Physiotherapy

Types of Physiotherapy – Contrast Bath, Hot Packs, Short wave diathermy, Infrared rays, UV Rays, Therapeutic Massage

helps in restoring normal body function and preventing disability arising from disease, trauma or injury. Physiotherapy is based on a detailed understanding of how the body works—posture, balance and movement, knowledge of diseases, injury and the healing process.
There are different types of physiotherapy:

Contrast Baths

A contrast bath, also called hot/cold immersion therapy, is a method of treating soreness, swelling, and inflammation in a person’s joints or muscles. It increases muscle blood flow without expending energy in order to facilitate the flushing of metabolic waste.
Temperature of Hot water is between 40° – 45°C.
Temperature of cold water is 15° – 20°C.

Hot Packs

It consists of a silicate gel called bentonite. The temperature where the hot pack is immersed is between 75° to 80°C. Heat energy is used to relieve pain and induce relaxation. It should not be used if a person has lack of heat sensation, local open wounds, burns and unhealed scars.

Short Wave Diathermy

It is a high frequency alternating current. The heat energy obtained is used for treating inflammation of shoulder joint, inflammation of elbow joint, degeneration of joints of neck, degeneration of joints like knee and hip, ligament sprains in knee joint, low backache, heel pain, sinusitis.
It should not be used if the person is having fever, fluctuating blood pressure, sensitive skin, pregnant women, cardiac problem, bone TB, Cancer.

Infrared Rays

These are electromagnetic waves. Infrared heat is not ultraviolet radiation. Infrared energy travels 2-3″ deep into the body and increases blood circulation and nourishes damaged tissue. They are used to relieve pain and muscle strain. It should not be used if a person is having defective blood supply to the area, blood loss or nerve damage.

Ultra Violet Rays

These are electromagnetic waves with wavelength ranging between 3,900 and 1,849 A°. It is useful for treating general weakness, deficiency in vitamin-D, weight loss, skin disease and hair fall. It should not be used if person is suffering from cancer, high fever, sensitive skin and TB of lungs.
Side effects of light therapy for sleep phase disorders include jumpiness or jitteriness, headache, and nausea.

Therapeutic Massage

Massage treatment uses “TOUCH” to apply pressure to the body’s skin, muscles, tendons, ligaments. It helps in relieving tension, promoting blood flow, calming nerves, loosening muscle. Different modes of therapeutic massage are stroking, clapping, kneading, friction, wringing, picking up, hacking, shaking, vibration.
It is helpful in relief from pain, muscle tightness, induce sleep in insomnia, relieves tension, skin is toned, drainage of oedema or swelling, loosens secretion in the lungs.

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What is Physiotherapy ? What are different types of physiotherapy?

Physiotherapy is a science that aims to improve people with movement disorders by using evidence-based, natural methods such as exercise, motivation, adapted equipment, education and advocacy.
Its primary motive is to restore normal functioning and relieving pain. The treatment focuses on the following systems:
- Spinal cord, nervous system
- Blood circulation and functioning of the heart
- Health of the muscles, bones and ligaments
- Skin care, healing of wounds
- Vestibular system (inner ear) as it is important for restoring balance

Types of Physiotherapy

- Cryotherapy
It involves the application of ice. The temperature of the skin over the ailment is reduced to 10°C during the treatment. it is useful in muscle spasm, spasticity, pain, bed sores. It should not be used if a person has psychological fear of ice, any kind of cardiac problems, nerve injuries and lack of sensation. It can be applied through ice towel, ice packs, immersion, ice cube massage.

- L A S E R (Light Amplification Stimulated Emission of Radiation) THERAPY
Treatment is done in two ways either direct contact (directly over the skin) or distance contact (5cm away from the skin). It is useful in wounds, pressure ulcers, diabetic ulcers, surgical wounds. It should not be used with epileptic persons/persons with recurrent fits, persons with cardiac problems and persons using artificial pacemakers.

- Heat
Heat can be used to heal the muscles and softer tissues. Heating is very helpful when joints have become stiff because of osteoarthritis and also to help in relaxing the muscles before exercises. It helps in blood circulation. It is advisable to wait for about 2 days before making use of heat.

- Hydrotherapy
Exercising in water or using water for healing softer tissues form hydrotherapy because water helps in the flow of blood, it stores as well as carry heat, swimming takes the pressure off a paining joint.

- Electrical Stimulation
The use of electrical current for treatment of joint and muscle disorder is also becoming increasingly popular. It is used for mending broken bones and healing wounds. It is used at very low levels of current to help in decreasing the pain as it produces some pain killers. After a heart stroke, electrical stimulation is made use of to regulate the functioning of the muscles near the shoulder. It is used in maintaining the strength of the muscles of legs in a person suffering from arthritis. It helps in bringing the muscles at the front of the thigh after the conclusion of a knee surgery.