Termoterapie

Termoterapie, also known as thermotherapy, is a medical treatment that uses heat to relieve pain, relax muscles, and improve circulation in targeted tissues. Heat can be applied locally with devices such as hot packs, warm towels, paraffin wax, or infrared emitters, or more broadly through hydrotherapy or warm-water immersion. In physical therapy, thermotherapy is commonly used as a preparatory modality before exercise or manual therapy and as an adjunct to rehabilitation.

The therapeutic effects arise from heating tissues: vasodilation, increased metabolic activity, and changes in nerve conduction and pain perception. Superficial heating affects tissue depths of a few millimeters, while deeper heating modalities such as ultrasound, diathermy, or specialized hydrotherapies are used to raise temperatures deeper in the body.

Common indications include acute or chronic musculoskeletal pain, strains and sprains, tendonitis, osteoarthritis, stiffness, and postoperative or post-injury rehabilitation when heat is appropriate. Thermotherapy is often combined with movement or cold therapy, depending on the condition and phase of healing.

Contraindications include acute injuries with significant swelling, impaired sensation, vascular disease, skin damage, active infection, and pregnancy in certain areas. Care should be taken to avoid burns by verifying temperatures, using a barrier between skin, and limiting exposure time.

Evidence supports short-term relief of pain and stiffness for several conditions, particularly osteoarthritis and soft-tissue injuries, but thermotherapy is usually part of a broader treatment plan. It is most effective when supervised by a clinician in appropriate clinical contexts.