Actinotherapy Flashcards
What differentiates different types of electromagnetic radiation?
The wavelength (horizontal distance from a point of one wave to the same point on then next wave). Shorter wavelength = higher frequency = more energy
What is actinotherapy?
The use of rays of light to cure or ameliorate disease or pathology.
What does the physiological effects of electromagnetic radiation depend on?
- Frequency (how often)
- Exposure
- Duration
- Tissue characteristics
- Power density (wavelength/frequency)
What are the CI’s to infrared treatment?
THAWED Tuberculosis Heart disease Arteriosclerosis Walled in pus Extreme fever Diabetic gangrene
What is infrared radiation?
Non visible, frequency just too low to see.
Bodies non reflective
Superficial dry heat.
Uses of IR?
Chronic and subacute inflammation
Acute: arthritis, fibromyalgia, neuralgia, sinusitis, circulatory disturbances if the extremities. [may be only nonpharmacological treatment for these]
What is ultraviolet?
Just below visible spectrum opposite of IR. (High frequency)
Absorbed very strongly in surface layer of skin
Used a lot for dermatological conditions
What is the primary goal of UV treatment?
Produce an erythmal response to facilitate healing?
(Erythmal: redness of skin caused by dilation and congestion of capillaries)
UV may also have bactericidal, exfoliating, and/or skin thickening effects
What does E=(I/D)squared mean?
Moving a UV lamp closer by 50% increases dosage by 400%
What is the significance of the law of cosines?
Moving the UV lamp up so the angle is more oblique increases the dosage (because more surface area is being affected)
Uses of UV treatment
Psoriasis
Cystic acne
Wound management
CIs for UV
HARD TIMES Heart disease Arteriosclerosis Renal malfunction Diabetic Tuberculosis Itching condition Malnutrition Eczema Sensitivity to sun
What is laser?
Light amplified by stimulated emission if radiation
What are the components of laser?
1) coherence (do not diffuse; go on forever)
2) monochromatic
3) collimated beam (photons stay together)
What determines how deeply a laser will penetrate?
Wavelength (colour)
