Heat and cold in the management of rheumatoid arthritis.

Abstract

AbstractHeat and cold are used often in the management of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The primary uses of heat have been to relieve pain and improve the extensibility of periarticular tissuesprior to mobility exercises. Cold is also used as a means of reducing pain prior to exercise and functional activities and to reduce the effects of inflammation. The effects that occur with these agents may be beneficial symptomatically and may also have an effect on the pathological process. In spite of the fact that they are often used by both patients and health care providers with apparent success, there is not a substantial body of evidence attesting to the efficacy of heat or cold in patients with RA. The purposes of this review are to examine that evidence and summarize the effectiveness of heat and cold in the management of joint complaints of patients with RA.