Superficial heat/Cold Flashcards
How is heat trasnfered
conduction
convection
radiation
evaporation
Specific heat
the amount of energy require to raise the temp of a given weight of material to a number in degrees
Materials with high specific heat
hold more energy than low specific heat, so thermal agents with high specific heat are applied at lower temperatures based on agents
Uses of themotherapy
-pain control
-increase soft tissue extensibility/decrease joint stiffness
-increase circulation
-accelerate healing
Pain control with heat
-vasodilation/pain gate theory increases activity of thermoreceptors inhibiting transmission of pain at the spinal cord
-psychological effect/relaxation
-decrease muscle spasm and guarding
-used for most chronic conditions
-use with care in acute conditions
How does heat increase tissue extensibility
-evidence shows best effect when stretching is preformed during/immediately after heat
-used in conjunction with LLPS
-use an agent that can reach the target structure
Accelerate healing
-vasodilation increases O2 and nutrients to tissue for healing
-increases metabolic rate
-used in proliferative/remodeling phase of healing g
-apply with caution in acute inflammatory phase as may increase swelling
Contraindications of heat
-recent bleeding/hemorrhage
-sesnory impairments
-cognitivi impairments
-thrombophlebitis
-malignant tumor
-IR irradiation of the eyes
Precautions of heat
-impaired circulation: CAD/PVD
-demyelinated nerves
-acute injury/inflammation
-open wound
-pregnancy
-metal in area
-cadiac insufficiency
DVT-OK if being treated
-cognitive impairments
-areas with topical counterirritants recently applied
-poor thermoregulation
Adverse effects of heat
-burn
-fainting
-bleeding
Use of cryotherapy
-acute musculoskeletal trauma (PRICE)
-pain control
-edema control
-decrease muscle spasm
-muscle re-educaation
-reduction of spasticity
How does cryotherapy work
-changes temp by conduction
-vasoconstriction
-decreases nerve conduction
-decreases rate of metabolic reactions
-counter irritant
Hunting response to ice
prolonged ice application to distal extremities can begin a cycle of increase and decreasing temperature
-if vasodilation is not the goal limit the ice to 15 minutes and repeat
contraindications for ice
-circulatory compromise of PVD
-cold hypersensitivity
-cryoglobulinemia
-regenerating peripheral nerves
-cold intolerance
-Raynaud’s disease
Precautions for ice
-poor sensation
-cognitively impaired
-open wounds
-HTN
-very old and very young patients
