Paraffin Bath Research Articles

Effectiveness of paraffin bath therapy for the symptoms and function of hand diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BackgroundParaffin bath therapy is noninvasive and is widely used in various hand diseases. Paraffin bath therapy is easy to use, has fewer side effects, and can be applied to various diseases with different etiologies. However, there are few large-scale studies of paraffin bath therapy, and there is insufficient evidence of its efficacy. PurposeThe purpose of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of paraffin bath therapy for pain relief and functional improvement in various hand diseases through a meta-analysis. Study designSystematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. MethodsWe searched for studies using PubMed and Embase. Eligible studies were selected based on the following criteria: (1) patients with any diseases of the hand; (2) comparison between paraffin bath therapy and no paraffin bath therapy; and (3) sufficient data on changes in the visual analog scale (VAS) score, grip strength, pulp-to-pulp pinch strength, or Austrian Canadian (AUSCAN) Osteoarthritis Hand index before and after paraffin bath therapy. Forest plots were drawn to visualize the overall effect. Jadad scale score, I2 statistics, and subgroup analyses were used to assess the risk of bias. ResultsA total of five studies included 153 patients who were treated and 142 who were not treated with paraffin bath therapy. The VAS were measured in all 295 patients included in the study, while the AUSCAN index was measured in the 105 patients with osteoarthritis. Paraffin bath therapy significantly reduced the VAS scores (mean difference [MD], −1.27; 95% confidence interval [CI] −1.93 to −0.60). In osteoarthritis, paraffin bath therapy significantly improved grip and pinch strength (MD −2.53; 95% CI 0.71-4.34; MD 0.77; 95% CI 0.71-0.83) and reduced the VAS and AUSCAN scores (MD −2.61; 95% CI −3.07 to −2.14; MD −5.02; 95% CI −8.95 to −1.09). DiscussionParaffin bath therapy significantly reduced the VAS and AUSCAN scores, and improved grip and pinch strength in patients with various hand diseases. ConclusionsParaffin bath therapy is effective for alleviating pain and improving function in hand diseases, thereby improving quality of life. However, owing to the small number of patients included in the study and its heterogeneity, a further large-scale, well-structured study is needed.

Influence of filament patterning in structural properties of dense alumina ceramics printed by robocasting

Robocasting is an extrusion-based additive manufacturing (AM) technique, highly explored in the fabrication of porous structures or thin-walled ceramics. Comparing to other slurry-based AM technologies, robocasting presents a high potential to produce dense bulk ceramics, thanks to the low organic binder contents and high solids loading used in the feedstock. Despite these benefits, the robocasting fabrication of ceramics with similar mechanical performance as those produced by traditional methods remains a challenge. The goal of this work is to fine-tune the robocasting printing process of dense alumina ceramics by evaluating the influence of in-fill filaments orientation and the medium where the deposition process occurs (air or paraffin bath), on defects and mechanical performance of the sintered parts. Relative density, shrinkage, three-point flexural strength, Young's modulus and hardness were analysed. The specimens with the highest performance were sintered at 1550 °C or 1600 °C temperatures for 2 h holding time and the results were compared with slip casting (SC) samples sintered in the same conditions. Alumina robocasting samples, printed longitudinally in air with controlled humidity and sintered at 1600 °C, exhibited relative density ≈99% with flexural strength (≈350 MPa), Young's modulus (≈366 GPa) and hardness (≈17 GPa) values comparable to those obtained for SC samples. Numerical modelling and simulation were used to analyse the experimental values and the anisotropic behaviour of the printed specimens. Experimental Young's modulus results were compared with the Voigt-Reuss bound and the Hashin-Shtrikman upper-bound, as well as the analytical predictions of a Mooney-type exponential relation.

Paraffin bath therapy in De Quervain's tenosynovitis: a single-blind randomized controlled trial.

Data on the efficacy of treatment modalities in De Quervain's tenosynovitis (DQT) is limited. Paraffin therapy is routinely used in treating hand osteoarthritis and neuropathies. However, there are not enough studies investigating paraffin effectiveness. This study evaluates the effectiveness of paraffin bath therapy on pain, functional status, muscle strength, and quality of life in patients with DQT. This prospective, single-blind, randomized, controlled study enrolled 51 DQT patients. Group 1 (n = 26) received paraffin bath + splint + exercise; Group 2 (n = 25) received splint + exercise therapy. Pain, handgrip strength, thumb palmar pinch strength, functional status, and quality of life were evaluated. Both treatment combinations improved pain, grip strength, palmar pinch strength of the thumb, functional status, and quality of life. The paraffin group provided more effective pain control than the paraffin-free group and was more effective in improving functional status, handgrip strength, and quality of life (p < 0.05). Apparently, adding paraffin therapy to the combination of the splint and therapeutic exercise positively affects the patient's treatment outcomes. For this reason, paraffin therapy should be included in the conservative treatment combinations in DQT.

