Effect of Heat Treatments for Hand in Raynaud'S Phenomenon

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Heat treatment of physical agent modalities (hot pack, paraffin bath, infrared lamp) was widely used in the treatment of the Raynaud's phenomenon. The aim of this study was to investigate effective heat treatment of physical agent modalities for hand hypothermia. Methods/Statistical Analysis: Forty-two subjects were classified into hypothermia group (21 adults) and control group (21 healthy adults). The heat treatment was applied on the subjects after exposing central part of their hands in a laboratory at 23 to 25 °C for 10 minutes before applying the heat treatment, and measured temperature of central part of their hands through Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging before and after treatment. The heat treatment included hot pack, paraffin bath, infrared lamp, and each heat treatment were applied for 20 minutes. Findings: Significant difference appeared in three factors of each group when skin temperature was compared before and after the heat treatment application. The hot pack and paraffin bath showed significant difference when temperature of the experiment group and control group were compared temperature difference before and after the application. When each factor was compared in the experiment group by temperature difference before and after the heat treatment application, between the hot pack and infrared lamp were showed significant difference. According to the result of this study, each heat treatment can be considered to have effect in increasing the skin temperature for both groups. The hot pack treatment applied to people with hypothermia is considered to show better effects when treating hypothermia. Application/Improvements: heat treatment is considered to be an appropriate physical therapy for people with hypothermia.