Mustard plasters on the feet for a runny nose in adults and children

Mustard plaster (mustard plaster) is a local irritant that helps eliminate cold symptoms. A porous bag filled with mustard powder is used to warm the fabrics. A local increase in temperature stimulates blood circulation, due to which tissue trophism is normalized. Acceleration of blood microcirculation in the affected mucous membranes leads to acceleration of regeneration processes, which subsequently stimulates an increase in local immunity.

Using mustard plasters for a runny nose, you can accelerate the regression of inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx. The acceleration of metabolic processes due to intense blood circulation leads to a decrease in the viscosity of mucus. This accelerates the process of evacuation of liquid secretions from the nasal sinuses, which makes nasal breathing easier.

Principles of treatment

Where to put mustard plasters for a runny nose?

It is important to know exactly where they need to be placed in this case to achieve maximum therapeutic effect.

Mustard plasters for a runny nose are placed directly on the soles of the feet:

First, the mustard plasters should be immersed in hot water for a few seconds. Shake off excess moisture and apply it to your feet so that the mustard plasters also lie on your heels. Mustard must be applied to the body;
Cover them on top with thick paper to absorb excess moisture, then with a cloth napkin or thick handkerchief;
Put on woolen socks and go to bed under the covers;
If the skin on your feet is tender, you should keep them for no more than two hours to avoid burns;
If the skin of the feet is quite rough, leave this compress overnight or for a time that the body can realistically withstand without compromising the comfortable state;
After the required time has passed, remove this healing agent and wipe off the remaining mustard with a warm, damp cloth. After wiping your feet dry, put dry woolen socks on your feet.

Treatment of a runny nose with mustard plasters

Getting sick with rhinitis is not so difficult, because the disease can manifest itself after severely cooling the body or after being in a draft. Very often, patients begin treatment with vasoconstrictor agents, which is the main misconception, since they do not treat the disease, but only relieve its symptoms for a short period of time.

If nasal congestion is not caused by serious pathological processes (for example, a deviated nasal septum or inflammation of the nasal sinuses), then mustard can be used to eliminate nasal discharge.

Mustard plasters are a remedy available to anyone. Their popularity is due to their excellent warming effect. Many doctors cannot agree on where mustard plasters should be placed for a runny nose. As a rule, this is the back, feet and heels. Therefore, the decision is made by the person himself. In this case, one of these areas of the body is wrapped in warm cloth. The result is visible in a short time and the patient feels much better.

The advantage of mustard plasters is that they can be used not only as a medicine but as a preventive measure. If you get hypothermia, you don’t need to wait for symptoms of rhinitis to appear. You can immediately use the mustard plasters by leaving them for half an hour. This way you can prevent signs of illness.

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Treatment of children

Before using this product, it is necessary to test it for tolerability by the child’s body. To do this, just apply a small amount to the skin of the inner bend of the elbow. If there is no redness, therapy can be continued.

Mustard plasters are not used for children under one year of age. For children under three years old, mustard plasters are replaced with mustard poured into socks.

This should be done as follows:

Put on thin cotton socks, then another one and sprinkle mustard on the second. Thus, the remedy ends up between the socks;
Wear woolen socks on top of such a compress;
Place the child in bed, covering with a blanket;
This procedure is done at night for 10 days.

If the child is over 3 years old, then this procedure can be replaced by steaming the feet in hot water (45°) with the addition of mustard:

per bucket of water you need 50 grams of mustard;
The duration of the procedure is 8-10 minutes, the guideline for achieving a therapeutic effect is the redness of the skin of the legs;
to maintain the water at the required temperature, you should periodically add hot water to the bucket;
After completing the session, wipe the child’s feet dry with a towel, put on woolen socks and put them in bed under a blanket. This procedure is usually done at night. If for some reason your legs were floating during the day, then the child needs to lie in bed for at least an hour.

The therapeutic effect in this case is based on a reflex effect: when the legs float, their blood vessels expand, helping to accelerate blood circulation throughout the body. On the contrary, the vessels of the nasal cavity narrow, stopping the process of mucus secretion.