Beneficial Effects of Paraffin Bath Therapy as Additional Treatment of Chronic Hand Eczema: A Randomized, Single-Blind, Active-Controlled, Parallel-Group Study.

Objective: Chronic hand eczema (CHE) is a common inflammatory skin disease with a major psychological and socioeconomic impacts on patients' quality of life (QoL) and work ability. To the best of knowledge, this study is the first randomized-controlled trial conducted to evaluate the effect of paraffin bath therapy in management of hand eczema and its related symptoms. Design: This study was a parallel-group, active-control, randomized clinical trial with measures at pretreatment, 6th week, and 12th week of treatment. Settings: The study took place at the Outpatient Clinic of Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, and some licensed rehabilitation centers in Cairo for a 1-year period. Subjects: Sixty patients with moderate to severe CHE were randomly assigned into two groups of equal number; the paraffin bath therapy group and the control group. Interventions: The paraffin group received paraffin bath therapy for 5 days a week for 12 weeks, in addition to the routine skin care program, while the control group only received the routine skin care program. Outcome measures: SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) was used to assess the severity of atopic dermatitis and dermatology life quality index (DLQI) to assess the effect of CHE on quality of patients' life. All measurements were obtained before, at the 6th week, and at the 12th week of treatment. Results: Marked improvement in the severity of the disease symptoms was observed, reflected by a highly decrease in objective SCORAD score in the paraffin group over time more than the control group. The percentage of reduction was 28.6% in paraffin group versus 0.41% in control group. Subjective item score (itching and sleepiness) was reduced in the paraffin group more than the control group with a percentage of improvement (47% and 5.5%), respectively. Regarding QoL measure, there were highly positive changes in DLQI in paraffin group more than the control group. The percentage of improvement was 60% in paraffin group and 3.8% in control group. Conclusions: Paraffin bath therapy applied for a 12-week duration seems to be effective, both in reducing severity of eczema symptoms and improving QoL in patients with CHE.

Comparison of efficacy of fluidotherapy and paraffin bath in hand osteoarthritis: A randomized controlled trial.

Objectives This study aims to compare the efficacy of paraffin bath therapy and fluidotherapy on pain, hand muscle strength, functional status, and quality of life (QoL) in patients with hand osteoarthritis (OA).Patients and methods This prospective randomized controlled study included 77 patients (8 males, 69 females; mean age: 63.1±10.3 years; range 39 to 88 years) with primary hand OA who applied between July 2017 and March 2018. The patients were randomized into two groups with the sealed envelope method: Paraffin bath therapy (20 min, one session per day, for two weeks) was applied for 36 patients whereas 41 patients received fluidotherapy for the same period. The pain severity of the patients, both at rest and during activities of daily living (ADL) within the last 48 hours was questioned and scored using Visual Analog Scale. Duruöz Hand Index (DHI) was used to evaluate hand functions. Gross grip strength was measured using Jamar dynamometer whereas fine grip strength was measured using pinch meter in three different positions (lateral pinch, tip pinch, and palmar pinch). The 36-Item Short Form (SF-36) was used to analyze the QoL. All measurements were performed before, immediately after, and three months after treatment.Results Improvement was observed in pain score at rest and during ADL, DHI scores, gross and fine grip strengths, and SF-36 subscores in both groups after treatment. However, no significant difference was observed between the groups.ConclusionBoth fluidotherapy and paraffin bath therapy have been found to have positive effects on pain, hand muscle strength, functional status, and QoL in the treatment of hand OA. However, no superiority was observed between the two treatment modalities.

The Turkish League Against Rheumatism Recommendations for the Management of Hand Osteoarthritis Under Guidance of the Current Literature and 2018 European League Against Rheumatism Recommendations.

