you stop the blocked nose for good and help you breathe through your nose again.

Much love,

Dr. Ji Woon Min, ND

References:

[1] Basheer B, et al. Influence of mouth breathing on the dentofacial growth of children: A cephalometric study. Journal of International Oral Health. 2014; 6(6): 50–55.