A Review of Heat Therapy in African Traditional Medicine

Nwokeke Chinyere Celine; Igwillo Ugochukwu Clifford

doi:doi:10.11648/j.jher.20200603.16

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A Review of Heat Therapy in African Traditional Medicine

Nwokeke Chinyere Celine, Igwillo Ugochukwu Clifford

Published in Journal of Health and Environmental Research (Volume 6, Issue 3)

Received: 22 July 2020 Accepted: 3 August 2020 Published: 20 August 2020

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Abstract

Heat therapy – also known as thermotherapy or thermal therapy – is the transfer of heat or thermal energy in and out of the human body especially at the joints, using towels, ice packs, wax, hot/warm water, steam, etc within a given temperature range. The objective is the expansion of blood capillaries and increased blood flow to the affected area for healing. The principle is the application of the heat or cold to change the cutaneous, intraarticular or core temperature of soft tissues to improve symptoms of certain conditions. Categories of heat therapy include: diathermia (<41°C), hyperthermia (41°C - 45°C), and thermal ablation (>45°C). Heat therapy is classified on the bases of contact of heat, mode of transfer, type of heat, penetration of heat, and use of heat. Examples include: steam inhalation, hot fomentations, hot foot bath, Seitz bath (hip bath and half-bath), hot and cold contrast bath, and sun therapy. Heat therapy has several benefits in African traditional medicine and has also been used extensively for treating various diseases including: sickle cell disease, primary dysmenorrhea, skeletomuscular pain, trauma, inflammatory and degenerative rheumatic diseases, osteoarthritis, acute and non-specific chronic low back pain, fibromyalgia, cutaneous leishmaniasis, tumours, musculoskeletal injuries, diabetic kidney disease, etc.

Published in	Journal of Health and Environmental Research (Volume 6, Issue 3)
DOI	10.11648/j.jher.20200603.16
Page(s)	87-92
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Heat Therapy, Thermotherapy, Diathermia, Hyperthermia, Thermal Ablation, African Traditional Medicine

References

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APA Style

Nwokeke Chinyere Celine, Igwillo Ugochukwu Clifford. (2020). A Review of Heat Therapy in African Traditional Medicine. Journal of Health and Environmental Research, 6(3), 87-92. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jher.20200603.16

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ACS Style

Nwokeke Chinyere Celine; Igwillo Ugochukwu Clifford. A Review of Heat Therapy in African Traditional Medicine. J. Health Environ. Res. 2020, 6(3), 87-92. doi: 10.11648/j.jher.20200603.16

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AMA Style

Nwokeke Chinyere Celine, Igwillo Ugochukwu Clifford. A Review of Heat Therapy in African Traditional Medicine. J Health Environ Res. 2020;6(3):87-92. doi: 10.11648/j.jher.20200603.16

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@article{10.11648/j.jher.20200603.16,
  author = {Nwokeke Chinyere Celine and Igwillo Ugochukwu Clifford},
  title = {A Review of Heat Therapy in African Traditional Medicine},
  journal = {Journal of Health and Environmental Research},
  volume = {6},
  number = {3},
  pages = {87-92},
  doi = {10.11648/j.jher.20200603.16},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jher.20200603.16},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jher.20200603.16},
  abstract = {Heat therapy – also known as thermotherapy or thermal therapy – is the transfer of heat or thermal energy in and out of the human body especially at the joints, using towels, ice packs, wax, hot/warm water, steam, etc within a given temperature range. The objective is the expansion of blood capillaries and increased blood flow to the affected area for healing. The principle is the application of the heat or cold to change the cutaneous, intraarticular or core temperature of soft tissues to improve symptoms of certain conditions. Categories of heat therapy include: diathermia (45°C). Heat therapy is classified on the bases of contact of heat, mode of transfer, type of heat, penetration of heat, and use of heat. Examples include: steam inhalation, hot fomentations, hot foot bath, Seitz bath (hip bath and half-bath), hot and cold contrast bath, and sun therapy. Heat therapy has several benefits in African traditional medicine and has also been used extensively for treating various diseases including: sickle cell disease, primary dysmenorrhea, skeletomuscular pain, trauma, inflammatory and degenerative rheumatic diseases, osteoarthritis, acute and non-specific chronic low back pain, fibromyalgia, cutaneous leishmaniasis, tumours, musculoskeletal injuries, diabetic kidney disease, etc.},
 year = {2020}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - A Review of Heat Therapy in African Traditional Medicine
AU  - Nwokeke Chinyere Celine
AU  - Igwillo Ugochukwu Clifford
Y1  - 2020/08/20
PY  - 2020
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jher.20200603.16
DO  - 10.11648/j.jher.20200603.16
T2  - Journal of Health and Environmental Research
JF  - Journal of Health and Environmental Research
JO  - Journal of Health and Environmental Research
SP  - 87
EP  - 92
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2472-3592
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jher.20200603.16
AB  - Heat therapy – also known as thermotherapy or thermal therapy – is the transfer of heat or thermal energy in and out of the human body especially at the joints, using towels, ice packs, wax, hot/warm water, steam, etc within a given temperature range. The objective is the expansion of blood capillaries and increased blood flow to the affected area for healing. The principle is the application of the heat or cold to change the cutaneous, intraarticular or core temperature of soft tissues to improve symptoms of certain conditions. Categories of heat therapy include: diathermia (45°C). Heat therapy is classified on the bases of contact of heat, mode of transfer, type of heat, penetration of heat, and use of heat. Examples include: steam inhalation, hot fomentations, hot foot bath, Seitz bath (hip bath and half-bath), hot and cold contrast bath, and sun therapy. Heat therapy has several benefits in African traditional medicine and has also been used extensively for treating various diseases including: sickle cell disease, primary dysmenorrhea, skeletomuscular pain, trauma, inflammatory and degenerative rheumatic diseases, osteoarthritis, acute and non-specific chronic low back pain, fibromyalgia, cutaneous leishmaniasis, tumours, musculoskeletal injuries, diabetic kidney disease, etc.
VL  - 6
IS  - 3
ER  -

