Hydrotherapy Flashcards
The use of water in any of its 3 forms - solid, liquid, or vapor - internally or externally, in the treatment of disease or trauma
Hydrotherapy
The healthy human body maintains a normal uniform physiological stability within and among its parts
Homeostasis
The environment of the body is changed by the means of water at varying temperatures and applied by ____
Various mechanical means
____ are in direct proportion to the extent of the environmental changes.
Physiological responses
3 ways of heat transfer:
- Conduction
- Convection
- Conversion
Why is water a valuable therapeutic agent - 4
- It is readily accessible
- It may be applied with simple and inexpensive equipment
- It absorbs and communicates large quantities of heat
- It is a good conductor of heat
Describe specific heat of water
Water requires 1 calorie of heat to increase the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius
Water temperature 32-56 degrees Fahrenheit is ___
Very cold
Application of water at temperatures above or below that of the body. The greater the variation above or below the body temperature, the greater the physiological effect produced.
Thermal effects of water
Impact of water upon the skin surface in the form of whirlpools, sprays, douches, and frictions
Mechanical effects of water
Produced when it is taken by mouth or when it is used as an irritation of some body cavity.
Chemical effects
The conductive ___ of hydrotherapy does not penetrate deeply beneath the skin surface. Confined largely to the skin and subcutaneous tissues.
Heat
Local effects of heat - 7
- Increased circulation/ vasodilation
- Increased oxygen content of the blood
- Increased local tissue metabolism
- Increased migration of leukocytes through vessel walls in local heated areas
- Decreased muscle tone (muscle relaxes)
- Increased local sweating by moist heat
- Increased local analgesic by most heat
___ penetrates deeply into the tissues from the surface. For acute problems.
Cold
Local effects of cold - 9
- Vasoconstriction
- Slowing of local circulation
- Decreased leukocyte migration through capillary walls
- Decreased tissue metabolism
- Local analgesic or anesthetic effect (numbing)
- Reduced local edema
- Decreased inflammation
- Promotes healing
- Muscle response slowed
What effect does heat and cold treatment have in common
Pain relief
Heat is generated in a substance by the passage through it of some form of energy
Conversion
Short hot application lasts
Less than 5 mins - stimulates
Long hot application lasts
More than 5 minutes - depresses
Short cold application lasts
Less than 1 minute - stimulates
Long cold application lasts
More than 1 minute - depresses
The two most labor intensive, yet readily accessible hydrotherapy treatments
Formentation and cold compression
A local application of moist heat to the body surface. A cloth (wool and cotton) is repeatedly (dipped) soaked in hot water, then wrung out and applied to the body.
Formentation