Heat therapy

For use of heat to treat cancer, see Hyperthermia therapy.

Heat therapy, also called thermotherapy, is the application of heat to the body for pain relief and health. It can take the form of a hot cloth, hot water, ultrasound, heating pad, hydrocollator packs, whirlpool baths, cordless FIR heat therapy wrap, and many others. It can be beneficial to those with arthritis and stiff muscles and injuries to the deep tissue of the skin. Heat may be an effective self-care treatment for conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.

Heat therapy is most commonly used for rehabilitation purposes. The therapeutic effects of heat include increasing the extensibility of collagen tissues; decreasing joint stiffness; reducing pain; relieving muscle spasms; reducing inflammation, edema, and aids in the post acute phase of healing; and increasing blood flow. The increased blood flow to the affected area provides proteins, nutrients, and oxygen for better healing.

History

Heat has been used for therapeutic purposes for thousands of years. Many ancient civilizations worshipped figures of the sun, such as the Egyptians, who worshipped the sun god Ra.

Application

Moist heat is more effective at warming tissues than dry heat because water transfers heat more quickly than air. This results in the perception that the tissue is heated more deeply, which increases the effect on muscles, joints, and soft tissue. Heat is typically applied by placing very warm, wet towels on the relevant body part.

The newest breed of heat therapy device such as "FIR Cordless Heat Therapy" such as the one developed by +Venture Heat combines the carbon fiber heater with cordless rechargeable Lithium battery and built into the specific body wrap (i.e. shoulder wrap or back wrap) for a targeted heat therapy can be use as an alternative to the chemical or plugged-in heating pads.

Mechanism of action

Heat therapy creates higher superficial tissue temperatures, which aids the healing process in some conditions. Heat applied superficially to the skin directly increases the temperature of the skin and the tissue immediately underneath the skin. Muscle temperature increases through a reflexive effect on circulation and through conduction.

Another use is the treatment of infection and cancers by the use of heat. Cancer cells and many bacteria have poor mechanisms for adapting to and resisting the physiological stresses of heat, and are more vulnerable to heat-induced death than normal cells.

For Headaches

Heat therapy can be used for the treatment of headaches and migraines. Many people who suffer from chronic headaches also suffer from tight muscles in their neck and upper back. The application of constant heat to back/upperback area can help to release the tension associated with headache pain. In order to achieve heat therapy for headaches, many use microwaveable pads which can often overheat, potentially leading to injury, and lose their heat after a few minutes. A new product called SootheAway uses heated water, running through pads, to maintain a constant temperature, allowing headache sufferers to use hands-free heat therapy in the treatment of their headache pain.

In plants

Thermotherapy may also be used in vine propagation to get rid of viroids (particles smaller than viruses) which may affect the new vine.

See also

• Infrared radiation, another name for heat
• Moxibustion
• Migraine#Cryotherapy and Thermotherapy

References

• Israel, Beth. “Pain”. Stoppain.org. 2005. Date Assessed: 28 April 2009. [1]
• "Deep Heat Treatment.." CRS - Adult Health Advisor (Jan. 2009): 1-1. Health Source - Consumer Edition. EBSCO. Kent Library, Cape Girardeau, MO. 30 Apr. 2009 [2]
• Scott F. Nadler, DO, FACSM, Kurt Weingand, PhD, DVM, and Roger J. Kruse, MD. “The Physiologic Basis and Clinical Applications of Cryotherapy and Thermotherapy for the Pain Practitioner”. Pain Physician. 7 (2004): 395-399.
• "FIR Cordless Heat Therapy" is registered trademark of "+Venture Heat" [3]cs:Termoterapie

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