heat and cryrotherapy Flashcards
what are the physiological effects of heat?
> increased metabolic rate
vasodilation, increased blood flow
collagen becomes more extensible
increase in nerve conduction velocity
reduced muscle tone (reduced spasm)
how does heat contribute to pain relief?
- due to activation of antinociceptive descending pathways
what may high temperatures reduce?
- muscle performance
what are the physiological effects of coldness?
- vasoconstriction (followed by cold induced vasodilation, hunting reaction)
- collagen becomes stiffer
- reduction in nerve conduction velocity
- increased muscle tone e.g., ice massage
what does coldness slow down?
- slows down chemical and biological processes
how does coldness contribute to pain relief?
- due to pain gate or indirect factors e.g., reduced nerve conduction velocity
what may temperature under 27 degrees reduce?
- reduces muscle performance
what does treatment (cold or hot) depend on?
- aims of treatment
- stage of inflammation
what stage would cold therapy be used and why?
- acute stage to reduce pain
- bleeding and swelling
what principle should be used and what does it stand for?
PRICE
- protect
- rest
- ice
- compress
- elevate
what stage would heat be used?
- after inflammation stage as heat can exacerbate early inflammation
what are the contradictions for heat?
- active deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- acute injuries/ inflammation
- impaired circulation
- impaired sensation
- impaired cognition/ communication
- infection
- malignancy
- pregnancy
- recently radiated tissue
- skin disease
- tuberculosis
- testes
what are the precautions for heat?
- cardiac failure
- chronic wound
- damaged/ fragile skin
- anterior neck/ carotid sinus
- eyes
what are the contradictions for cold therapy?
- active deep vein thrombosis ( DVT)
- chronic wound
- cold hypersensitivity e.g., Raynaud’s
- cold urticaria (response to cold= hives, welts)
- impaired circulation
- impaired sensation
- impaired cognition
- malignancy
- tuberculosis
- anterior neck/ carotid sinus
- eyes
- regenerating nerves
what are the precautions for cold therapy?
- cardiac failure
- damaged/ fragile skin
- hypertension
- recently radiated tissue
