nt,’R30-69′); return false; }” xpath=”/CT{06b9ee1beed59419fa2bedb37ace85f4ef50397bb3c2ea48f132154d6696ac7a2f84c1baffad7dc7157c0b06ebf6e33a}/ID(R30-69)” title=”30″ onmouseover=”window.status=this.title; return true;” onmouseout=”window.status=”; return true;”>30).
General Indications
Pain
Muscle spasm
Contracture
Tension myalgia
Hematoma resolution
Bursitis
Tenosynovitis
Fibromyalgia
Superficial thrombophlebitis
Acceleration of metabolic process
General Contraindications and Precautions
Acute inflammation, trauma, or hemorrhage
Bleeding dyscrasia
Ischemia
Insensitivity
Atrophic skin
Scar tissue
Inability to communicate
Poor thermal regulation (systemic applications)
<DIV span classtion:The process of heat energy transfer between a solid object and a moving gas or liquid.
Conversion: The process of energy transfer that involves converting one form of energy to a different form. Use of high-frequency sound waves or electromagnetic (EM) waves to heat tissue will be discussed.
Heating modalities are divided into superficial and deep.
PHYSIOLOGY OF SUPERFICIAL HEAT
Predominant mode of heating is conduction; however, some superficial applications use convection or conversion.
Superficial heat effects include vasodilatation, pain relief, reduction of muscle tone and spasticity, increased cellular metabolic activity, decreased joint stiffness, increased soft tissue extensibility, and promotion of hyperemia. Elevation of tissue temperature does not generally exceed 40°C and is usually short lived.
Causes superficial vasodilatation preferentially.
May be associated with consensual vasodilatation of areas distant to the area being heated; for example, the contralateral limb.
Changes of 13-15°C in the finger joint may change joint viscosity by about 20% (93).
There is moderate evidence that heat wrap therapy provides short-term pain reduction and disability in patients with acute and subacute low back pain. There is further pain reduction and functional improvement with the addition of exercise (<A onclick="if (window.scroll_to_id) { scroll_to_id(eveslowly decreasing 1/r relationship.-
Safety: These agents produce erythema (known as erythema ab igne and erythema calor).
Chronic use may produce a permanent brownish discoloration.