AirDriePhysiotherapy

Posts Tagged ‘thermotherapy’

Methods of application of thermotherapy:
Arena

It is a solid physical agent. It is applied as a bath, covering the patient with hot sand where the temperature should not exceed 45 º C. You should not cover their heads and bath should last no longer than 30 minutes. This type tends to produce large sweat bath.

Dry Wraps

This is the use of blankets or warm blankets for either local or general application. Placed directly on the skin and the duration of the application can be quite long.

Termóferos

Termóferos known as all those solids that are heated and used previously for therapeutic purposes, such as bricks, hot water bottles, etc.

Paraffin

Paraffin is a semi physical agent whose melting point is 52 º C. Has the property to maintain its heat for a long time.

Muds

It is a mixture of paraffin with volcanic mud whose melting point is very high, so it is necessary to cool before use.

Dry air

This is a hot air bath can be used in local or general treatment. The application is made in a closed room where the air temperature goes up gradually to 40 º C to 60 º C for 25 to 60 minutes.

Water Vapor

It is used for general applications as saunas, Turkish or Russian bath and local application.

Infrared

Lamps is implemented by infrared radiation power. Be applied for 10 to 30 minutes at a distance of 20 to 25 cm. The infrared applications produce analgesia, vasodilation, hyperemia and increased body temperature. It is mostly used in cases of chronic pain and a half to circulatory diseases.

Diathermo

This is a technique of high frequency electrotherapy is produced by a buffer capacitor generates waves and thermal effects which produce an increase in deep tissue temperature, increase blood flow and vasodilation.

Situations that may indicate the use of thermotherapy:

Musculoskeletal system: in cases where there are both muscular and joint contusions, osteoarthritis, arthritis, muscle sprains and muscle tears.

Nervous system in cases of neuralgia, neuritis, contractions and spasms.

Circulatory system: for vascular disease such as arteriosclerosis.

Urogenital system: in cases of nephritis, urolithiasis and cystitis.

Digestive system: to treat stomach pains and cramps.

Respiratory: pleurisy, laryngitis, bronchiectasis.

Skin: For the treatment of inflammatory processes, such as abscesses.

Metabolic diseases, eg obesity.

Contraindications:

Thermotherapy is not recommended if the patient has some form of heart disease, psychological depressive disorders, inflammatory conditions of the abdominal cavity as appendicitis, acute inflammation of the musculoskeletal system and in patients taking anticoagulants.

Methods of application of thermotherapy:

Peloids

They are semi physical agents. Formed with a mixture of mineral water, seawater or salt lake water with organic or inorganic substances which arise as a result of biological or geological processes.

The peloids are formed from sediment of the water, then macerated and stored until they are transformed into therapeutic agents for mineral water action. As a therapeutic, peloids are used at high temperature and generally retain their long-time temperature.

Peloids commonly used are:

Sludge or slurries, consisting of two components, one solid and one liquid clay (water sulfate, sulfur and chloride).

Limos: the solid component is clay, silica or limestone and the liquid is sea water or salt lake.

Mobs: the solid component of the mobs are plant debris and clay, the liquid component is natural water or seawater.

Bioglan: Bioglan in the solid component is organic (algae) and sulfur liquid is water. They are greenish yellow and have a gelatinous consistency.

It is the application of heat on the body for therapeutic purposes through high temperature material bodies. The heat spreads in the body producing a temperature rise as a result of which the therapeutic effects emerge.

An agent is considered warm heat whenever it is between 34 and 36 º C and no higher than sensitivity of the skin of 58 º C. Termoterapeutic application has several effects:

At the cellular level: it increases the metabolic processes to a point where, no matter what the temperature rises, lowers the metabolic process.

Blood circulation: the most important effect is thermoregulation that produces at first a brief vasoconstriction and then vasodilation produced by hyperthermia. In the entire body surface vasomotor reaction occurs that has a reflex action in areas distal to the application and important effects such as improvement of cellular nutrition, bactericidal, anti-inflammatory and analgesic.

Digestive system: The application of heat diminish secretions and increase gastric muscle tone, and increases intestinal movement.

Urinary system: the heat rises and accelerates diuresis bladder emptying.

Respiratory system: the heat causes increased respiration rate and water vapor content in the inspired air, which results in a thermoregulatory mechanism.

Nervous system: the short-term hot stimuli increase the sensitivity and the lower short-term, resulting in sedation and analgesia.

Muscles: The heat relaxes muscles, is an antispasmodic and eliminates fatigue, increases elasticity and decreases muscle tone.

Skin on skin heat produces a temperature rise, changing the circulation and local sweating. It also increases the evaporation of water through the skin and reduces the sensitivity of the tactile nerve endings.

Therapeutic effects of thermotherapy:

Anti-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory effects of thermotherapy and can be used in any type of inflammation, except acute phase.

Painkiller: This effect is achieved within minutes of application. Its intensity depends on temperature, time of application and the conditions under which the patient is.

Antispasmodic: thermotherapy acts on the muscle spasms and contractions in both skeletal muscle and in the viscera.

Salutary lesson: local intense heat therapy can produce an increase in blood circulation.

Searing: when heat is applied in a given area and intensity than skin tolerance, there is destruction of tissue burn.

Objectives: The primary objective of this observational study is to evaluate the improvement of patients with whiplash treated with specific physical techniques and the time they need to improve the physical state in which they live.

Material and Methods: A sample of 12 patients between men and women aged between 21 and 61 years subdivided into two groups according to sex to which they belong. Data were collected from each patient at the beginning and end of study time. Data processing was performed using the Statistical Program CaEst 1.2, and found the statistics: mean, standard deviation, variance, test of goodness of chi-square test signs of S and the linear regression.

Results: At the end of the study which lasted six weeks, the results were that 12 patients of the sample containing the twelve raised their health in some or all aspects, both physical and psychological. The improvement in the group of men is 100% as the 5 men included in the sample had improved. The improvement of women is also a 100% because the sample of 7 women returned improvement.

Conclusion: The use of physical therapy (thermotherapy, therapeutic exercise and manual-cinesiterapia) in patients with whiplash had a clear positive influence on this condition, improving the symptoms with which we are presented with the study patients.

Keywords: whiplash physiotherapy, thermotherapy, manual therapy. (No abstract in English) Read the rest of this entry »