Objectives This study aims to explore the accordance to the 2018 European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) recommendations for the management of hand osteoarthritis (OA) among the Turkish League Against Rheumatism (TLAR) expert panel and composition of TLAR recommendations for the management of hand OA under guidance of the current literature.Materials and methods The TLAR convener designated an expert panel of 10 physicians experienced in hand OA for this process. The 2018 EULAR recommendations for the management of hand OA and the systematic review of the literature were sent to the expert panel via e-mails. The e-mail process which included Delphi round surveys was completed. The EULAR standard operational procedure Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II was followed. The level of agreement was calculated for each item and presented as mean, standard deviations, minimum and maximum and comparisons of 2018 EULAR recommendations were performed.Results Five overarching principles and 10 recommendations were discussed. Revisions were held for the sixth, seventh, and ninth recommendations with lowest level of agreements. These recommendations were revised in accordance with suggestions from the experts and re-voted. The revised forms were approved despite the lack of statistically significant difference between these forms (p=0.400, p=0.451, p=0.496, respectively). Except for the ninth recommendation about surgery (p=0.008), no significant difference in level of agreements was observed between the EULAR and TLAR hand OA recommendations. The 11th recommendation about paraffin bath was added.Conclusion The optimal treatment of hand OA consists of personalized non-pharmacological (self-management, exercise, splint), pharmacological (topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as the first choice), and interventional procedures (only for refractory cases) based on shared decision between the patient and physician. TLAR hand OA recommendations were created mainly based on the most recent literature and the last EULAR hand OA management recommendations, which are widely approved among the TLAR experts.

Effects of a finger exercise program on hand function in automobile workers with hand osteoarthritis: A randomized controlled trial

Hand osteoarthritis reduces a person's ability to perform work activities and return to their occupation. We investigated the effects of a finger exercise program on hand grip strength, pain, physical function, and stiffness in automobile manufacturing workers with hand osteoarthritis. This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 29 subjects. Fifteen experimental subjects received a finger exercise program with paraffin baths, while 14 control subjects received only paraffin baths. Hand grip strength, pain, physical function, and stiffness were assessed at baseline and 8 weeks later. In the experimental group, hand grip strength (P < 0.001) and Australian/Canadian osteoarthritis hand index (AUSCAN) scores (pain, P < 0.001; stiffness, P < 0.001; physical function, P < 0.001) were significantly improved by 3.52 ± 2.03, 21.6 ± 8.3 (pain), 16.8 ± 10.21 (stiffness), and 13.86 ± 4.54 (physical function) compared with preintervention values. In the control group, hand grip strength (P = 0.004) and AUSCAN scores (pain, P < 0.001; stiffness, P = 0.019; physical function, P < 0.001) were significantly improved by 0.57 ± 0.62, 7.85 ± 5.46 (pain) 11.42 ± 7.18 (stiffness), and 10.28 ± 14.41 (physical function) compared with preintervention values. Significant differences between groups were found for postintervention hand grip strength (P = 0.015) and AUSCAN index subscale scores (pain, P < 0.001; physical function, P = 0.020). A combined finger exercise and paraffin bath program is effective in reducing pain, improving physical function, and increasing hand grip strength in workers with hand osteoarthritis.

The effect of paraffin bath therapy versus extracorporeal shockwave therapy in the management of plantar fasciitis: A randomized clinical trial

Plantar fasciitis (PF) is the most common cause of painful heel. The etiology is multifactorial but usually involves inflammation and degeneration of the plantar fascia origin. Physical therapy interventions such as contrast bath, ultrasonography and iontophoresis help in resolution of symptoms. According to our current knowledge the efficacity paraffin bath therapy (PBT) is ambiguous. This prospective, randomized controlled study aims to compare the efficacy of PBT and extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) in the treatment of plantar fasciitis. Seventy patients were randomized into either the PBT (12 men, 23 women; mean age 39.12 ± 7.15 years) or ESWT (14 men, 21 women; mean age 38.37 ± 8.87 years) groups. Four patients in PBT group and five patients in ESWT group were lost to follow-up. Groups were similar regarding age, sex, and body mass index (all P > 0.05). PBT group had paraffin bath therapy (5 times per week, for 3-week duration) for affected foot while ESWT was applied twice a week for three weeks. As outcome measures patients’ pain and functional status were evaluated with Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Heel Tenderness Index (HTI), Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) and ultrasonographic thickness of the plantar fascia recorded. The study parameters were administered at baseline, immediately after treatment and after 12 weeks. Statistically significant improvement was observed in several studied parameters after the treatment and during the follow-up study in the both groups. The PBT significantly improved the VAS, HTI and FAOS but not in thickness of the plantar fascia, even in the long-term. Both PBT and ESWT treatments improved pain levels and function and quality of life in individuals with plantar fasciitis. But ESWT method was superior according to PBT in treating plantar fasciitis.

