HOT AND COLD THERAPY FOR ARTHRITIS JOINT PAIN - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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HOT AND COLD THERAPY FOR ARTHRITIS JOINT PAIN

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The simple, convenient and inexpensive way of treating arthritis is by applying hot and cold therapy to the affected area. However, many times people are confused about when to consider heat therapy and when to apply cold therapy. – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: HOT AND COLD THERAPY FOR ARTHRITIS JOINT PAIN


1
HOT AND COLD THERAPY FOR ARTHRITIS JOINT PAIN
2
  • How does Hot Cold Therapy Alleviate Arthritis
    Pain?

3
  • Hot Cold Therapy  works by stimulating the bodys
    healing process. For example, the blood vessels
    dilate with heat therapy. It even decreases
    muscle spasm and stimulates blood circulation.
  • You may use moist heat like heated cloths or warm
    baths or dry heat, such as heat lamps or heating
    pads, to relieve arthritis pain.
  • On the other hand, cold compress helps in
    reducing inflammation by constricting the blood
    vessels. Although you may feel a bit
    uncomfortable using cold packs, these are helpful
    in numbing deep pain.
  • What Temperature is Right for Using Heat Therapy?
  • When you use dry or moist heat therapy, you need
    to ensure that the temperature is not too hot to
    burn your skin. You need to find a tolerable
    temperature for yourself when using the heated
    pad, hot water bottle, hot bath or spa therapy.
    You can apply heat for around 15 minutes before
    beginning exercise.
  • Types of Hot Therapy to Relieve Arthritis Pain-

4
  • You can pick any of the following types of hot
    therapy for relieving arthritis pain
  • Heated swimming pool
  • Disposable heat belts or patches
  • Hot packs (warmed in a microwave)
  • Warm bath
  • Moist heating pad
  • Warm shower
  • A therapeutic mixture of mineral oil and paraffin
  • Hot tub
  • Warm cloth or moist towel

5
  • You can sit on a stool with rubber tips to safely
    use hot therapy on the affected area. The
    continuous heat flow on the arthritic joint site
    can help keep pain minimal while allowing easier
    movement.
  • Most people also get relief from stiffness and
    pain with hot spas or baths. The moist heat
    therapy improves muscle relaxation while boosting
    blood supply to the pain site. It also relieves
    spasms and rigidity in your muscles. However, you
    need to avoid spas and hot tubs if you have heart
    disease, high blood pressure or if youre
    pregnant.
  • Is Cold Therapy Helpful in Relieving Arthritis
    Pain?
  • Yes, of course. Cold therapy using cold packs
    helps numb the swollen or sore area. It also
    helps reduce swelling and inflammation. You can
    use ice packs to alleviate joint pain due to an
    arthritis flare. Even using a local spray like
    fluoromethane is recommended for painful areas or
    back pain before/after exercise. A spray provides
    superficial cooling for decreasing muscle spasm
    while elevating the pain threshold. You can even
    use instant cold packs made from a frozen pack of
    vegetables.

6
  • Some patients find cold therapy more helpful than
    moist heat therapy, whereas others prefer
    alternate sessions of Hot Cold Therapy. You can
    experiment with hot and cold therapy and pick the
    method that provides you relief with minimal
    trouble.
  • How Often to Use Hot or Cold Therapy for
    Alleviating Arthritis Pain?
  • You can use hot and cold therapy twice a day for
    quick relief from stiffness and pain. On the
    other hand, use ice pack massages for 5 to 10
    minutes on the painful area. The cold therapy
    must be used within 48 hours of your pain onset
    to get relief. And, the heat therapy must not be
    used for pain that remains longer than 48 hours.

7
  • Conclusion
  • Using hot and cold therapy is known to be quite
    helpful in relieving arthritis pain. But before
    using hot-cold therapy, your skin must be dry and
    there should not be any soreness and cuts on the
    affected area. If theres visible skin damage,
    avoid using cold or heat therapy. If you cannot
    figure out what to do, consult a doctor to be on
    the safer side.
  • Article Resource-https//axizz.com/hot-and-cold-t
    herapy/
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