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Author Information

Nwokeke Chinyere Celine

Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency, Lagos, Nigeria
Igwillo Ugochukwu Clifford

Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency, Lagos, Nigeria

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Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Nwokeke Chinyere Celine, Igwillo Ugochukwu Clifford. (2020). A Review of Heat Therapy in African Traditional Medicine. Journal of Health and Environmental Research, 6(3), 87-92. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jher.20200603.16

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ACS Style

Nwokeke Chinyere Celine; Igwillo Ugochukwu Clifford. A Review of Heat Therapy in African Traditional Medicine. J. Health Environ. Res. 2020, 6(3), 87-92. doi: 10.11648/j.jher.20200603.16

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Nwokeke Chinyere Celine, Igwillo Ugochukwu Clifford. A Review of Heat Therapy in African Traditional Medicine. J Health Environ Res. 2020;6(3):87-92. doi: 10.11648/j.jher.20200603.16

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.jher.20200603.16,
  author = {Nwokeke Chinyere Celine and Igwillo Ugochukwu Clifford},
  title = {A Review of Heat Therapy in African Traditional Medicine},
  journal = {Journal of Health and Environmental Research},
  volume = {6},
  number = {3},
  pages = {87-92},
  doi = {10.11648/j.jher.20200603.16},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jher.20200603.16},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jher.20200603.16},
  abstract = {Heat therapy – also known as thermotherapy or thermal therapy – is the transfer of heat or thermal energy in and out of the human body especially at the joints, using towels, ice packs, wax, hot/warm water, steam, etc within a given temperature range. The objective is the expansion of blood capillaries and increased blood flow to the affected area for healing. The principle is the application of the heat or cold to change the cutaneous, intraarticular or core temperature of soft tissues to improve symptoms of certain conditions. Categories of heat therapy include: diathermia (45°C). Heat therapy is classified on the bases of contact of heat, mode of transfer, type of heat, penetration of heat, and use of heat. Examples include: steam inhalation, hot fomentations, hot foot bath, Seitz bath (hip bath and half-bath), hot and cold contrast bath, and sun therapy. Heat therapy has several benefits in African traditional medicine and has also been used extensively for treating various diseases including: sickle cell disease, primary dysmenorrhea, skeletomuscular pain, trauma, inflammatory and degenerative rheumatic diseases, osteoarthritis, acute and non-specific chronic low back pain, fibromyalgia, cutaneous leishmaniasis, tumours, musculoskeletal injuries, diabetic kidney disease, etc.},
 year = {2020}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - A Review of Heat Therapy in African Traditional Medicine
AU  - Nwokeke Chinyere Celine
AU  - Igwillo Ugochukwu Clifford
Y1  - 2020/08/20
PY  - 2020
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jher.20200603.16
DO  - 10.11648/j.jher.20200603.16
T2  - Journal of Health and Environmental Research
JF  - Journal of Health and Environmental Research
JO  - Journal of Health and Environmental Research
SP  - 87
EP  - 92
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2472-3592
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jher.20200603.16
AB  - Heat therapy – also known as thermotherapy or thermal therapy – is the transfer of heat or thermal energy in and out of the human body especially at the joints, using towels, ice packs, wax, hot/warm water, steam, etc within a given temperature range. The objective is the expansion of blood capillaries and increased blood flow to the affected area for healing. The principle is the application of the heat or cold to change the cutaneous, intraarticular or core temperature of soft tissues to improve symptoms of certain conditions. Categories of heat therapy include: diathermia (45°C). Heat therapy is classified on the bases of contact of heat, mode of transfer, type of heat, penetration of heat, and use of heat. Examples include: steam inhalation, hot fomentations, hot foot bath, Seitz bath (hip bath and half-bath), hot and cold contrast bath, and sun therapy. Heat therapy has several benefits in African traditional medicine and has also been used extensively for treating various diseases including: sickle cell disease, primary dysmenorrhea, skeletomuscular pain, trauma, inflammatory and degenerative rheumatic diseases, osteoarthritis, acute and non-specific chronic low back pain, fibromyalgia, cutaneous leishmaniasis, tumours, musculoskeletal injuries, diabetic kidney disease, etc.
VL  - 6
IS  - 3
ER  -

Copy | Download