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Heat & Cold
Therapy
Objectives
 Explain the effect of applying heat &cold
 Identify indication of heat & cold application
 State contraindication of heat & cold therapy
 List Methods of Heat &cold Application
 Identify the nursing care heat &cold
application
Heat & Cold Therapy
Introduction
Heat and cold are applied to bring
about a local or systemic change in
body temperature for various
therapeutic purposes.
 Heat causes “vasodilation”
 Cold causes “vasoconstriction
Effects of Applying Heat
Dilates peripheral blood
vessels
Vasodilation increases local
blood flow.
Increases tissue metabolism
Reduces blood viscosity
Effects of Applying Heat
Helps relieve pain
Heat reduces muscle tension to
promote relaxation and helps to relieve
muscle spasm
Indication of heat application
 Relaxation of muscle spasms
 Pain relief
 Support of the healing process
 Reduction of edema once it has stabilized
(stopped increasing)
 Elevation of body temperature
Contraindication for heat therapy
 Suspected appendicitis
• Bleeding wound or injury
• Newly injured joints
• Large areas of the body in certain cardiac
patients
Methods of Heat Application
 Hot water bottles
 Commercial heat packs
 Heating pads
 Aquathermia pads
 Warming blankets
Methods of Heat Application
 Hot compresses
 Soaks
 Sitz baths
Complication of heat application
 Pain
 Burns
 Maceration
 Redness of skin
 Edema
 Hyperthermia
Effect of applying cool
 Constricts peripheral blood vessels
 Reduces blood flow to tissues
 Decreases tissue metabolism
 Reduces edema formation
 Reduces muscle spasm
 Alters tissue sensitivity (producing numbness)
Indication of cool application
 Prevention of edema
 Control or stoppage of bleeding
 Pain relief
 Numbing of sensation
 Reduction of muscle spasm
 Reduction of fever
Contraindication for cold therapy
 Open wounds
 Clients with impaired peripheral circulation
 Clients who have an allergy to cold
Methods of cold Application
 Ice bags/collar
 Cold packs
 Cold compresses
Complication of cold application
 Pain
 Blisters and skin breakdown
 Maceration
 Gray and bluish discoloration
 Thrombus formation
 Redness( secondary effects)
 Hypothermia
Nursing Care During Heat
&cold Therapy
 Asses the clients condition before and
after the hot and cold applications
 Maintain the correct temperature for the
whole duration of the application
 Expose the client only to the safe
temperature
 Do not allow the clients to adjust the
temperature control of machine such as
electric heating pads etc.
Never ignore the complaints of clients
however small they appear to be
 The client must have a calling signal within reach
 Never leave a client alone even for a short period
that cannot move from the applications.
 A thin layer of petroleum jelly or oil should be
applied to the skin prior the application of moist
heat application
 Do not use electrical appliances near to open
oxygen.
 Do not handle electrical appliances with the wet
hands
 Hot and cold applications must be very carefully
used when the clients is unconscious,
anaesthetized or otherwise unable to respond
pain
 Any signs of complications should be
recognized early, the procedure should be
stopped immediately
After the procedure, dry the part gently
by touching and not by rubbing to
remove the moisture
 In hyperpyrexia, the temperature of the
body should be brought down gradually
and steadily, sudden cooling is
dangerous to the client