In my modalities class, I have been learning about thermotherapy. There are a few thermotherapeutic modalities we use in our class at NUHS. The first we discussed is application of a hot moist pack, which is abbreviated as HMP. We, as practitioners, use heat when we want increase perfusion to an area. HMP is usually used for sub-acute and chronic problems and should not be used in an acute/inflammatory phase of an injury.

The second thermotherapeutic modality we went over was paraffin wax. Paraffin wax can be used to coat a specific area such as the hands or feet. Once the wax is applied, it is wrapped in a plastic coating then wrapped in a towel or mitt to insulate the area to maximize the conduction of heat to the body. We tried it out and it felt very good.

In addition to HMP and paraffin, we also went over combination therapy. We combined electrical stimulation with therapeutic ultrasound on the solaris machine. Therapeutic ultrasound is another form of thermotherapy but it has a different mechanism of conduction than an HMP. Rather than the heat from the HMP warming the body via conduction, ultrasound penetrates the body using sound waves at whatever frequency and intensity that the practitioner designates. The solaris can deliver electrical stimulation and ultrasound at the same time from the head of the applicator. I had not seen this type of combination therapy prior to this class and it was very cool to see it, use it, and have it done to me. One could also use the electric stimulation with a HMP instead of the combination therapy with ultrasound and stim. Both accomplish similar things.

Over the weekend, NUHS-Florida hosted Campus Visit Day. I attended to represent the Chiropractic Games Club, of which I am the president. I also sat on the student panel and answered questions from the prospective students about my experiences as an NUHS student. I felt it went very well, the questions were well thought out and allowed us to elaborate on our experiences at NUHS. I look forward to seeing some of them next trimester and look forward to meeting more prospective students at the next Campus Visit Day.

Following Campus Visit Day, I went to Madeira Beach for some beach volleyball. My friends and I played two-on-two for a few games, grabbed a bite to eat, and laid out in the sunshine. We finished the day by watching the sunset. It was a great week and an even better weekend.

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