Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Application of Heat and Cold
Application of Heat and Cold
1. Patient’s Condition
▪ Age
▪ Circulatory or neurologic
deficiencies
▪ Level of consciousness
▪ Amount of body fats
▪ Condition of the skin in the
area being treated
▪ Patient’s diagnosis
2. Adaptation of thermal receptors
3. Thermal application must be stopped before
“rebound phenomenon” begins
Rebound phenomenon
▪ occurs at the time the maximum therapeutic effects of
hot or cold application is achieved and the opposite
effects begin.
▪ negates the therapeutic effect of heat and cold
application.
• It is a rubber pad of
tubular construction that
can be filled with distilled
water, an electrical unit
heats the water and keeps
it at an even temperature
Aquathermia pad
• It is a gooseneck
lamp containing a
60-watt bulb, applied
18-24 inches from
the body
Heat Cradle
• Gel-filled hot
packs are available
commercially and
are reusable
• Be certain to read
manufacturer’s
instructions
Thermal Blanket
11. Cover the bag with towel or other protector & apply to
prescribed area.
***Covering the device protects the skin from direct
contact with rubber. Heat travels by conduction from
one object to another.
Note:
Adult and child over 2 yrs – 46 C to 52 C (115 F – 125 F)
Deliberated/unconscious adult or child under 2 yrs. – 40.5
C to 46 C (105 - 115 F
2. MOIST Heat
• Warm moist compress
• Sitz baths
• Warm soaks
Warm Moist Compress
Sitz bath
Sitz bath
• Means of applying tepid or hot water to the pelvic
or rectal area, clients are placed in a tub filled
water with sufficient water to reach the umbilicus
1. DRY Cold
• Ice bags / ice collar
• Cold packs / ice packs
• Gel filled cold packs
• Thermal blanket (cooling)
Ice Bags/Ice Collars
Ice Bags/Ice Collars
• commercially prepared ice bags
• these bags cannot be reused
Gel-filled Cold packs
• available
commercially and
reusable
Thermal Blanket (Cooling)
• commonly referred as
hypothermia blanket
• the blanket cools the
patient to the desired
body temperature and
maintains that level
2.MOIST Cold
• Cold compress
• Cold sponge
bath
Cold Compress
Cold Sponge Bath