INFRA RED RADIATION

INTRODUCTION
 Infra red rays are electromagnetic waves of wavelength of 760
nm – 1mm
 Some authorities suggest that longer radiation only extend to
wavelengths of 0.1 to 0.4 mm
 Infra red rays have no colour: it’s wavelength are longer than
that of visible light
 They are emitted from any heated body (sun, gas fires, coal
fires, electric fires, etc)
 They produce heat when absorbed
 For therapeutic purposes they are divided into long and short
wavelengths
 They are subdivided into 3 regions or bands- A,B
and C
 They are approximately distinguished by their
absorption characteristics
 A and B are utilized therapeutically and correspond
roughly to older classification of ‘near’ and ‘far’
infrared
 A is near or short wavelength radiation and B is at
the short end of far infrared
 CLASSIFICATION
TYPE WAVELENGTH
IR A 760 -1400 nm
IR B 1400 - 3000 nm
IR C 3000 nm – 1mm ( not used in therapy)

FORMER CLASSFICATION

near or short IR 760- 1500 nm

far or long IR 1500- 15000 nm

 PRODUCTION OF INFRA RED
RADIATION
 Infra red radiation is produced in all matter by various kinds of
molecular vibration.
 When atoms within a molecule vibrate and move further apart
or closer together without breaking free from one another, the
charges within the molecule are accelerated and there is
emission of INFRA RED RADIATION
 Any given molecule is already in a state of vibration and
rotation and so emits its own IR ‘fingerprint’ of radiation across
a range of frequencies
 This can be altered by absorbing heat which leads to increase in
vibration frequencies of molecules and hence a corresponding
increase in the frequency of emitted radiation
 Any heated object emits INFRA RED RADIATION and
hotter the object (higher the temperature of the object),
higher is the frequency and shorter wavelength of the emitted
radiation
 Although the radiation will comprise a whole range of
different frequencies, the frequency at which maximum
intensity of radiation is emitted is proportional to
temperature
 Thus, higher the temperature, the higher the frequency and
hence shorter the wavelength
 INFRA RED GENERATORS
 Various kinds of infra red lamps are used for
therapy

IR
generators

Non-
Luminous
luminous
 Non- luminous generators
 They provide infra red rays only
 They produce long IR radiation with wavelengths from 750 –
15000 nm (some give off a little red visible radiation)
 The maximum emission is in the range of 4000 nm
 They require some time to heat up before the emission of rays
reaches maximum intensity
 The First type of element (which emits rays directly from the
wire) require about 5 mins. but others need longer 10- 15 mins.
Lamps must therefore be switched on an appropriate time before
they are required
 A SIMPLE TYPE OF ELEMENT for producing infra red
rays consists of a coil of wire wound on a cylindrical insulating
material (fireclay or porcelain).
 An electric current is passed through the wire and produces
heat. Infra red rays are emitted from the coil of wire and
insulating material which is heated by conduction
 Along with infra red rays, some visible rays are produced
 When the element is hot, a red glow is visible hence this type of
element is not perfectly ‘non-luminous’
 In SECOND TYPE of non- luminous generator, a coil of wire is
embedded in fireclay or places behind a plate of fireclay (which is
painted black)
 The infra red rays are emitted entirely from fireclay and few
visible rays are produced
 BOTH THE TYPES OF ELEMENT are connected into a circuit
by a screw cap device and are placed at the focal point of a
parabolic or gently curved spherical reflector. The reflector is
mounted on a stand and its position can be adjusted as required
 As the lamp becomes hotter, all the parts- emitter, metal plate on
the end of emitter, the protective wire mesh and reflector are
heated- giving off a range of wavelengths from near to far infrared.
 When such lamps are switched on they require time to warm up
because of the thermal inertia of the mass of metal and insulating
material that has to be heated. Thus small lamps may take about 5
mins but larger ones may take upto 15mins to reach maximum
emission.
 The THIRD TYPE of element consists of a steel tube within
which is a spiral of wire embedded in some electrical insulator
which is a good conductor of heat.
 The current is passed through the central wire and produced
heat which is conducted by the insulator to the steel tube which
emits IR rays. The tube is bent into two or three large turns and
mounted in a suitable reflector
Non-luminous generators
 Luminous generators
 They emit infra red , visible and few ultra violet rays
 They produce both IR and visible radiation mostly in
the short IR band with wavelengths from 350 to 4000
nm
 The maximum emission is in the range of
1000 nm
 Luminous generators are sometimes called as ‘radiant
heat’ generators; indicating that heating is by both
infra red and visible radiation
 Luminous generators ( incandescent lamp) consists a tungsten
filament enclosed in a glass bulb which may be evacuated or
contain an inert gas at low pressure
 Part of the inside of glass bulb is often silvered to provide a
reflector. The filament is a coil of wire and is made up of
tungsten as it tolerates repeated heating and cooling. The
exclusion of air prevents oxidation of filament which would
cause and opaque deposit to form on inside of bulb
 The passage of electric current through the filament produces
heat ; infra red, visible and few ultra violet rays are emitted
 Ultraviolet radiation is absorbed by the glass and therefore not
transmitted by the lamp. Sometimes the glass is reddened,
absorbing some green and blue rays to give red visible emission
Luminous generator
Absorption & penetration of IR
 PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
 Cutaneous vasodilation
 Sweating
 Sensations
 Increase in metabolism
 Cutaneous vasodilation
 Heating with IR leads to local cutaneous
vasodilation
 This is due to liberation of chemical vasodilators,
histamine & other substances and direct effect on
the blood vessels
 Vasodilation starts after a short latent period of 1 to
2 mins.
 It is largely due to arteriolar vasodilation. This is
evident from the nature of erythema which develops
with an irregular patchy appearance
 For normal individuals, heating the skin to core
temperature (37◦C) over 20 mins.  Mild erythema
 Heating the skin to about (42◦C) Marked erythema
 The rate at which the erythema develops and its
intensity are related to the rate and degree of heating
 The local erythema lasts for about 30 mins after the
irradiation is stopped
 Sweating

