Plain language summary
Thermotherapy (heat treatment) for treating rheumatoid arthritis
Thermotherapy is a commonly used modality in treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Thermotherapy modalities include superficial moist heat fomentations (hot packs) at different temperatures, cryotherapy (ice packs), paraffin wax baths and faradic baths. All studies included in this review (n=7) are randomized controlled trials (RCT).
This review found there were no significant effects for hot and ice packs applications and faradic baths on objective measures of disease activity including joint swelling, pain, medication intake, range of motion (ROM), grip strength, hand function or patient preference compared to control (no treatment) or active therapy. However, there were positive results for paraffin wax baths alone for arthritic hands on objective measures of ROM, pinch function, grip strength, pain on non-resisted motion, stiffness compared to control (no treatment) after four consecutive weeks of treatment.
There is no significant difference between wax and therapeutic ultrasound or between wax and faradic bath combined with ultrasound for any of the outcomes measures. The reviewers concluded that thermotherapy can be used as a palliative therapy or as an adjunct therapy combined with exercises for RA patients. Wax baths appear especially helpful in the treatment of arthritic hands. These conclusions are limited by methodological considerations such as the poor quality of trials.
Background
Superficial moist heat and cryotherapy are commonly used in physical rehabilitation for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to relieve pain (Oosterveld 1992c). Both can be easily applied at home by the patient but may also be combined with other rehabilitation interventions.
Thermotherapy is suggested as a potential intervention for the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions in the American Physical Therapy Association guidelines (APTA 2001). These guidelines are not based on evidence from comparative controlled trials. The Philadelphia Panel (Philadelphia 2001) developed Evidence Based Clinical Practice Guidelines for several musculoskeletal conditions (Philadelphia 2001). However, rheumatoid arthritis was not included in these guidelines. Clinicians require good evidence in order to make an informed decision regarding effective and appropriate treatment options.
There are several potentially beneficial physiological and clinical effects of thermotherapy for RA patients. Thermotherapy has effects on pain, muscle spasms, circulation and inflammation (Knight 1995). Furthermore, it can be applied by patients in their own home as needed. Despite the widespread use of heat and cold by patients with RA for the control of pain, this clinical application is solely based on empiric evidence. In fact, the effectiveness of heat or cold (i.e. cryotherapy) application relative to a placebo, to alternate therapies or even its role as an adjunct remains unclear.