Posts Tagged ‘Heat Therapy’

Wheat Heat Pack treatment is often used as a treatment for many musculoskeletal injuries, aches and sprains. There are many forms of heat treatment, with the most effective often depending on the injury in question. Time scale is also an important factor when deciding whether to use heat therapy.

What are the Benefits of Heat? Wheat Heat Packs applied properly will:

• release pain
• decrease muscle stiffness
• decrease muscle spasm
• increase blood flow to the area to promote healing

When Should I Use Heat Therapy?

Heat therapy should be used on chronic injuries and late stage acute injuries. A chronic injury is one that has persisted for a length of time and is usually due to overuse and biomechanical issues, as opposed to a traumatic incident. Heat can be used before exercise to warm the muscles, but should be avoided after exercise.

How Can Heat be Applied at Home?

At home the easiest way of applying heat to an injury is by using a microwavable wheat heat pack. These can be made of varying materials. Sometimes gel is used but care must be taken to ensure no leaks are present. Oveheated gel accidently applied directly can cause burns.Wheat based packs simply require heating in a microwave. No need to wrap in a towel, just applying it to the injuy is perfectly suitable. This should be applied be 15-20 minutes at a time. Warm, damp towels, warm baths and heat rubs can also be easily used at home although may not be as effective at warming deeper tissues.

 

Heat therapy

View Full Article HERE – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_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.

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 combines a carbon fiber heater with a cordless rechargeable Lithium battery and is built into the specific body wrap (i.e. shoulder wrap or back wrap) for targeted heat therapy, and can be used as an alternative to chemical or plugged-in heating pads that are also used when a women is on her period

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 the back/upper back 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. Some new products use 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.

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