HOT

COLD
THERAPY

JOSE M. OBEDENCIO JR.

Veterinary Medicine 261
 Cold Therapy
• Cryotherapy
– involves placing ice or cold
packs onto an area.
 Procedure
• within the first 72 hours,
apply ice to the injured area.

• at least 10 minutes but no

more than 30 minutes

• reapply 3 to 5 times per day

• Ice packs

• Ice Baths

• Ice Massage

• Gel Packs
• Chemical Cold Packs

• Vapocoolant Sprays

• Cryocuff
 Effects and Mechanism of Action
• Pain Relief
–A decreased nerve
transmission in pain
fibres.

– Cold reduces the activity

of free nerve endings.

• Reduces Bleeding and

Swelling
– vasoconstriction.
 Effects and Mechanism of Action
• Reduces Muscle Spasm
– slowing the conduction
velocity of sensory and
motor nerves, as well as the
activity of muscle spindle
cells

• Decreases Metabolic Rate

– reduces the cells
oxygen requirements.
 Indications
• injuries that have just occurred
where there are signs of
swelling, bleeding or heat.

• after hard training sessions.

 Indications
• Tendon Strain

• Ligament Strain

• Poor Circulation

• Pain Relief

• Direct Trauma Swelling Control

 Side Effects
• Nerve damage

• Tissue damage

• Frostbite

• Chronic pain

• Skin abrasions
 Contraindications
• The animal has circulation
problems

• After applying, the animal

develops blisters or a rash

• may be contraindicated for

open wounds.
 Hot Therapy
• thermotherapy
– works the opposite way to
cold therapy

• 3 days after an injury

• chronic condition like

arthritis
 Procedure
• applied for 15-20 minutes

• divided doing 10 minutes on/

10 off/10 on.
• Hot Packs

• Heat Pads

• Hot water bottles

• Heat Lamps
• Ultrasound

• Infrared Ultra Violet

• Moist towels and compresses

 Effects and Mechanism of Action
• Vasodilation

• Reduce muscle spasm

• Reduce pain

• Increase metabolic activity

 Indications
• chronic injuries

• tight, aching muscles and joints

• increase elasticity of ligaments

and tendons

• increase the blood flow to the

area.

• prior to exercise in chronic

injuries to warm the muscles
and increase flexibility.
 Side Effects
• Burns

• Erythema

• Increased swelling

• Unwarranted masking of
pain
 Contraindications
• Sensory changes

• Heat injury

• Hyper or hypo-sensitive to heat

• Circulatory problems

• During the acute phase of

injury

• Infections

• Malignant tumours
 Heat/Cold Contrast Therapy
• pain is not the direct result of
an actual injury, or if the pain
has persisted for more than
48 hours

• non-traumatic, inflammatory
forms of joint and muscle pain
• 1min hot:1min cold
• 10min. hot:1min cold

• 6-minutes - 31-minutes of
contrast therapy

• 1-3 times per day

• 38° C up to 75° C (hot)

• 8° C to 15° C (cold)
• How are heat
therapy and cold
therapy alike?

• How are heat

therapy and cold
therapy different?
Maraming Salamat Po