[WellPeople] Warm Sock Treatment??

October 23, 2003

Don't quote me on this, but it reminds me a nature cure I have heard

of somewhere in my past... I think the reasoning went that it

pulled blood down to the feet, therefore releaving congestive

complaints: fever, sinus congestion (obviously), heaviness, etc.

I think cold water is used because the law of secondary reaction, or

a title akin to that. Basically when cold is applied to the body

for just a few minutes, the body constricts the blood vessels,

thereby reducing inflammation. However, when the cold is left for

much longer periods of time, the body will actually dialate those

blood vessels, thereby increasing the amount of blood flow to that

area.

Same with heat. Short applications of heat draw blood to the area

by dialating the blood vessels, but when left on for a longer period

of time, will actually result in vasoconstriction, thereby reducing

the blood flow to the area.

So cold feet for a longer time would actually draw the blood to the

feet.

I have also heard that when one has a good fever going that one

should not take a cold bath, but rather apply cold, damp clothes in

the arm pits, the groin and the feet. The reasoning could be the

same, that cooling the body reduces the fever, pulls the blood away,

but full body immersion is too cold and jarring to the body.

Perhaps that explains the wool sock being placed over the cotton

sock.

These are my best guesses for right now...

Other understandings of this, or ideas?

Be Well,

Misty L. Trepke

http://www..com

, " blue.willow "

<blue.willow@v...> wrote:

> Why would this work?? Any thoughts.??....Theresa

>