These day’s arthritis and chronic pain due to the underlying issue are quite common along with the pain that is caused due to accidents, health conditions or sudden jerks. Some people also have stiffness issues with joints, hands, and legs. Hot and cold therapy is used to treat all the health mentioned above conditions. The therapy is helpful in relieving soreness which means it has the same effect as that of a heating pad or the ice packs.
It is a known fact that people feel relaxed after coming in proximity with heat is due the relaxing effect heat has on muscles and tissues. The stiffness or the soreness of muscles can be treated with Heat treatment. It also helps in relaxing the joints which are affected by long-term arthritis. Apart from relaxing the muscles, the heat therapy stimulates the blood flow and enhances blood circulation in the local area. It also helps in increasing the range of motion thereby reducing the joint stiffness.
The second half of the ‘hot & cold therapy’ is the Cold therapy. The cold therapy is helpful in cooling off the inflammation of the nerves and relieving pain. For people experiencing knee problem, the ice pack can be helpful. The cold therapy causes a numb sensation. It is considered too much useful in the treatment of Arthritis as it reduces inflammation which is, in fact, one of the most responsible causes of pain. The cold therapy also helps in reducing swelling which can lead to a reduction in pain.
Few points to consider while using the ‘Hot & cold therapy’:
- One should avoid to administer heat on area which is read, already hot or irritated
- The cold therapy should not be administered to an area that is stiff or faces mobility issues.
- The fundamentals of Hot and cold therapy are that Heat helps in relaxing muscles and cold helps in reducing inflammation.
- One should monitor the intensity of both heat and cold while performing the therapy so that there is no damage to the skin.
The physiotherapists make use of the following Hot and cold therapy equipment and products:
- Hydrollocator heating unit
- Ice packs
- Hot water bags
- Chilling units
- Wax Bath unit
- Physio- wax
- Paraffin wax tank
- UV Lamp
The wax therapy is one the efficient therapies used for hot treatment. The wax therapy is a bath in molten paraffin wax which helps in improving mobility by way of warming connective tissues of the affected area. It is mainly used for treating hands along with few exercises. The paraffin wax is generally a soft wax with low melting point. It melts at a temperature which is bearable on the skin.
The wax moisturizes the skin and makes it healthy and soft. The wax bath physiotherapy offers fast relief, is drug-free and a versatile element for treating arthritis, joint pain along with hands and foot. For chronic pain, nothing feels better than wax therapy.