 With prolonged or intense cutaneous heating,

sweating will start to occur
 This will absorb some of the applied infra red
radiation and lead to surface cooling as it evaporates
 This does not necessarily lead to inefficiency since
cooling the surface may allow better heating at the
depth
 Sensations
 Thermal heat receptors will be stimulated in the
skin so that patient is aware of heating
 Increase in metabolism
 Increase in temperature Increase in local tissue
metabolism
 THERAPEUTIC USES
 Relief of pain
 Muscle relaxation
 Relief of muscle spasm
 Promote superficial heating and repair
 Promote tissue extensibility and reduce stiffness
 Reduce the severity of some mood disturbances and sleep
disorders
 Relief of pain
 IR radiation is an effective means of relieving pain
 Pain may be due to accumulation of waste products of metabolism &
increased blood flow through the part removes these substances and so
relieves pain
 The irradiation should cause a comfortable warmth and the treatment
last for at least 30 mins.
 In some cases, relief of pain is associated with muscle relaxation
 Mild heating
Pain due to acute inflammation or recent injury is relieved
Pain relief is due to sedative effect on the superficial sensory nerve
endings
 Stronger heating
Pain due to chronic inflammation is relieved.
Irritates the superficial sensory nerve ending and relieves pain by
counter- irritation
 Muscle relaxation
 The muscle relaxes when the tissues are warm and
there is relief of pain
 IR radiation relieves pain & induces muscle
relaxation. Hence, used as a preliminary to other
forms of physiotherapy
 After irradiation, movements can frequently be
made through a greater range than before.
 Relief of pain makes it possible to perform
exercises more efficiently
 Relief of muscle spasm
 IR radiation helps for the relief of muscle spasm
associated with injury or inflammation
 Promote superficial healing & repair
 Due to IR radiation, there is increased blood supply
 This effect is most marked in the superficial tissues and hence
used in the treatment of superficial wounds and infections
 A good blood supply is essential for healing to take place
 If there is infection the increased number of WBCs and
increased exudation of fluid are of assistance in destroying the
bacteria
 Promote tissue extensibility & reduce
stiffness
 IR treatment is frequently used for arthritic joints and for the
after effects of injuries
 When superficial structures are affected e.g small joints of
hands and feet, there may be some heating and consequent
vasodilation. Due to this, there will be increased supply of
oxygen and foodstuffs available to the tissues. This will
accelerate the removal of waste products and bring about
resolution of inflammation
 Irradiation of the skin over deeply placed structures is more
likely to cause vasoconstriction in deep tissues
 POTENTIAL DANGERS OF IR
 Burns
 Electric shock
 Gangrene
 Headache
 Faintness
 Eye damage
 Skin inflammatory conditions
 Reduced or altered peripheral blood flow
 Infection
 Burns
 Burns are always a potential risk if heat is too intense
 A red patch is seen on the skin which subsequently
blisters, either during or after the treatment
 Burns can occur-
 If the patient does not understand the nature of
treatment, fails to report overheating, moves nearer
to the lamp or falls asleep during the treatment
 Skin sensation is defective so that the patient is
unable to appreciate the degree of heating
 If the physiotherapist is not at hand to reduce the heat
if necesssary
 Failure to allow adequate time for a non-
luminous generator to warm up before placing it
in position may result in overheating when the
temperature of the element rises
 Impaired blood flow through the part, which may
be due to pressure or due to some circulatory
defect, increases risk of overheating, as heat is
not carried away from the area as rapidly as usual
 Result of touching the lamp when it is hot.
 The risk of burns can be reduced by-
 Testing the patient’s ability to differentiate heat
levels
 Adequate warnings to the patient regarding the
level of heating required
 Checking the effects on the skin during the
application
 Therapist can feel the skin or place their own
hand under the lamp at appropriate distance
 Metal should be removed from the skin areas
being treated
 Electric shock
Can occur as a result of touching some exposed part
of the circuit, but chief danger arises if the live wire
comes in contact with the apparatus casing

