13.1 Introduction
One task that you may be asked to assist with as a Health Care Assistant is the application of hot and cold therapies. Hot and cold applications can help your client’s healing and comfort when injury occurs. Therefore, it is important to understand how to use these therapies safely and to ensure you can support clients and monitor for complications.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this unit, the successful student will be able to:
- Understand the concepts of hot and cold applications.
- Describe the guidelines for the application of heat and cold.
- List the physical conditions requiring the use of heat and cold.
- Name the types of heat and cold applications.
- Describe the effects of local hot and cold applications.
- List safety concerns related to the application of heat and cold.
Terms to Know
A pad that has tubes inside where water flows in and out of a heating/cooling unit.
A type of dry cold therapy used to reduce swelling and relieve pain. It consists of a pack filled with a cold substance, which can be cooled by various methods, such as freezing, chemical activation through squeezing or striking, or filling with ice.
A warm or cold cloth or pad used therapeutically to treat injury.
A condition in which the core body temperature is excessively higher than normal.
A condition in which the core body temperature drops below 35°C.
To narrow the diameter of a blood vessel.
To become enlarged, widened to open up blood flow.
A warm, shallow bath that a person sits in to relieve discomfort in the pelvic, perineal, and rectal areas.
