Physiotherapy treatments and massages improve microcirculation and normalize vasomotor tone. Consequently, efficiency of such treatments can be monitored with the help of CEM® ThermoDiagnostics personal thermograph. After the influence, blood microcirculation improves and the temperature at the influenced areas is higher in comparison with the initial values. Furthermore, the majority of physiotherapeutic methods and massages additionally influence central and peripheral nervous systems, and act as anti-inflammatory and immune-stimulating remedies. The majority of effects from physiotherapy can also be monitored and controlled by CEM® ThermoDiagnostics device.

Physiotherapy (comes from a Greek word “physis”, which means nature and “therapeia”, meaning treatment) is a special branch of medicine that studies physiologic and curative effects of natural and artificially created physical factors on human organism. Physical therapy is one of the oldest curative and preventive branches of medicine consisting of a variety of techniques.

Classification of physical treatment methods:

1. Organ-non-specific methods

1.1. Analgesic methods

1.2. Anti-inflammatory methods

1.3. Antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal methods

1.4. Catabolic methods

1.5. Plastic methods

1.6. Ion corrective methods

1.7. Vitamin stimulating methods

1.8. Trophostimulating methods

1.9. Vegetocorrective methods

1.10. Immune stimulating methods

1.11. Immunosuppressive methods

1.12. Hyposensibilizing methods

1.13. Membrane stabilizing methods

1.14. Antihypoxic methods

1.15. Oncodestructive (cytolitic) methods

2. Organ-specific methods

2.1.   Central nervous system

2.2.   Peripheral nervous system

2.3.   Endocrine system

2.4.   Locomotor apparatus

2.5.   Cardio-vascular system

2.6.   Blood system

2.7.   Respiratory system

2.8.   Gastrointestinal tract

2.9.   Excretory system

2.10. Reproductive system

2.11. Skin

Influencing factors may be classified as following:

1. Constant current

1.1. Galvanization
1.2. Curative electrophoresis

2. Impulse electrotherapy

3. High frequency electrotherapy

3.1. Ultra-ton therapy
3.2. Local darsonvalisation
3.3. Inductothermal therapy
3.4. Ultra high frequency therapy
3.5. Therapy based on decimeter and centimeter length of wave therapy
3.5. Millimeter length of wave therapy

4. Magnet therapy
5. Franclinization  
6. Aero-ion therapy
7. Ultrasonic sound

7.1. Ultrasonic therapy
7.2. Ultraphonophoresis of curative substances.

8. Inhalation therapy.
9. Chromo phototherapy

9.1. Ultraviolet irradiation
9.2. Laser therapy

10. Thermal therapy

10.1. Mud therapy
10.2. Paraffin- and ozokeritotherapy

11. Cryoptherapy
12. Balneo therapy

12.1. Showers and their application
12.2. Baths: non-salty, aroma and curative water
12.3. Gastric lavage
12.4. Saunas
12.5. Balneotherapy

12. External application of mineral waters
12.5.2 Treatment with mineral waters

13. Climate therapy

The majority of physiotherapeutic treatment methods have non-specific treatment effect; they improve blood micro circulation and normalize vascular tone. These groups of methods are underlined. Their effect can be controlled by CEM^® ThermoDiagnostics. As microcirculation improves, the temperature in the affected area rises.

Moreover, some physiotherapeutic methods also have additional effects, such as anti-inflammatory, immune stimulating, and so forth (please, see the first classification). The majority of physiotherapeutic methods can also be monitored with the help of CEM^® ThermoDiagnostics device. Such physiotherapeutic influences are underlined in the first classification. You can find examples of treatment efficiency of mostly common diseases in Chapter 10 of our book.

However, only a doctor can evaluate clinical and prognostic significance of temperature changes and adjust the treatment course accordingly.

Infra-red thermometry, with the use of CEM^® ThermoDiagnostics, is an easy-to-use visual method for evaluation of massage effectiveness. As massage improves blood microcirculation, the temperature of the affected area increases should go up. After the back massage, temperature should rise in the area of segmentary innervations of cerebrospinal nerves.

During the massage, local skin temperature raises significantly as compared to the initial value, sometimes it rises up to 5 degrees Celsius and more, especially after the first massage session (Pic. 8.1). During subsequent massage sessions this reaction is not so evident; the temperature rises by 1-2 degrees only. Increase of temperature by less than 1ºС signifies insufficient impact.