Physiotherapy and PROCEDURE: The application of cold therapy

 Procedure aplication Cold treatment

DEFINITION/DESCRIPTION:

The therapeutic use of local body cooling to transfer heat energy away from the tissues, thereby lowering local tissue temperature and provoking a thermoregulatory response.

Application may be by: local immersion

                                                                cold packs

                                                                ice towels

                                                                ice massage

Application is restricted to a maximum of 9% of body area at any one time and a minimum temperature of 4° Centigrade and ceases when hyperemia is visible.

CONTRAINDICATIONS:

-           cold sensitivity – vasospasm, cold urticaria, cryoglobinaemia

-           coronary thrombosis

-           angina

-           hypertension or labile blood pressure

-           sensory deficiency

-           emotional and psychological factors

-           hypersensitive areas

HAZARDS/COMPLICATIONS/PRECAUTIONS:

-           excessive local cold – tissue injury

-           pathological conditions which predispose to cold injury, e.g. lower motor neuron lesions, Reynard’s disease

INFECTION CONTROL:

-           appropriate hygiene/cleanliness of ice towels

-           appropriate skin care of subject