Microscopic evaluation of rotatory and handle caries removal on glass ionomer cement/dentin interface

Aim: This study evaluated the interface between glass ionomer cement (GIC) and dentin using the conventional and atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) techniques for removal of decayed tissue. Materials and Methods: After preparation of the cavities by the conventional (Group I – GI) and ART (Group II – GII) techniques, the specimens were divided into 3 subgroups according to the GIC used (n=10). The conventional GIC KETAC FILL (3M/ESPE) was used in the groups GI-1 and GII-1, the conventional GIC VIDRION R (SS WHITE) in the groups GI-2 and GII-2, and the modified GIC FUJI II LC (GC Corporation) in the groups GI-3 and GII-3. For the microscopic analysis, the teeth were decalcified in a solution containing equal portions of 50% formic acid and 20% sodium citrate, dehydrated and submitted to paraffin baths. The samples were sectioned (6mm in thickness), stained by the Brown and Brenn method, and evaluated in a light microscope. Results: The microscopic analysis revealed interaction between the material and dentin structure only with the FUJI II LC. In addition, the behavior was superior for the conventional technique in comparison to the ART technique. Conclusion: It was concluded that the technique used for carious dentin removal does not seem to be determinant for the bonding of ionomeric materials to the dental structure, except for the resin-modified GIC in which the formed hybrid layer was higher using the conventional technique.

Effect of Heat Treatments for Hand in Raynaud'S Phenomenon

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.

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COMPARISON BETWEEN KINESIO TAPING AND PHYSIOTHERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF de QUERVAIN'S DISEASE

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a therapeutic Kinesio taping (KT) and physical therapy (PT) modalities for the treatment of de Quervain's disease. Methods: In this prospective randomized clinical study, 30 patients were enrolled into the KT group, and 30 other patients were enrolled into the physical therapy group. In the KT group, 3 pieces of Kinesio tapes were used 4 times weekly, and in the PT group 10 min paraffin bath, 5 min ultrasound (US) under water, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), and a friction massage were applied every 3 days for 10 sessions. Pain severity and the presence of swelling were assessed in all patients before and after the course of 1-month treatment. Results: The overall success rate was 80% in the KT group and 30% in the PT group. In the KT group, the baseline visual analog scale (VAS) was 58 and at the end of treatment it changed into 13. In the PT group, these figures were 56 and 38. Swelling was improved in 17 people (73%) and 5 people (19%) in the KT and PT groups, respectively. Conclusion: Results revealed that patients with de Quervain's disease respond more favorably to KT rather than PT.

Change of Isometric Contractile Force and Muscle Activity Applying Heat according to the Time on Biceps Brachii Muscle

Thermotherapy is widely used in diverse forms inpatient rehabilitation or sports medicine(1).Thermotherapy is divided into superficial heat(heat,infrared rays, paraffin bath, liquid, whirl pool bath)therapy and deep heat(ultrasonic wave, short wave,microwave) therapy based on heat penetrationdepths after heat application(2). In particular, super-ficial heat such as hot packs is one of the most wide -ly used methods among chronic musculoskeletal sys -tem disease patients because it has advantages suchas easy handling, low costs, non-invasive applica -tion(3).Superficial heat is mainly applied to relieve painand muscle spasm. Physiological reactions to heatraise tissue temperatures, increase blood flow ratesthrough vasodilatation in local applied sites, increasethe physical change and metabolic activity of colla -genic tissues, relieve muscle spasm, change nervereactions, and change musculoskeletal system activ -ities(1, 4, 5). In particular, muscle strength andendurance decrease in the musculoskeletal system(6)so that the viscoelasticity of connective tissuesincreases(7). In addition, thermal stimulationchanges nerve reactions to raise pain thresholds,change nerve conduction velocity, and affect musclespindle firing rates. According to a previous study,when superficial heat was applied to chronic lowback pain patients for two hours, the muscle activityof erector spinae muscle decreased and pain wasrelieved(8). Another previous study indicated thatthermotherapy that combines superficial heat anddeep heat caused different patterns of changes in thethoracic vertebral motor neurons through changes inthe motor neurons(9) and still another previous studyidentified that thermotherapy combined withstretching exercises changed muscles' stretchingforce thereby causing significant changes in theactive and passive ranges of motion of the joints(10). Despite that thermotherapy has diverse physiologi-cal reactions and advantages, most previous studies

