Search results
The application of heat in a healthcare context has been used to decrease joint stiffness, lessen pain, relieve muscle spasms, increase blood flow, speed up the inflammatory process, while providing a sensation of warmth and comfort to the patient. . is minimal, .
- Definition/Description
- Purpose
- Application
- Mechanism of Action
- Treatment
- Physiological Effects
- Indications, Precautions, Contraindications, and Adverse Effects
- Effectiveness
Thermotherapy consists of application of heat or cold (cryotherapy) for the purpose of changing the cutaneous, intra-articular and core temperature of soft tissue with the intention of improving the symptoms of certain conditions. Cryotherapy and thermotherapy are useful adjuncts for the treatment of musculoskeletal injuries and soft tissue injurie...
The goal of thermotherapy is to alter tissue temperature in a targeted region over time for the purpose of inducing a desired biological response. The majority of thermotherapies are designed to deliver the thermal therapy to a target tissue volume with minimal impact on intervening or surrounding tissues. By increasing the temperature of the skin/...
Heating of superficial tissues can be achieved using hot packs, wax baths, towels, sunlight, saunas, heat wraps, steam baths/rooms. Heat can be induced in the deeper tissues through electrotherapy (ultrasound, shockwave and infrared radiation). Exercise in warm water, usually called hydrotherapy, aqua therapy or balneotherapy, is a popular and effe...
Skin blood flow is controlled by two branches of the sympathetic nervous system: a noradrenergic vasoconstrictor system and a cholinergic active vasodilator system. These dual sympathetic neural control mechanisms affect the major aspects of thermoregulatory responses over most of the human body’s surface. Figure 2:Skin blood flow responses to cold...
Evidence surrounding the use of thermotherapy is mostly limited to the reduction of pain in conditions such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, primary dysmenorrhea and low back pain. However, the use of those modalities can facilitate the efficacy of other treatments such as therapeutic exercises by reducing nociceptive signals and reducing j...
Many of the local physiologic effects of heat and cold have been studied thoroughly. For instance, heat increases skin and joint temperature, improves blood circulation and muscle relaxation and decreases joint stiffness. Cold numbs the pain, decreases swelling, constricts blood vessels and blocks nerve impulses to the joints. Deep heating is thoug...
There are indications, precautions, contraindications, and adverse effects surrounding the use of thermotherapy, that needs to be taken with different clienteles such as children and older people (due to depleted temperature control capacities), and individuals with deprived sensations. Below are some indications, precautions, contraindications, an...
There are still contradictions whether the use of thermotherapy is effective or not. However, it is still used worldwide to reduce acute pain and improve mobility - where most of its evidence stands. While there is good evidence that exercise relieves pain, improves function, and is cost-effective, evidence supporting the use of non-exercise physio...
Dec 11, 2020 · This review focuses on the role of heat therapy in the treatment and prevention of AD. Heat therapy has been independently shown to reduce whole body insulin resistance, improve vascular function, activate interorgan cross talk via endocytic vesicles, and activate HSPs to improve mitochondrial function and proteostasis in a variety of tissues.
- Alex T Von Schulze, Fengyan Deng, Jill K Morris, Paige C Geiger
- 2020
The use of therapeutic heat (thermotherapy) in the treatment of various conditions has been around for thousands of years. Understanding the physiological and biomechanical principles of therapeutic heat is one of the elements of successful patient treatment.
Apr 4, 2013 · What is heat therapy? Heat therapy, also known as thermotherapy, works by applying heat to an affected area to treat damaged muscles, joints or tissues in the body. Its primary use is to help relieve persistent pains associated with muscle stiffness, sensitivity and cramping.
The skin should be protected when using thermotherapy for high-risk patients, and application times should be restricted for therapies involving high-intensity heat (>45 degrees C) methods such as electric heating pads.
People also ask
How does heat therapy work?
What is ice & heat therapy & how does it work?
What is heat therapy used for?
What should a clinician know about therapeutic heat?
How does thermal therapy work?
What are the different types of heat therapy treatments?
Shivering occurs in response to cooler temperatures, producing heat through muscular contraction. Local response to heat and cold results from changes in blood vessel size which affects blood flow to the exposed area. This physiological response explains the effectiveness of warm and cold therapies (Table 40- l).
