Heat and Cold: Indications and Contraindications Flashcards
What are the primary treatment goals for Cryotherapy? (5)
hint: limits 3 things, reduces 1, facilitates 1
- Limit edema formation
- Limit inflammation
- Limit secondary hypoxic tissue injury
- Reduced pain
- Facilitate muscle relaxation
What are the indications for Cryotherapy? (12)
- Acute Injury
- Acute Pain
- Muscle Spasm (acute or chronic)
- Spasticity
- Reduction of Fever
- Acute Burns (not ice)
- Acute or Sub-Acute Inflammation
- Trigger Points (myofascial pain)
- Sprains/Strains
- DOMS
- Edema
- Limitation of Motion secondary to pain
What are the indications for heat therapy? (13)
- Subacute Trauma
- Chronic conditions
- Inflammatory conditions
- OA/RA
- Tight connective tissue (i.e., scars, contracture)
- Pain
- Muscle Spasm
- Before active exercise
- Before PROM
- Before E-Stim
- Before Traction
- Before massage
- Muscle spasm
Superficial Heat Contraindications (9)
- Bleeding or edema
- Acute infection
- Malignancy
- Poor circulation/PVD
- Denervation
- DVT
- Confusion, sedation, coma
- Sensory loss
- Existing fever
Superficial Heat Precautions (9)
- Cardiac insufficiency
- Poor sensation
- Very old/very young (less than 4 years old)
- Dementia
- While pregnant (abdomen/low back)
- Existing edma
- Acute inflammatory conditions
- Over topical counterirritants
- Implanted metal (close to skin)
Cryotherapy Contraindications and Precautions
- Over regenerating peripheral nerves
- Over open wounds
- HTN
- Decreased sensation (CVA, DM)
- Very old/Very young
- Decreased cognition
- Hx of frostbite
- Raynaud’s disease
- Cold hypersensitivity/intolerance
- Impaired circulation/PVD
- Angina pectoris
General Cryotherapy Treatment Set-Up
- Explain Rx to patient (ask about frostbite, cold sensitivity, other precautions/CIs, expectations during treatment)
- Expose skin of area to be treated
- Position & Drape (keep rest of body warm)
- Inspect area to be treated and during treatment (check skin)
- Determine patient’s ability to respond to temperature changes
What are the 4 stages of sensation with cryotherapy? (Acronym)
“UBAN”
- Uncomfortable sensation of cold
- Burning / stinging
- Aching
- Numbness
N/a to cryocuff (not as cold)
All related to nerve endings as they temporarily cease to function (decreased blood flow and nerve conduction velocity)
In cryotherapy, what happens to blood flow?
it decreases
In cryotherapy, what happens to nerve conduction velocity?
it decreases
What is a normal skin response after cryotherapy?
- Remaining skin integrity
- Redness may remain 20 min or longer
- Numbness lasts for a few minutes
What is an abnormal skin response after cryotherapy?
- frost-bite (tingling, burning, pain)
- Mottled white/red/yellow or bluish appearance
- blisters may form
What are common methods of cryotherapy treatment?
- Ice massage
- Cold packs
- Ice bags
- PRICE
- Cryopressure
What type of heat transfer is ice massage?
conduction
Ice massage duration should last how long?
5-15 minutes
How can ice massage increase ROM?
by decreasing pain/spasm in a specific area
What are the general ice massage procedures?
- Follow general superficial cold guidelines
- Properly position towels under/around area for water run-off as ice melts
- Rub ice using moderate speed and rhythmic motion
- Keep rest of body warm
- Continue until anesthesia is reached
What should you document following ice massage procedures?
- method used
- temp
- area treated
- patient position
- duration of Rx
- patient response during and after Rx
When using the commercial cold packs, what kind of heat transfer does the wet towel allow for?
conduction
What is the duration of commercial cold packs?
10-20 minutes
What are the indications for using a commercial cold pack?
edema, pain
What is a downfall of using commercial cold packs?
don’t cool as well as ice packs
What is the order of using a cold pack (procedure)?
- Cover area with moist towel
- Place pack over towel/mold to fit
- Insulate pack with dry towel
Homemade Ice Packs add 2 parts ____ and 1 part _____
water; rubbing alcohol
When making homemade ice packs, you should err on the side of more
water vs. alcohol