Thermotherapy and Cryotherapy

Question 1

What are the indication of thermotherapy?

Answer 1

decrease pain, decrease muscle spasm, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis

Question 2

What are the contraindications of thermotherapy?

Answer 2

areas of impaired heat sensation
malignancy
thrombophlebitis
hemorrhage
abdomen, pelvis, low back in pregnancy
acute inflammation/inflammatory conditions
confused and unreliable patients

Question 3

What are the precautions of thermotherapy?

Answer 3

impaired circulation, over wounds, severe cardiac insufficiency, over superficial metal implants, may cause decreased motor skill and reaction time, can increase fever

Question 4

For a hydrocollator pack, what is the heat application, treatment area, and treatment time? what is it best used for? what are the layers or distance?

Answer 4

heat application: moist heat
treatment area: any, never lay on hot pack
best used for: chronic condition
layers or distance: 6-8 layers of towels between pack and skin (terry cloth cover= 4 layers)
treatment time: 15-20 minutes

Question 5

For a paraffin bath, what is the heat application, treatment area, and treatment time? what is it best used for? what are the layers or distance?

Answer 5

heat application: moist heat
treatment area: distal extremities (remove all jewelry, clean, free lesions/wounds
best used for: joint stiffness of hands or feet (osteoarthritis)
layer or distance: 1st layer= no cracks or air bubbles; 7-10 layers; each layer more distal; wrap with plastic bag and towel
treatment time: 30 minutes

Question 6

During infrared lamp, what is the heat application, treatment area, and treatment time? what is it best used for? what are the layers or distance?

Answer 6

heat application: dry heat
treatment area: superficial
best used for: skin conditions or sensitive skin
layers or distance: 18-20inches perpendicular to skin
treatment time: 15-20 minutes

Question 7

During warm whirlpool, what is the heat application, treatment area, and treatment time? what is it best used for? what are the layers or distance?

Answer 7

heat application: moist heat
treatment area: any (mostly limbs)
best used for: chronic conditions, heat plus active movement, heat large body areas
layers or distance: the larger the body surface heated, the lower the temperature should be
treatment time: 15-20 minutes (avoid body immersion for MS, fever, incontinence, and pregnancy

Question 8

During fluidotherapy, what is the heat application, treatment area, and treatment time? what is it best used for?

Answer 8

heat application: dry heat
treatment area: limbs
best used for: chronic conditions, heat plus active movement of the limb
treatment time: 15-20 minutes

Question 9

During contrast bath, what is the heat application, treatment area, and treatment time? what is it best used for?

Answer 9

heat application: alternating warm and cool
treatment area: any
best used for: sub-acute or chronic pain
treatment time: 15-20 minutes

Question 10

What are the indications for cryotherapy?

Answer 10

relieve or decrease pain
decrease blood flow and metabolism
protect injured tissue
decrease muscle spasm

Question 11

What are the contraindications for cryotherapy?

Answer 11

impaired cold sensation
cold-induced uticaria (cold allergy)
Raynaud's disease (Raynaud's phenomenon)
cryoglobulinemia
paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria
open wounds
peripheral vascular disease
confused and unreliable patient

Question 12

What are the precautions you take while using cryotherapy?

Answer 12

impaired circulation, thoracic area in patients with coronary artery disease, hypertensive patients, cardiovascular and cardiorespiratory disorders (take BP before, during, and after), superficial peripheral nerves, hemiplegic, very young and very old, obesity

Question 13

What test should you perform before using cryotherapy?

Answer 13

“ice cube test”

Question 14

What is the “ice cube test?”

Answer 14

rubbing an ice cube on the skin for 2-3 minutes. checking for allergic reaction. check patient’s circulation by compressing the nail bed and watching for quick capillary refill

Question 15

For the ice cube test, what is the treatment area?

Answer 15

right in the treatment area you are going to use cryotherapy for

Question 16

For the nail bed test, what is the treatment area? what is it best used for? what is the procedure?

Answer 16

treatment area: distal to the treatment area
best used for: circulation
procedure: compress the nail bed of a finger or toe and then release pressure. nail bed should return to red/pink color within a few seconds

Question 17

During the ice massage (rub skin with ice), what is the treatment area? what is it best used for? what is the treatment time?

Answer 17

treatment area: superficial
best used for: bony prominence, tendon areas, small areas
treatment time: no more than 10 minutes usually 5-10 minutes until the patients feels numb

Question 18

During an ice bath (1/2 ice and 1/2 water), what is the treatment area and treatment time? what is it best used for?

Answer 18

treatment area: distal extremity
best used for: area you want fully submerged
treatment time: 15-20 minutes (first 5 minutes just sit; next 15 minutes have active ROM)

Question 19

While using a gel pack, what is the treatment area and treatment time? What is a caution for this treatment?

Answer 19

treatment area: anywhere; always wrap a wet town around pack
caution: do no compress gel packs
treatment time: 15-20 minutes

Question 20

While using an ice bag, what is the treatment area and treatment time? what is the correct way to make an ice bag?

Answer 20

treatment area: anywhere
treatment time: 15-20 minutes
best way to make a bag: fill bag 1/2 full with ice an suck all air out