What is Heat

Heat is one of the most important therapeutic measures employed in the treatment of many ailments. It is used in various forms, as moist compresses, packs and baths, and in dry form, as hot water bag, electric pad, infra-red lamp and diathermy.

Heat stimulates circulation and increases the blood supply in the tissues, thus helping resolve swelling and relieving pain.

It also reduces thickening of scars and stiffness of joints and muscles following injuries. In cases of walled in infection, as an abscess or appendicitis, heat may be liable to hasten the rupture of the enclosed pus pocket, which would be dangerous in the case of appendicitis and therefore icebags are used in this instance.

But heat is desirable in a skin or other superficial abscess.

Diathermy (short wave) is more penetrating into the deeper tissues than other forms of heat treatment.

Conservation of natural body heat will by itself be helpful in many cases of illness. In muscular pains, neuralgias and even in deep-seated pains in the chest and abdomen, or and in colds, woolen under garments or wrappings will be of great help.

In case of a cold in the head, when the nose is watering , expose the lower part of the face to an infra-red lamp for five minutes, keep close to it and inhale the very hot air through your nostrils, and you cut the cold short and abort it.

When the cold has progressed and the sinuses and chest are clogged with lots of phlegm, expose yourself to the lamp and inhale the very hot air with your open mouth and nostrils.

Do this a few times during the day, and you will be surprised how quickly the heavy discharge will clear up.

If you have no infra-red lamps, the hot air from the baking or roasting chamber of any stove or from an electric heater or electric stove will do as well, they are all infra red sources of heat.

But do not breathe the air of a coal or gas chamber of a stove because that air is full of poisonous gases, and in using any source of hot air be careful not to burn yourself or start a fire.

It seems that the sterile and sterilizing hot air kills the bacteria in the air passages besides the good effect of the heat in relieving  congestion and equalizing the circulation. see heat of the body