 |
|
|
|
Men's Health | Women's Health | Children's Health | Elder Health Holistic Health | Healthy Heart | Cancer | Weight Loss Exercise & Fitness | Healthy Resources | HOME PAGE Health Club 101 DIRECT Natural Supplements | HGH Energizer | Eazol Natural Pain Relief | Revitol Cellulite Solution IBS Irritable Bowel Syndrome | Menopause Symptoms Relief | Insomnia Sleeping Aid Articles & Information Medicine | Nutrition | Exercise | Fitness Equipment | Pregnancy Bodybuilding Supplements | Weight Loss | Breast Cancer | Diabetes Category Site Map |
 |
"So? Which One Do I Use Doctor? Heat or Ice?
Heat has long been used to provide temporary relief of arthritis pain, and is used in many different forms. Contrast baths, whirlpools, electric pads, microwaveable gel packs, hydrocollator packs, infrared lamps, and hot showers are some of the different techniques used. Even warm tap water probably will meet some of your needs for heat therapy at home. Heat can provide temporary relief of pain and stiffness, and can prepare you for physical activity or exercise. For example, morning stiffness is a common problem for many people with rheumatoid arthritis. Because your body has been still during the night you may need special help to get going in the morning. The following combination of techniques using heat can reduce the length and the severity of morning stiffness: 1. Sleep in a sleeping bag (which helps retain body heat) or with an electric blanket (following the manufacturer's instructions). 2. Take your aspirin or other anti-inflammatory medication an hour before you get out of bed in the morning. (Keep a few crackers at your bedside to take with the medication to avoid stomach irritation.) 3. Take a warm shower or bath immediately after you get up. 4. Then do limbering-up exercises after your shower or bath while you still feel warm. Safety is important in choosing the form of heat you use. You should take great care to avoid burns or electric shocks. Heat must be used with much caution on any area of the body with poor circulation or where you cannot feel heat or cold normally. It should not be used over areas where your skin is fragile or broken. Only mild heat is necessary to get results. You are aiming for a temperature just slightly above body temperature, and you do not have to apply heat for a long time. You will get full benefit by using heat for 20 minutes each time. Moist heat is any technique in which water is used to conduct the heat, such as a bath or shower or hydrocollator packs. People with arthritis prefer moist rather than dry heat, such as a heating pad. Moist heat penetrates more deeply than dry. You will have to try both and see which is more effective and convenient for you. Heating pads are available which provide either moist or dry heat, but they should be chosen and used with care. Make sure the pad is approved by the Underwriter's Laboratory. Look for those which have temperature control switches; those without temperature settings get hotter and hotter until you switch them off. When using a pad, never lie on top of it and make sure you do not fall asleep while it is on. Severe burns can result! It may be wise to use a timer during the treatment. Check the instructions on use carefully. Regularly inspect the pad for any cracks in the plastic cover. Hydrocollator packs are canvas bags containing silicone gel which retain heat for a long time. You can buy them in different shapes at pharmacies. Some people like them because they lose heat more slowly than most wet compresses. The pack is heated in water, wrapped in 8 to 10 layers of heavy toweling and placed over the painful joint. The pack is heated in a large pot of water and placed on heavy towels. Place the surface with the thickest layer of toweling over the part to be treated. Keep in mind that hydrocollator packs do have drawbacks. They are not practical if heat is needed for several joints, because each pack can be used for only one part at a time. They are also cumbersome to use and may be too heavy placed over a painful joint. If your hands are affected by your arthritis, it may be difficult for you to remove the heavy pack from the water with the tongs. So you may need help. Again, you must be very careful about burns. If you decide to try such a pack, follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully. Microwaveable gel packs are popular. Follow the instructions carefully or else the bag containing the gel may leak? or even worse explode and cause serious burns! Physical therapists sometimes use melted paraffin as a means of applying heat, particularly to the hands. There are units available for home use as well. Because they involve high temperatures, paraffin baths should be used with caution. Patients with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis involving the hands often find paraffin to be helpful. You can buy nylon and spandex gloves which can reduce morning stiffness of the hands for some people when worn at night. The gloves are available in both men's and women's sizes. It is important to wear adequate, warm clothing in cold weather. Some people find that knitted, woolen or fleece pullover cuffs on painful joints, especially the knees, ankles and elbows are helpful in keeping the joints warm and more comfortable in cold weather. Some people with arthritis find that heat does not help them. In fact, the reverse is often best-cold compresses. Cold may be especially effective when active inflammation produces severe pain and joint swelling. Only trying different modalities will enable you to find out which is best for you. It is easy to make a cold pack by filling a small plastic bag with a few ice cubes. A bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel can be used. Place any cold pack over the painful joint with a layer of terry cloth toweling in between. The same precautions that apply to the use of heat should be observed when using cold. The maximum benefit is achieved in less than 20 minutes. You may wish to repeat this application several times a day. For many people with arthritis an effective approach is alternating warm and cold water applications, a process called contrast baths. It is most useful for a hand or foot which can be dipped in a large pot filled with water. If you decide to give it a try, use a thermometer to check temperatures. 1. Fill one container 2/3 full with 110 degree F water. Finally?and very importantly? with acute musculoskeletal pain, and particularly with injuries, always use ice. The formula to remember is RICE... Dr. Wei (pronounced "way") is a board-certified rheumatologist and Clinical Director of the nationally respected Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center of Maryland. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and has served as a consultant to the Arthritis Branch of the National Institutes of Health. He is a Fellow of the American College of Rheumatology and the American College of Physicians. For more information on arthritis and related conditions, go to: http://www.arthritis-treatment-and-relief.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Men's Health