Treatment of runny nose in children

If the remedy is used to treat runny nose in young children, the procedure is carried out in a different way. Mustard plasters should be placed with the back side or through a napkin, since the child’s skin is particularly sensitive. When using a napkin, it must be moistened with oil. When the remaining product is removed from the baby’s body, the skin is lubricated with a cream that has a hypoallergenic effect. As mentioned above, mustard medicine is applied mainly to the feet, but it is permissible to pour mustard powder into socks and put second socks on the feet. Considering the fact that the effect of dry powder is the mildest, such treatment can last from 6 to 10 hours. It is best to do these warming procedures at night. Also, before starting the procedure, you need to know the following features of this treatment method:

The use of the treatment procedure is allowed only for children over 1 year of age; mustard plasters should be used daily; in the first days of illness and at high body temperature, this remedy is prohibited; If there are sores and rashes on the child’s legs, mustard plasters are contraindicated.

In some cases, doctors advise treating children's runny nose using hot mustard foot baths. This session promotes a reflex effect: the vessels on the legs expand, and the small vessels on the inner lining of the nasal cavity narrow. The healing effects of heat are enhanced by adding dry mustard powder to the water. However, you need to know certain safety precautions.

The procedures should not be performed on children under 3 years of age due to the fact that the treatment procedure can have a harsh effect on the body.

The temperature of the water used for the session should not be higher than 45 °C, while 100 grams of dry mustard powder are diluted with 10 liters of warm water. The entire treatment session lasts approximately 10 minutes. At the same time, you need to keep your feet in water until the skin turns red. Upon completion of treatment, the feet are dried with a towel and rolled up with a warm cloth for about 1 hour. If mustard foot baths are used to treat a runny nose, the water temperature must be maintained at all times. Therefore, you need to periodically add hot water to the container.

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Contraindications

children under one year old;
at elevated temperatures (more often this happens during the first three days of the disease);
individual intolerance to the drug;
tendency to allergic reactions;
in the presence of irritation or wound surfaces on the legs;
cardiovascular diseases.

When treating a cold in the initial stage, several sessions of therapy with this method are enough to get rid of it or significantly alleviate the condition. This applies to both treatment of children and adults.

This procedure can be combined well with other methods of traditional medicine - rinsing the nose with saline solutions, instilling various healing juices (onions, garlic, beets, etc.) into the nose, inhalations with soda, using medicinal herbs, honey, etc.

But, if after a week of such therapy the runny nose does not stop, you need to seek help from a doctor. Based on a thorough examination, he will prescribe medication to prevent complications of a runny nose.

Mustard in a child's socks for a cold: reviews, benefits for a runny nose and cough | Tags: mustard plaster

Mustard in a child's socks Putting mustard in a child's socks for a cold is a common folk method of treatment.

Is it effective? What do doctors think about this? Is mustard harmful to babies? Let's try to figure it out.

The principle of action of mustard socks Mustard socks act in the same way as mustard plasters - they have a warming effect. Mustard contains many essential oils that irritate the skin and cause blood circulation to accelerate. But mustard plasters act quickly, and it is very easy to get burned with them. But if you put mustard powder dry in socks, it will act slowly, but the risk of getting a burn will be minimal.

How can mustard socks help with colds, eliminating runny noses? There are many nerve endings on the feet. And if you influence them correctly, you can be treated for a variety of diseases, including a runny nose, which is often a symptom of a cold. When the feet are warmed, the runny nose goes away and the person feels better.

A distracting procedure or real treatment It has long been known that almost any acute respiratory viral infection lasts on average from 5 to 7 days. This is due to biological processes as a result of which antibodies are produced in the body and interferon is formed. It is impossible to prove that it was dry mustard poured into children’s socks that helped get rid of a cough or runny nose! However, its ineffectiveness is difficult to prove. And that's why. Mustard, acting as an irritant, warms the baby’s feet, that is, a thermal effect occurs on the feet. Heat dilates blood vessels and activates blood circulation. The feet are reflexogenic zones, so cold leads to nasal congestion, and heat, accordingly, restores breathing through the nose. But! During ARVI, the body temperature rises even without mustard, because the body fights inflammatory processes. That is why, at elevated temperatures, the use of mustard poured into socks for an infant or older child is contraindicated! Otherwise, you risk aggravating the inflammatory process.

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When you notice that the disease has begun to recede and recovery is just around the corner, you can and should use mustard. Increased blood circulation will have a positive effect, accelerating recovery and healing of inflamed tissue.