Efficacy of Paraffin Bath Therapy in Hand Osteoarthritis: A Single-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy of paraffin bath therapy on pain, function, and muscle strength in patients with hand osteoarthritis. DesignProspective single-blinded randomized controlled trial. SettingDepartment of physical medicine and rehabilitation in a university hospital. ParticipantsPatients with bilateral hand osteoarthritis (N=56). InterventionsPatients were randomized into 2 groups with a random number table by using block randomization with 4 patients in a block. Group 1 (n=29) had paraffin bath therapy (5 times per week, for 3-week duration) for both hands. Group 2 (n=27) was the control group. All patients were informed about joint-protection techniques, and paracetamol intake was recorded. Main Outcome MeasuresThe primary outcome measures were pain (at last 48h) at rest and during activities of daily living (ADL), assessed with a visual analog scale (0–10cm) at 12 weeks. The secondary outcome measures were the Australian Canadian Osteoarthritis Hand Index (AUSCAN) and the Dreiser Functional Index (DFI), used for subjective functional evaluation, loss of range of motion (ROM), grip and pinch strength, painful and tender joint counts, and paracetamol intake. A researcher blind to group allocation recorded the measures for both hands at baseline, 3 weeks, and 12 weeks at the hospital setting. ResultsAt baseline, there were no significant differences between groups in any of the parameters (P>.05). After treatment, the paraffin group exhibited significant improvement in pain at rest and during ADL, ROM of the right hand, and pain and stiffness dimensions of the AUSCAN (P<.05). There was no significant improvement in functional dimension of the AUSCAN and the DFI (P>.05). The control group showed a significant deterioration in right hand grip and bilateral lateral pinch and right chuck pinch strength (P<.05), but there was no significant change in the other outcome measures. When the 2 groups were compared, pain at rest, both at 3 and 12 weeks, and the number of painful and tender joints at 12 weeks significantly decreased in the paraffin group (P<.05). Bilateral hand-grip strength and the left lateral and chuck pinch strength of the paraffin group were significantly higher than the control group at 12 weeks (P<.05). ConclusionsParaffin bath therapy seemed to be effective both in reducing pain and tenderness and maintaining muscle strength in hand osteoarthritis. It may be regarded as a beneficial short-term therapy option, which is effective for a 12-week period.

PES/SiO2 nanocomposite by in situ polymerization: Synthesis, structure, properties, and new applications

SiO_2 nanoparticles of a quantum size (15 nm or less) were prepared via sol–gel method using tetraethylorthosilicate as a precursor. SiO_2 nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analyses. Polyethersulfone/silica (PES/SiO_2) crystal structure nanocomposite was prepared by in situ polymerization using silica nanoparticles as reinforcement filler. The polymerization reaction was done at 160°C in paraffin bath in the presence of diphenolic monomers. XRD and FESEM analyses were used to study the morphology of the synthesized nanocomposite. The purity and thermal property of the PES/SiO_2 nanocomposite were studied by energy dispersion of X-ray analysis and differential scanning calorimetry, respectively. The effect of silica particles on the hydrophilicity of PES/SiO_2 nanocomposite was also investigated. It was showed that the PES/SiO_2 nanocomposite had a higher swelling degree when compared with the pure PES. The synthesized PES/SiO_2 powder was used to remove Cu(II) ions from its aqueous solution. The effect of experimental conditions such as pH, shaking time, and sorbent mass on adsorption capacity of PES/SiO_2 nanocomposite were investigated. It was found that incorporation of a low amount of silica (2 wt%) into the polymer matrix caused the increase of the Cu(II) ions adsorption capacity of PES. POLYM. COMPOS., 2012.

Clinical metabolomics: the next stage of clinical biochemistry.

