 | This article needs more reliable medical references for verification or relies too heavily on primary sources. (March 2022) |  |
| Heat therapy | |
|---|---|
| ICD-9-CM | 93.34-93.35 |
Heat therapy, also called thermotherapy, is the use of heat in therapy, such as for pain relief and health. It can take the form of a hot cloth, hot water bottle, ultrasound, heating pad, hydrocollator packs, whirlpool baths, cordless FIR heat therapy wraps, and 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.[1]
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.[2] There is some evidence to suggest that heat therapy can also aid in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's; as well as for cardiovascular benefits.[3][4][5]
- ^ Thermotherapy for treating rheumatoid arthritis, from Cochrane Library
- ^ Prentice, William E. Arnheim's Principles of Athletic Training: a Competency Based Approach. New York. McGraw-Hill. 2008.
- ^ Gravel, Hugo; Behzadi, Parya; Cardinal, Sarah; Barry, Hadiatou; Neagoe, Paul-Eduard; Juneau, Martin; Nigam, Anil; Sirois, Martin G.; Gagnon, Daniel (2021-03-01). "Acute Vascular Benefits of Finnish Sauna Bathing in Patients With Stable Coronary Artery Disease". Canadian Journal of Cardiology. 37 (3): 493–499. doi:10.1016/j.cjca.2020.06.017. PMID 32615263. S2CID 220327000.
- ^ Shepley, Brooke R.; Ainslie, Philip N.; Hoiland, Ryan L.; Donnelly, Joseph; Sekhon, Mypinder S.; Zetterberg, Henrik; Blennow, Kaj; Bain, Anthony R. (2021-03-01). "Negligible influence of moderate to severe hyperthermia on blood-brain barrier permeability and neuronal parenchymal integrity in healthy men". Journal of Applied Physiology. 130 (3): 792–800. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00645.2020. ISSN 8750-7587. PMID 33444119. S2CID 231611909.
- ^ Von Schulze, Alex T.; Deng, Fengyan; Morris, Jill K.; Geiger, Paige C. (2020-12-01). "Heat therapy: possible benefits for cognitive function and the aging brain". Journal of Applied Physiology. 129 (6): 1468–1476. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00168.2020. ISSN 8750-7587. PMC 7792844. PMID 32969779.