Heat therapy (also known as diathermy) exposes part or all of the body to high temperatures for therapeutic purposes to enhance other treatments for cancer such as radiation and chemotherapy.
How it's used: There are three types of heat therapy: local, regional, and whole-body treatments. Heat is applied from sterile probes to a small area in local therapy. A limb or organ is heated during regional therapy. Warm blankets, hot wax, or thermal chambers are applied in whole-body therapy.
Cautions: Heat therapy can cause internal bleeding. There is a high death rate associated with whole-body heat therapy. Heat therapy should only be used under the guidance of a qualified physician.
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