Heat and Cold Applications

• Heat and cold applications promote healing and comfort.
• They also reduce tissue swelling.
• Heat and cold applications have opposite effects on the body.
• An understanding of the purposes, effects, and complications of heat and cold applications is essential.
• Doctors, nurses, and physiotherapists use heat and cold.
• Verify provincial/territorial laws and employer policies, training, and procedure review before application.
• Support Workers never to use heat or cold applications unless:
  • Part of the client's care plan
  • Delegated by a nurse
• Frequent monitoring is required for clients receiving heat or cold applications, checking for signs of problems.

Heat Applications

• Alleviates pain, relaxes muscles, promotes healing and decreases joint stiffness.
• When applied to the skin:
  • Blood vessels dilate.
  • Blood flow increases.
  • Tissues gain more oxygen and nutrients for healing.
  • Excess fluid is removed faster.
  • The skin becomes red and warm.

Heat Application Complications

• High temperatures can cause burns.
• Prolonged heat application leads to pain, excessive redness, and blisters.
• Untreated burns can lead to serious/life-threatening problems.
• Clients with thin, delicate, or fragile skin, decreased sensation, dementia or confusion, or metal implants at higher risk for complications.

Types of Heat Applications

• Moist heat applications involve water in contact with the skin.

• Moist heat has greater and faster effects than dry heat and penetrates deeper.

• Lower temperatures are used to prevent injury.

• Types of moist heat:

  • Warm Compress: A moistened pad applied over a body area.
  • Warm Soak: Submerging a body part in water.
  • Sitz Bath: Immersing the perineal/rectal areas in warm water.
  • Pack: Wrapping a body part with a wet or dry application.

• Dry heat has no water touching the skin.

• Dry heat applications retain the desired temperature longer.

• Dry heat does not penetrate as deep as moist heat.

• Higher temperatures are needed to achieve the desired effect with dry heat.

• Burns are a risk when using dry heat.

• Check the skin under the application every 5 minutes.

• Dry heat should never be left on longer than 15 minutes.

Cold Applications

• Helps treat sprains and fractures.
• Reduces pain, swelling, circulation, and bleeding.
• Cools down the body when fever is present.
• Cold has the opposite effect of heat.
• Blood vessels constrict when cold is applied to the skin.
• Cold applications are useful right after an injury.

Cold Application Complications

• Complications include:
  • Frostbite: Damage to skin/tissues due to extreme cold
  • Pain
  • Burns and blisters from intense cold
  • Cyanosis when cold is applied for a long time, blood vessels dilate
• Client must be checked every 5 minutes or more

Applying Heat and Cold

• Protect the person from injury.
• RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) is important for recent injuries
• A bag of frozen vegetables can be used as a makeshift ice pack in the home.