Contraindications You cannot use reflexology methods (and dry mustard in socks is one of them) for acute infectious diseases and for treating children who are not yet one year old. In the first case, mustard can cause dangerous complications, and in the second, its effect is unpredictable. The fact is that reflexes in infants cannot be called stable. A standard procedure known to our great-grandmothers may have a completely different effect on the child’s body than expected.

Mustard powder should not be used: fever; rash of allergic or any other origin; dermatitis; damage to the skin (scratches, small cracks); the child is less than a year old; individual intolerance to mustard; 3-4 days have not passed since the illness.

How to properly pour mustard into socks Mustard poured into socks can only help in two cases: When you have just discovered the first symptoms of a cold, and there is no fever yet; When at least 3-4 days have passed since the illness, and there is no longer a fever. In the first case, you will prevent the disease by maintaining your health. And in the second, speed up the healing process. Mustard in socks, like mustard plasters applied during an acute cold (1-3 days), does not help to cure: they begin to cause inflammatory diseases.

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You can pour mustard into socks for both adults and children over one year old. If your child is under one year old, you should consult your pediatrician before using mustard.

Mustard is poured into socks as follows: First, check whether the feet are dry. If a child has a cold, then in any case the feet must be wiped with a dry towel. If the mustard gets wet, it will burn the skin of the feet, which can lead to burns; Mustard powder is poured into a cotton sock. For a child, 0.5-1 teaspoon of powder in each sock is enough. For an adult - up to 1-2 tablespoons. The amount of powder used depends on the size of the foot; Socks are put on the feet, and another one on top - woolen or terry; Socks are not removed for 6-8 hours. Therefore, it is most convenient to put them on before bed. If the child is small, then mustard may cause allergies. To check the child’s body’s reaction to mustard, you need to put mustard socks on top of other thin ones for the first time. If everything is fine, then you can pour mustard into your socks again and again until the cold disappears. To prevent the mustard from getting wet, the child should wear disposable diapers. If it happens that your socks get wet, they should be removed immediately to avoid getting burned.

Take off mustard socks in the morning. Rinse your feet in warm water and be sure to wear warm woolen socks.

Other methods of treating colds with mustard For adults and older children, before bedtime during a cold, you can arrange foot baths with mustard.

Why are mustard plasters installed?

Mustard powder contains essential oil, which acts on the body as an anti-inflammatory, warming and analgesic (distracting) agent. Under its influence, blood and lymphatic vessels dilate and blood circulation increases. This causes a local increase in temperature, which determines the therapeutic effect of mustard plasters.

Therefore, you can use mustard plasters for colds, since under the influence of heat the organs of the respiratory system warm up, which helps eliminate the disease. For acute respiratory viral infections, this remedy is indispensable at the onset of the disease, as well as for relieving cough.

In response to skin irritation caused by mustard, the body increases the production of antibodies, that is, the body's immune system is activated. The substance myrosin, which is part of mustard, also counteracts pathogenic microorganisms; when wetted, it acquires antibacterial properties.

Under the influence of a local increase in temperature in the body, metabolism accelerates, which helps to relieve inflammatory processes. Also, this method of treatment helps to quickly get rid of a runny nose and nasal congestion, and accelerates the restoration of the nasal mucous membranes.

How to treat a baby's runny nose

Treatment of runny nose with mustard plasters in children is carried out differently. They must be placed through an intermediate layer: gauze or a thin napkin soaked in vegetable oil, so as not to irritate the baby’s thin and delicate skin. Apply them for no more than 3-5 minutes, and then use baby cream .

What features does this procedure have for children?
There are age restrictions: it cannot be done before one year.
Daily treatment up to 10 times is recommended.
Do not use the product if the child has a fever.
Mustard sheets are not applied to scratches, abrasions and other damage to the skin.

Children 2 years old can also use mustard plasters on their feet, but for no more than 10-15 minutes . More often they use mustard powder, which is poured into socks to insulate the legs. This procedure is more gentle and can last up to 6-10 hours, preferably at night. In addition, it is not so painful: not every child can withstand the test of “burning patches”.

Hot foot baths with mustard powder are useful, which leads to dilation of blood vessels in the legs and narrowing of blood vessels in the nasal mucosa (reflex effect). The water in the bath should be hot, so it needs to be added periodically. This procedure is carried out only from 3 years of age.