Centuries of scientific advances have paved the way for the relatively recent great strides in clinical biochemistry, a field which mainly relies upon biochemical analyses of various body fluids, prime amongst which are urine1, blood and cerebrospinal fluid2. Technological innovation, through the introduction of cutting edge instrumentation has enabled decades of substantial improvements in the field of standard analytical chemistry in the clinical setting. At its dawn, clinical biochemistry relied on rudimental approaches, such as in the case of Richard Bright’s (1789–1858) test for proteinuria in cases of suspected renal disease, in which a candle flame was used to heat urine in a tablespoon3. Only minor technological improvements could date back to the early twentieth century. As reported by Olukoga et al.4, the equipment of a clinical pathology laboratory within a 200-bedded American hospital in 1920 listed “a centrifuge, a urinometer, two monocular microscopes, two small substage microscope lights, a Bunsen burner, a Dubosq colorimeter, a basal metabolic rate machine, an electro-cardiograph, a microtome, a knife, a paraffin bath, a few antisera and an assortment of test tubes, beakers and pipettes”.

Topical analgesic added to paraffin enhances paraffin bath treatment of individuals with hand osteoarthritis

Purpose. To compare treating patients with symptomatic hand osteoarthritis (OA) with paraffin baths only (PO) (100% wax) or paraffin baths 80% wax with 20% topical analgesic (PTA).Methods. Subjects met criteria of the American College of Rheumatology for classifying symptomatic hand OA and had a Dreiser's index score >5 points. Current and average pain at rest and with movement was assessed with visual analogue scales. Hand function was assessed by the functional index for hand OA (FIHOA).Results. Both groups had a significant reduction in their ‘current’ pain 15 min after the first and twelfth treatments compared to pre-treatment but there was no difference between groups (t = 0.10, p > 0.05). The PTA group had greater improvement over the 12 treatment sessions for their pain at rest (t = 2.92, p < 0.05) and with movement (t = 4.73, p < 0.05) than the PO group. The PTA group also showed greater improvement in their FIHOA following 12 treatments than the PO group (t = 3.52, p < 0.05).Conclusion. Our results indicate that the addition of a topical analgesic to paraffin produced significantly greater pain relief at rest and during movement than paraffin baths alone after 12 treatments. Additionally, the PTA group experienced greater improved hand function.

Straight Talk and Paraffin Baths Favored Over NSAIDs

Straight Talk and Paraffin Baths Favored Over NSAIDs

The effect of a rehabilitation program for the treatment of foot fall injury in affected patients Paralyzed by the longitudinal

Interest in health rehabilitation care is very important since it has adirect relationship with human . The study aims at setting a correctivetherapeutic program of foot drop in addition to being acquainted with its effects.The study also aims at studying significance of the differences of the effect oftherapeutic program during the stages of execution . The sample have beenchosen deliberately from patients having foot drop which resulted from differentaccident . The sample is fourteen males and females, and their ages are betweentwenty to fifty years old . The program is lasted eight weeks , with sixtherapeutic sessions a week . The therapeutic program focuses on heating byusing medical wax ( paraffin bath ) , then doing the therapeutic exercises ,followed by electrical stimulation of the ankle joint muscles . Finally contrastedwater baths (hot & cold ) which are practiced as a home task , are used .Aftermeasuring the dorsiflexion degree of ankle and strength joint of ankle muscles ,the result revealed that there are significant differences between the pretest andthe two posttest measurement and for the sake of the posttest.The study recommended the following :_ Using the suggested program since it a achieved positive effects ._ Employing other sciences in other future studies and combing among varioustherapeutic devices_ To interest to pay attention to the psychological attitude of patients throughoutthe therapeutic program ._ To pay attention to the health education any generalization this program to beutilized at therapeutic centers .PDF created

Evaluation of paraffin bath treatment in patients with systemic sclerosis

Objective: To investigate the effects of treatment with paraffin bath in patients with systemic sclerosis (scleroderma).Methods: In 17 patients with scleroderma one hand was treated daily with paraffin bath in combination with hand exercise. The other hand was treated with exercise only and was considered a control. Hand function was estimated before treatment and after 1 month of treatment, concerning hand mobility and grip force, and perceived pain, stiffness and skin elasticity.Results: At the follow-up, finger flexion and extension, thumb abduction, volar flexion in the wrist, and perceived stiffness and skin elasticity had improved significantly in the paraffin-treated hand compared with the baseline values. The improved hand function was independent of skin score and disease duration. Improvements in function were significantly greater in the hand which was treated with paraffin bath and exercise than in the hand treated with exercise only concerning extension deficit, perceived stiffness and skin elasticity.Conclusions: In this pilot study hand exercise in combination with paraffin bath seemed to improve mobility, perceived stiffness and skin elasticity. However, further studies with larger sample size are needed to attain more reliable results of the effect of paraffin bath treatment in patients with scleroderma.