How to Reduce Pain and Stiffness in Arthritis with Hot and Cold Therapy

How to Reduce Pain and Stiffness in Arthritis with Hot and Cold Therapy

Pain Management   January 25, 2017

You want to reduce pain and stiffness in the joints soon disappear? Now you can try to do hot and cold therapy. This therapy uses heat energy at once cold to relieve symptoms of arthritis. According to health experts, hot and cold works by stimulating the body's ability to heal itself.

According to the doctors, the heat is used, serves to dilate blood vessels, stimulate blood circulation and reduce stiffness. In addition, the heat also serves to eliminate the sensation of pain. You can use a variety of equipment such as heating pad, heat lamp, or using steam heat by warm baths or compresses with a cloth soaked in hot water.

In contrast to heat, cold compresses reduce the inflammation by means of screwed or shrink the blood vessels. Although the sensation of water ice compress or pack a bag of ice will cause discomfort in the beginning, but this way can reduce pain.

When using heat therapy of steam, make sure the temperature is not too hot to avoid the possibility of skin burns. Choose a temperature you can tolerate, either with a bath of warm water, using a bottle filled with hot water, or hot spa.

You can do a heat treatment of at least 15 minutes before physical exercise. Then you should immediately use again after exercise. Additionally, you can also use the steam any time you require additional treatment to relieve the pain.

Effectiveness of heat therapy. Many arthritis sufferers reported having experienced a reduction in pain and stiffness after a hot shower or do the hot spa. The use of hot steam otherwise effectively relax muscles, improve blood supply to the affected area and relieve muscle stiffness. However, avoid heat therapy if you suffer from diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, or if you are pregnant.

According to the doctor and patient reports, this therapy is also effective in relieving the pain of arthritis. Ice bag used as a compress on the inflamed area will be working to reduce inflammation and swelling. Ice bag is particularly good for relieving pain in joints due to the heat generated by arthritis. In addition to ice, you can also try the local spray as fluoromethane (nonflammable) on the back or the affected area before and after physical activity. This cooler serves to relieve muscle stiffness and improve your ability to withstand pain. Or to make things easier, you can make an ice pack to wrap vegetables that have been refrigerated or frozen.

Which is better, hot or cold? Some patients prefer cold therapy compared to vapor. While some other patients who claimed to get the best results by combining the two. To get the right choice, you could do the experiment.

To get the best results, try using steam heat therapy or a bag of ice at least twice a day. According to the American College of Rheumatology, compresses or massaging the affected area with ice for 5-10 minutes, within 48 hours of first relapse, can help to relieve pain. Medium heat should be used for pain that persists for more than 48 hours.

Acute Pain and Hyperthermia related to Pharyngitis in Children

Acute Pain and Hyperthermia related to Pharyngitis in Children

Nursing   November 18, 2015

Acute pharyngitis is sore throat caused by a virus organism almost 70% and a group A streptococcal bacteria is a common organism with respect to acute pharyngitis were then referred to as "Strep Throat" (Brunner & Suddarth, 2001)

Chronic pharyngitis usually occurs in adult individuals who work / live in a dusty environment, use of excessive sound, suffer from chronic cough, habitual use of alcohol and tobacco.

There are 3 types of pharyngitis:

1. Hypertrophic (thickening of the common and congested mucous membrane of the pharynx).
2. Atrophic (the later stages of the first type: a thin membrane, whitish, smooth and wrinkled time).
3. Chronic granular (swelling of lymph follicles in the walls of the pharynx).

Acute Pain related to inflammation of the pharynx

Goal: expected, decrease pain

Expected outcomes: Children say:

• That pain is reduced.
• Adequate sleep and rest.
• Being able to use non-pharmacological methods to relieve pain.

Interventions:

• Perform a comprehensive pain assessment, including the location, characteristics, duration, frequency, quality factor and precipitation.
• Teach about non-pharmacological techniques (such as deep breath).
• Collaboration: Giving analgesics to reduce pain.
• Increase rest-sleep.

Rationale:

• Knowing the level of pain including the location, characteristics, duration, frequency, quality factor and precipitation.
• Deep breathing is one of relaxation to reduce tension and create a more comfortable feeling.
• Useful analgesic to relieve pain so that patients become more comfortable.
• Rest can relax so as to reduce the pain.

Hyperthermia related to inflammation of the pharynx.

Goal: expected normal body temperature.

Expected outcomes:

• Normal skin temperature.
• Body temperature.

Interventions:

• Assess body temperature every two hours.
• Encourage fluid intake and adequate nutrition.
• Give a warm compress for example in the armpit.
• Collaboration: Give antipyretic drugs.

Rationale:

• Knowing your child's temperature.
• Intake of fluids and nutrients can help speed the process of spending the body heat.
• Warm compresses can open the pores of the skin so as to accelerate the process of evaporation.
• Antipyretic drugs can help reduce the heat.

Acute Pain - Nursing Care Plan for Hypertensive Heart Disease

Acute Pain - Nursing Care Plan for Hypertensive Heart Disease

Nursing Care Plan   November 07, 2013

Hypertensive Heart Disease

Hypertensive heart disease includes a number of complications of systemic arterial hypertension or high blood pressure that affect the heart.

Symptoms of heart failure include:

• Shortness of breath
• Swelling in the feet, ankles, or abdomen
• Difficulty sleeping flat in bed
• Bloating
• Irregular pulse
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Greater need to urinate at night

Symptoms of ischemic heart disease may include:

• Chest pain which may radiate (travel) to the arms, back, neck, or jaw
• Chest pain with nausea, sweating, shortness of breath, and dizziness; these associated symptoms may also occur without chest pain
• Irregular pulse
• Fatigue and weakness

Acute Pain Definition

Pain is whatever the experiencing person says it is, existing whenever the person says it does (McCaffery, 1968); an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience arising from actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage (International Association for the Study of Pain) sudden or slow onset of any intensity from mild to severe with an anticipated or predictable end and a duration of  less than 6 months.



Nursing Care Plan for Hypertensive Heart Disease

Acute Pain (headache) related to increased cerebral vascular pressure.


Goal :

• Client reported pain / discomfort disappeared / controlled .

Interventions and Rationale :

1. Maintain bed rest during the acute phase.

2. Give non-pharmacological measures to eliminate headaches eg, a cold compress on the forehead, back and neck massage, quiet, dim the room lights room lights, relaxation techniques (manual imagination, disktraksi) and leisure time activities.

3. Eliminate / minimize vasoconstriction activity that can increase headache eg, straining during defecation, coughing and bending length.

4. Assist patients in ambulation as needed.

5. Give liquids, soft foods, regular oral care in the event of bleeding nose or nasal pack has been done to stop the bleeding.

Rationale:

1. Minimize stimulation / promote relaxation.

2. Actions that reduce cerebral vascular pressure and the slow / block sympathetic response is effective in relieving headaches and complications.

3. Activities that increase vasoconstriction causing headaches in an increase in cerebral vascular pressure.

4. Dizziness and blurred vision often associated with pain kepala.pasien can also experience episodes of postural hypotension.

5. Increase the general comfort, compress the nose can interfere with swallowing or breathing requires mouth, causing stagnation oral secretions and mucous membranes dry out.

Physical Examination for Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)

Nursing Care Plan for Congestive Heart Failure - CHF