Question

3-Give an example of when cold therapy should be used and why.(provide a text citation)

4-List the various methods of applying each therapy and reasons to use one versus another.(provide a text citation)

5-What are the nursing considerations for various hot and cold therapies? (add something new here that is not given in the above answers).( provide text citation)

6-What are special considerations when using hot and cold therapies in the elderly and why?(provide text citation)

Answer 1

Question (3): Indications for Cold therapy:

• Inflammation
• Subacute injury
• Muscle pain
• Contusion
• Acute or chronic pain
• Muscle spasm
• In strength training
• Post surgical pain and edema
• Control hemorrhage
• Prevent gangrene
• Anaesthetize and area

(PJ Mehta Clinical Medicine)

Question (4)

Various methods are:

• Ice bag
• Ice collar
• Ice pack
• Cold sponging
• Cold bath
• Hypothermia
• Ice to suck
• Ice cradle

Heat:

• Hot bag
• Hot water pack
• Hot water
• Hot sponging

Different methids are used based on the needs like whether it be local(ice bag) or general(ice bath), over the surface of open wound or swelling, and also based on the area like if neck, it's a ice collar, etc.

Question (5):

Nursing considerations:

• Ask if the fomentations are burning the patient
• If too hot or cold, put a towel in between
• Have extra dry towels handy to put in between in the bag is too hot or cold
• Make the room at optimum temperature before the therapy begins
• Cautious with elder, thin people or small children
• Parts with lesser fat or muscle are, with more bony area should be careful of burning too much.

Question (6):

Special considerations while using therapy in elderly:

• Always be more cautious
• Use lesser heat than normal
• Keep towel handy
• Ask frequently about how they feel
• Check the surface of application regularly, in case they won't sense it.

These extra precautions needs to be taken because the elder people are more likely to have burns burns from heat application because of lesser fat, wrinkly , thin and unhealthy skin etc.

Their body can also reacts easily to cold or heat application than a nirmal person's body.