THERMOTHERAPY

Thermotherapy [Heat Therapy] 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 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 for menstrual cramping relief.

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.

HEAT THERAPY 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.