 Gangrene
- It can occur by applying IR rays to an area with
defective arterial blood supply
 Headache
 Headache may follow IR radiation if sweating
does not occur or if the treatment is given during
hot weather.
 The patient should take plenty of fluid to
encourage sweating and discontinue extensive IR
treatments when the weather is very hot
 Irradiation of the back of head may cause
headache: this area should be protected.
 Faintness
 Extensive radiation is accompanied by fall in
blood pressure which may result in faintness due
to hypoxia of the brain
 This is liable to occur if the patient suddenly rises
from recumbent position after extensive
treatment
 Skin inflammatory conditions

- Heating makes many acute inflammatory skin

conditions worse and should be avoided when
relevant
 Eye damage
 IR rays may predispose to formation of cataracts
 The usual clinical treatment times and intensity mean
there is only a very low risk of eye damage. However
for patient’s comfort and to avoid eye surface drying
and irritation, eyes should be covered with a light
towel
 Infection
 Avoid applying heat over local infections and
previously known tumour sites. The risk of spreading
infection or promoting tumour growth is very low
given the superficial nature of infrared.
 Reduced or altered peripheral blood flow
-Do not use heating if the vascular response is
insufficient because of the risk of tissue damage
- Areas affected by arterial disease, atherosclerosis,
arterial injury or after skin grafting should not be
treated with IR
 CONTRAINDICATIONS
 Defective cutaneous circulation
 Acute skin disease i.e dermatitis or eczema
 Following radiotherapy
 Danger of haemorrhage
 Superficial infections or tumours
 TECHINIQUE OF
APPLICATION OF INFRA RED
 Choice of apparatus
 Preparation of patient
 Arrangement of lamp and patient
 Instruction and warnings
 Application of IR treatment
Choice of apparatus
 In many cases, luminous and non luminous
generators are equally suitable but in some
instances one proves more satisfactory than the
other
 When there is acute inflammation or recent injury
the sedative effects of the rays obtained from
nonluminous generator are more effective for
relieving pain.
 But for chronic lesions the counter irritant effect
of the shorter waves may prove to be of value and
in such cases a luminous generator is chosen.
 If non-luminous lamp is chosen switch it on
atleast 5 mins before treatment to allow time for
it to warm up and reach its maximum emission. A
luminous lamp needs no warm up time and can
be switched on once patient is ready for treatment
 If only one surface of the body requires
irradiation a lamp with a single element mounted
in a reflector is satisfactory, but if several aspects
require treatment a tunnel bath is more effective
 The temperature reached in tunnel bath is higher
than that produced by other lamps and this is an
advantage for treatment of chronic lesions.
Preparation of the patient
 Position- Position the pt. in a suitable,
comfortable, well supported position with the
area to be treated exposed
 Examination & testing- Examine the skin to be
treated and test the thermal sensation
 Explanation- explain the nature and effects of
treatment to the pt.
 Arrangement of lamp & patient
 Expose the skin to be irradiated with IR and
cover or shield the eyes with towel.
 Care must be taken that pt.’s face is not exposed
to IR
 Position the lamp so that the radiation strikes the
surface at or near right angles to achieve
maximum penetration
 Set the lamp at an appropriate distance: about 60-
75 cm for large 750 or 1000 W lamps and about
45-50 cm for the smaller ones
Instruction & warnings
 The pt. is warned that he should experience
comfortable warmth and he should report
immediately if heating becomes excessive and
undue heat may cause burn
 Ask them to indicate the level of heat they can
feel and where.
 Advise the patient not to touch any part of the
lamp or move during the treatment and to alert
the therapist if it is more than a comfortably
warm level of heating.
 Application of IR treatment
 At the commencement of the exposure , the intensity
of the radiation should be low , but after 5-10
minutes , when vasodilation has taken place and the
increased blood flow has become established ,the
strength of the radiation may be increased. This can
be achieved by moving lamp nearer to the patient or
by adjusting the variable resistance.
 The physiotherapist should be at hand throughout
the treatment session and should reduce the intensity
of the radiation if heat becomes excessive.
 If the radiation is extensive, it is desirable that
sweating should occur to counteract any undue
rise in body temperature.
 On completion of the treatment the skin should
be carefully checked . On palpation it may feel
mildly or moderately warm and a moderate
erythema should be evident.
 Duration and frequency of
treatment
 For acute inflammation or recent injuries and for
treatment of wounds an exposure of 10 to 15
minutes is adequate but may be applied several
times during the day.
 Longer exposures may be used for chronic
conditions.