Intro to Hydrotherapy Flashcards
Definition of Hydrotherapy
aka Temperature Therapy
Use of water (in any of its forms) to the body - externally or internally - for maintenance of health or treatment of disease/trauma
2 Types of Temperature Therapy
Thermal therapy (heat) Cryotherapy (frost)
Body Systems affected
- Nervous
- Circulatory
- Musculoskeletal
- Endocrine
- Integumentary
Ways to Apply Temperature Therapy (7)
- Hydrocollator Packs/Thermophore
- Steam rooms
- Paraffin wax
- Whirlpoosl/swimming pools/cold showers
- Contrast arm baths
- Contrast foot baths
- Ice massage
Forms of Water Used (3)
- Liquid
- Solid
- Gas (Vapour)
Rationale of Hydrotherapy
- Body is 70% water
- Works synergistically with natural healing mechanisms of body
- Water is able to carry heat or cold
What makes Hydrotherapy Therapeutic
- Temperature difference between part of body and heat/cold being applied
- Most important aspect! The body’s temperature can affect the therapeutic outcome
What is Homeostasis
- Constant unchanging state
- An organisms ability to maintain a stable internal environment regardless of what’s happening in the external environment around it
Purpose of Hydrotherapy (3)
- Restore homeostasis
- Normalize quantity of blood circulating through a specific area by manipulating factors that affect the circulatory system
- Strengthen body’s stress response
What can the Therapist Control (3)
- Temperature
- Duration
- Extent of treatment
What can NOT be controlled by the Therapist (3)
- Disease or condition
- Vitality of client
- Client’s tolerance for the treatment
What is “Reaction”
- How the body responds to stress
- Body initiates strengthening reactions that increase speed and efficiency of its feedback responses
Anatomical Properties of the Skin
- Largest organ (approx 16% of body weight)
- 3 layers: epidermis, dermis, hypodermis/subcutaneous
Functions of the Skin (5)
1) Protection
2) Thermoregulation
3) Sensation
4) Excretion
5) Absorption (ie Vitamin D synthesis)
How Skin Protects (5)
- First line of defence against pathogens
- Melanin (UV Rays)
- Keratin (durability)
- Fatty/lipid Substance (prune-y skin for waterproofing)
- Calluses (Protects underlying structures from repetitive friction)
How Skin Thermoregulates
The dermis contains 8-10% of body’s blood
*Subcutaneous blood vessels dilate and constrict in response to temperature
Response to Heat - Process
Derivation
Derivation
Blood vessels expand (vasodilate), capillaries fill and . bring more blood to the surface of the body so heat can escape
Response to Cold - Process
Retrostasis
Retrostasis
Blood vessels narrow (vasoconstrict) which reduces blood flow at surface thereby conserving heat in the body
What does the skin excrete (4)
Salts
Carbon Dioxide
Ammonia
Urea
Purpose of excretion
Helps reduce demand on other organs used for eliminating and filtering toxins
How does the skin perform Absorption
Skin absorbs fat-soluble materials through capillaries in hair shafts therefore therapeutic additives can be added to water treatments
Body’s Thermostat
Hypothalamus via feedback loop
*Skin temperature is most important signal it receives!
Core temperature vs Skin Temperature
Core = 37 degrees Skin = 33-35 degrees
Thermo Receptors of Body (3)
1) Pre-optic area of hypothalamus
2) Spinal cord, abdomen and other internal structures
3) Skin
How does the Pre-optic area of Hypothalamus regulate temperature
Heat sensitive neurons increase impulse output as temperature increases and decrease impulse output as temp decreases
How do the Spinal cord and Abdomen regulate temperature
Transmit signals, mostly cold, to central nervous system
How does the Skin regulate temperature
Contains receptors for hot AND cold
Transmit nerve impulses to spinal cord to then be relayed to hypothalamus
*4 to 10 times as many cold receptors as hot!
Properties of Water (9)
1) Exists in 3 states
2) Easily applied (bend to any shape)
3) Accessible
4) Universal Solvent (passes through tissues easily)
5) Hydrostatic Pressure
6) Buoyancy
7) Absorbs and Stores Heat (specific heat)
8) Thermal Conductivity
9) Mechanical and Chemical Effects (water jets; epsom)
What is Hydrostatic Pressure
- Pressure being exerted on a body submerged in water remains the same at a constant depth
- Horizontal pressure remains equal at any depth
- Pressure increases in proportion to depth measured from the surface because of the increasing weight of fluid exerting downward force from above
- Therefore density of the fluid affects the pressure too
What is Buoyancy
Density of the body is similar to that of water
*Salt makes sea water more dense = more buoyancy
What is Specific Heat
- Capacity of a substance to absorb (and give up) heat
- Water is the standard of specific heat as it can absorb more heat for a given weight than any other substance
- Water has a specific heat of 1
Significance of Specific Heat of Water
- 1 calorie (unit of heat) is required to raise 1 gram of water by 1 degree celcius
- Takes a lot of heat to raise the temp of water which means it releases a lot of heat as it cools
What is Latent Heat
Amount of heat required to produce a change in state
Latent Heat of Vaporization
Energy required for liquid water –> vapour
Latent Heat of Fusion
Energy required for liquid water –> solid
What is Thermal Conductivity
- Capacity of a substance to transfer heat to other substances
- Higher conductivity = better ability to transfer heat
- Water readily transfers or removes heat when in contact
- solids = 100x more than liquids; liquids 100x more than gases
What do Local Effects do (3)
*specific area/body part
- increase or decrease blood flow
- alternating local immune responses
- increased pliability of the tissue
Ex Paraffin Wax
How do Systemic Effects work
Whole body treatment
Ex jacuzzi - pressure exerted on body has a systemic effect beyond that of temperature alone
How do Reflex Effects work
Primary means by which temperature affects internal organs
Ex stimulus on outside of body is picked up by central nervous system which enacts an internal response; cold on liver to “flush” it; warm on abdomen for diarrhea; cold on abdomen for constipation
Categories of Reflex Effects (3)
1) Vasomotor
2) Visceromotor
3) Glandular
Vasomotor Effect
Affects smooth muscle of blood vessels resulting in dilation or constriction
Visceromotor Effect
The effects on smooth muscle tissue of viscera caused by temperature change
Glandular Effect
Effects that temperature can cause on glandular secretions (mucus, hormones, enzymes)
Definition of Heat Transfer
An exchange of energy between two materials based on temperature difference between them
Types of Heat Transfer (5)
1) Conduction
2) Convection
3) Evaporation
4) Radiation
5) Conversion
Conduction
Direct contact needed (Ex hydrocollator pack)
Convection
Result of movement of heated liquid or gas between surfaces with different tempeartures
Radiation
Transfer of heat via infrared rays (contact not needed)
Conversion
- Heat not from an external source but from energy moving through a substance
Ex Ultrasonic instrument
What is the Temperature Scale (7)
Cold Temperate Lukewarm Neutral/Indifferent Warm Hot Very Hot
Temperate
19C-22C
Lukewarm
23C-32C
Neutral/Indifferent
Skin Temp!
33C-35C
Warm
36C-38C
Hot
39C-41C
Very Hot
42C-44C
Cold
16C-18C