Mustard plasters for a runny nose, foot baths, and “warm socks” help a child get rid of a runny nose faster. If everything is thought out correctly, improvement will come quickly. But we must not forget about complex treatment: getting rid of a runny nose with the help of mustard plasters alone can be difficult.

Do not put mustard plasters on the nose for a runny nose. They really warm up the nose, if there is no purulent discharge or fever, but they do this with the help of a hot, hard-boiled egg. It is wrapped in cloth and applied to the area of the maxillary sinuses. You can roll it from the left to the right and vice versa. Hot salt wrapped in cloth is also applied. Such warming relieves nasal congestion and has an excellent healing effect.

Contraindications

Mustard plasters should not be used for colds:

if the patient has skin diseases. Exposure of active substances to damaged skin will aggravate the condition of the affected area;
if there are neoplasms on the skin (birthmarks, papillomas);
during the active phase of the disease, since the warming effect of the procedure will aggravate the inflammatory process;
if the body is hypersensitive to substances contained in mustard powder, doctors do not recommend resorting to this method of treatment in order to avoid allergies and burning sensations;
to alleviate the condition at febrile body temperature, that is, 38.1-39.0 ° C, and above;
for benign and malignant tumors;
with furunculosis;
for children under two years of age due to the high risk of an allergic reaction;
if you have bronchial asthma or obstructive bronchitis, since mustard vapors can cause spasms of the larynx and make breathing difficult.

How and where to place mustard plasters correctly

When treating diseases, it is important to ensure the required regularity and duration of the course. Warming up is carried out, as a rule, for 7 days, 1-2 times a day. The mustard plaster should be shaken, evenly distributing the powder, lowered in a horizontal position for 15-20 seconds into water at a temperature of 40-50 ° C until completely wet, shake off excess liquid and apply to the desired area of the body.

After this, blot the surface with a cloth or towel, wrap the patient in a blanket, or put socks on the feet if the feet become warm. The duration of the procedure is 10-12 minutes. After warming up, clean the skin with a warm, damp cloth and a soft towel, apply baby cream and cover the patient with a blanket again.

During the procedure, strong burning should not be allowed. If discomfort occurs, the mustard plaster should be removed immediately. The areas of the heart and spine should not be affected during therapy.

In order for this method of treatment to give the expected effect, it is necessary to correctly determine where to place mustard plasters for colds and other ailments:

respiratory diseases – chest, calves and heels;
bronchitis – back in the area between the shoulder blades and under them, sternum (above);
to relieve neuralgic pain - at the site of painful sensations;
for hypertension or headaches - calves and neck area below the back of the head;
acute rhinitis - back, feet, chest;
radiculitis is a place of localization of inflammation.

For adults

For colds and coughs in adults, mustard plasters on the feet have a good effect.
They are fixed using cling film. If the skin on your feet is quite rough, you do not need to remove the product at night. Warm socks are put on top for better warming. If an adult has a runny nose, mustard plasters are also placed on the back, after which it is necessary to cover the patient with a blanket, since hypothermia during or after the procedure is unacceptable.

For children

The skin of a child is much more sensitive than the skin of an adult to the effects of the essential oil contained in mustard powder. Therefore, at an early age it should be used with extreme caution due to the characteristics of the body.

The intensity of the warming effect on the body should be reduced. To do this, the mustard plaster is placed on the reverse side, or a piece of cotton fabric soaked in vegetable oil is placed between it and the skin.

The duration of the procedure is allowed no more than 5-7 minutes, frequency - once a day. The sequence of how to apply mustard plasters for children with a cold is the same as for adults, but it is recommended to periodically check the skin reaction. The most favorable time for using this treatment method is considered to be the evening, the time immediately before bedtime.

How to install mustard plaster correctly?

You will need:

Mustard plasters
Gauze
Warm water
A bowl
Warm socks

For a runny nose, cough, or incipient cold, mustard plasters, except for the back and sternum, are placed on the calf muscles and feet. To carry out the procedure, prepare everything you need. Heat the water to 35-40 degrees.

Check the condition of the mustard plasters to see if they have expired. The mustard layer should not fall off from paper mustard plasters and they should be a uniform yellow color.

The surface of laminated mustard plasters must not be damaged.

