One of the most frequently asked questions in orthopedic consultation is aimed at the application of heat or cold.
Generally speaking, that apply in all inflammatory processes active (acute bursitis, acute tendinitis calcarea, acute arthritis) usually cold is because of the florid inflammatory process by supplying heat further increased and thus the pain would be strengthened.
Conversely, heat is especially in the spine indicated whenever massive muscle groups are strained by reduced blood flow, and this results in a pH decrease tissue acidosis with accumulation of acidic metabolites in the tissue comes irritate the chemoreceptors.
This process is, imagine how when jogging the lactic acid accumulates, and thus causes pain in the side. The chemical stimulus causes pain, the pain lead to further tension, the tension leads to further blood flow reduction. This vicious circle is often a good break with heat.
The application of cold is dangerous, because many patients are not aware of that can occur if too cold supply direct injury to the skin by destroying the blood vessels so that there occurs an effect, as after a burn.
We therefore prefer cold applications with special devices that are similar to a cold mist applied, or the so-called Kryocraff cooling units, opened in which a cold from cold liquid flowed through cuff on the affected joint will, which is never as cold as if simply a cold compress or ice applied to the skin.
Generally speaking, cold as ice and cold compress should never be in direct contact with the skin, but must be buffered in a sense always by the application of an intermediate tissue, otherwise burns are inevitable. This is mainly because that is tempered by cooling down the pain receptors so that the patient remembers only too late that damage to the skin occurred.
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