Therapeutic Effects of Heat and Cold Applications

Physiological Responses

Therapeutic Benefits

Heat Therapy

Promote vasodilation Improve blood flow

Decreases blood viscosity

Increases tissue metabolism

Increases delivery of oxygen & nutrients, leukocytes, antibodies to facilitate the inflammatory process.

Increases capillary permeability

Facilitates removal of waste & toxins.

Produces a local warming effect.

Increases absorption of fluid by capillaries & promotes removal of excess fluid from interstitial spaces,

Physiological Responses

Therapeutic Benefits

thereby reducing edema

Promotes muscle relaxation & decreases pain from spasm or stiffness.

Cold Therapy

Promotes vasoconstriction

Increases blood viscosity

Decreases tissue metabolism

has a local anesthetic effect

Decreases muscle tension

Decreases blood flow to site of injury, thereby decreasing inflammation & edema formation.

Decreases blood flow, facilitating clotting & control of bleeding.

Reduces oxygen consumption of tissues.

Raises pain threshold

Maximum vasodilation & vasoconstriction occurs in 30 minutes

Heat & cold are directly transferred from on substance to another by conduction

• A poor conductor is called an insulator.

• Water is a good conductor; air is not

--so skin will tolerated higher temperatures if heat is dry rather than moist

--ex: moist, hot compresses are applied at a lower temp than hot water bottle covered in a cloth.

• The body tolerates greater extremes in temperature when duration of exposure is shorter.

• The larger the area involved, the less tolerant the skin in to extremes in temperature.

• Consider the condition of the patient.

--unconscious, debilitated, circulatory problems, broken skin have decreased tolerance to extremes in temperature.

Selection of temperature depends on:

1. reason used

2. duration

3. method of application

4. condition of patient

Legal Aspects

1. Always check the orderand check hospital or agency's policy.

2. Assess client, especially his/herskin prior to application.

3. Check as frequency as needed depending on type of application, but at least q1h

4. Leave on only as ordered.

5. Document:a. treatment usedb. how patient tolerated procedurec. how skin looked afterwards

6. If patient is injured, you can be sued.