Dip the mustard plasters in hot water for a few seconds and apply them to the calf muscles. Paper mustard plasters are applied with the mustard layer down, and laminated on either side.

note

Before placing mustard plasters on your feet, make sure that the skin is not damaged. If you have sensitive skin, then place a napkin or gauze soaked in warm water under the mustard plasters.

Cover the top of the mustard plasters with a piece of cloth and wrap the mustard plasters to your leg with a bandage.

Wrap yourself in a warm blanket so that your legs are well covered. Keep the mustard plasters on the calf muscles for 5-10 minutes, then remove the bandage and wipe the skin with warm water. Dry mustard plasters are placed on the feet. To do this, mustard plasters are applied to the foot and secured with a bandage. Warm socks are worn over the bandage.

Keep mustard plasters on your feet for at least an hour. After which the bandage is removed, the feet are washed with warm water and warm socks are put on. Before putting mustard plasters on your feet, consult your doctor. It is more convenient to carry out mustard wraps for the legs. To do this, dissolve a tablespoon of dry mustard in half a liter of hot water. Soak a towel or diaper in the solution and wrap your feet.

Cover the top with film and secure the compress with a cloth or bandage. The wrap is kept for about half an hour, depending on the patient’s endurance. The compress is removed, the skin is wiped with warm water and the patient is wrapped in a blanket. For some diseases, mustard plasters cannot be used. This applies to allergic skin diseases, dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema.

Mustard plasters are placed on the feet after preliminary immersion in the liquid for 15 seconds. It is necessary to shake the product to get rid of excess moisture. Apply mustard plasters to the stupas. Secure the layers with cling film. Put socks on top of the compress. This is necessary for maximum heating.

This procedure is recommended to be performed before bedtime. Duration is at least 15 minutes for adults. In the case of first use, it is recommended to keep the product for no more than 5 minutes. There is no need for insulation. Such actions should be carried out in order to determine the presence of an allergic reaction.

Children over one year of age can use mustard powder. It falls asleep in socks at night. This method of using mustard is milder, therefore reducing the risk of burns. It is recommended that children under three years old wear thin socks first, and then socks with the product on top of them. It is better for children to apply the plates with the back side.

Possible side effects

The local irritant effect of mustard essential oil can cause a rash, irritation and even burns on the skin, so if the procedures are carried out for several days in a row, it is recommended to change the location of the mustard plasters.
A high concentration of biologically active substances can cause an allergy to this treatment method. Therefore, the duration of the procedure for the first time should be limited to 5 minutes, and subsequently extended by 1-2 minutes, gradually increasing the duration to the recommended one.

Mustard plasters are a time-tested method of treating respiratory and a number of other diseases. However, when using them, one should take into account the individual characteristics of the body, as well as the fact that the effectiveness of treatment directly depends on the correct determination of the cause of the disease. Therefore, to avoid adverse health effects, you should consult a doctor and treatment should be carried out under his supervision.

Indications and contraindications

In the process of using mustard plasters, you can get rid of not only a runny nose, but also a number of other unpleasant symptoms and manifestations:

cough;
headache;
rhinitis;
difficult to separate sputum;
lack of sleep;
bronchitis.

Another indication is laryngotracheitis. It is very important that mustard plasters for the common cold are used after agreeing on this technique with a therapist or pediatrician. The list of contraindications is no less extensive - this may include the individual degree of intolerance, infancy (up to one year). The list of other restrictions includes any form of dermatitis, bronchial asthma, damage to the skin (crack, cut or even scratch).

Mustard plasters are not recommended for children to use if there are pustular lesions on the skin or if there are any neoplasms. The same applies to certain temperature indicators, which should not be more than 37.3°. This limitation is due to the fact that the feverish state may intensify due to destabilization of heat exchange.

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The effect of mustard plasters on a runny nose

It is necessary to overcome the development of a runny nose at the very beginning of the disease process, while a person only has a stuffy nose. The most common mistake is treatment with vasoconstrictor drugs. Of course, their use gives the fastest possible results, but do not forget that with long-term use of drugs, the duration of action begins to decrease. Eventually the person becomes dependent on the nasal spray or drops.

Before starting procedures, you should consult your doctor. These precautions are important due to the fact that each person’s body is individual and the use of mustard plasters can be harmful.