|
Women's
Health |
Children's
Health |
Elder
Health
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Hypertension & High Blood Pressure: How To Improve Life Threatening Weight-Related Diseases The American Heart Association estimates that one of three Americans have have hypertension. And yet many of us don't know what it is, why it's dangerous, and what the treatment options are. "Foot Pain Relief At Last!" "As an arthritis specialist, one area that I see people complain about more often than almost any other, is their feet." So says Dr. 4 Reasons Why You Should Use Canadian Pharmacies Let's face it: purchasing prescription drugs in the U.S. Death by Fluoride A wee bit of fluoride makes teeth and dentists happy, we're told. Dr. Causes and Types of Cerebral Palsy In the case of Cerebral Palsy there is no one cause of this severe condition. There are many things that may increase the risk of this condition but will not cause cerebral palsy all the time. 4 Reasons to Feel Safe Submitting an Electronic Medical Claim Electronic Medical ClaimFor years, both practices and patients have had to deal with submitting medical claims. Up until recently, claims were submitted manually, using HCFA 1500 forms. Lunesta Tolerance Lunesta is a newly released sleeping pill. Marketed as a revolutionary sleep aid, Lunesta is the only medication approved by the FDA for long term treatment of insomnia symptoms. Lamisil Side Effects Lawyer: Lamisil Tablet While the recent Lamisil commercial featuring Digger, a disgusting cartoon fungus, is still fresh in our mind (who could forget the imagery of a toenail being pulled back and colorful germs crawling in?) it is a good time to look at the side effects of this seemingly innocuous drug. Despite the disturbing advertising campaign, who would have guessed that an antifungal tablet could have so many negative side effects?The drug comes in both cream and tablet form and is used to fight nail fungus, athlete's foot, jock itch, and ringworm. Increasing Patient Care and Reducing Liability in Seven Simple Steps When an unconscious patient arrives in the ED, every hospital agrees that timely next of kin notification is vital. Not only is it important to have a family member present to comfort the patient, but to make informed decisions for his care and provide the medical history that can make the difference between life and death. New Surgical Treatment Options for Hernias Hernia repair is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures worldwide. In fact, there are over 600,000 hernia repair surgeries performed each year in the U. Tempest in a Tea Cup, Wisdom in a Sake Cup What an oxymoron the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has turned out to be. This vegan organization has one colossal ax to grind with their archrival, Darth Atkins. Is Anxiety Ruling Your Life? Anxiety is the most frequently occurring mental health disorder in the United States, according to the US Surgeon General. There are millions of people who are diagnosed with it every year. Prescription Drug Benefit Cost Understated by $324 Billion! When the legislation was passed for Bush's prescription drug benefit in 2003, costs were said to be approximately $400 billion over the next decade. In great contradiction with this estimate, the centers for Medicaid and Medicare have admitted that costs will actually be around $724 billion. Bextra Withdrawal Could Be Just the Beginning for Pfizer The pharmaceutical industry is a tremendously profitable one, as anyone who reads the business pages of their newspaper can see. Although it can take years to develop a new drug and bring it to market, the profits obtained from a breakthrough drug can be staggering. Benign Tumors Of The Cervix Endocervical polypsEndocervical polyps are the most common benign neoplasms of the cervix. Please note that the word neoplasm refers to a cancerous growth. Quitting Smoking: Planning To Succeed With Zyban! Step One: The Big DecisionOne of the most frustrating things about deciding to quit smoking can be people's reactions: "Well, it's about time!" or "It was a filthy habit, why didn't you quit sooner?" But as anyone who has been using nicotine knows, it's one of the hardest decisions, and one of the most difficult tasks, many people face. For many of us, smoking isn't just a physical addiction: we may associate smoking with our first cup of coffee in Paris or favorite college bar. Thalidomide Thalidomide is responsible for causing more than 10,000 children to be born with birth defects.A West German Pharmaceutical Company first introduced Thalidomide as a sedative or sleep aid in 1957, and scientific testing determined that Thalidomide was safe, before it was introduced. Rogue Online Pharmacies: The Internet War Of 2005 Online Pharmacy owners who haven't been working within moral and governmental regulations are in for the ride of their lives. In past months, many of these so called "rogue pharmacies" have either voluntarily shut down or been closed by the powers that be. Molluscum Contagiosum Virus (MCV) Treatment Information - But First, What Is Molluscum? Molluscum contagiosum treatment is certainly possible with the correct treatment information.Many people are told that molluscum contagiosum must be left to run its course (even by dermatologists). Chicago Drug Rehab: Long Term Help For a Real Recovery The central location of the city of Chicago has made it a hub for the distribution of drugs in the Midwest, though much of the problem remains upon the city's streets. The use of crack cocaine is the city's biggest drug problem - since 1990, admissions to Chicago drug rehab for the treatment of this drug have more than doubled.
|
|
home | site map Men's Health | Women's Health | Children's Health | Elder Health Holistic Health | Healthy Heart | Cancer | Weight Loss Exercise & Fitness | Healthy Resources |
|
|
