Cuff on Back
Knee Wrap
How it works
The effectiveness of heat and cold in therapeutic circumstances
can be attributed to two basic physical rules. Heat expands, cold
contracts. This translating into the use of heat as a vasodilator –
bringing nutrient rich blood to surface areas – and the use of cold
acting as a vasoconstrictor – driving blood to the body’s core –
nourishing and protecting the inner organs of the body. Used alone,
heat can help to relax aching muscles, while cold reduces
inflammation and inhibits pain. Pain reduction happens, in part,
because the body’s pain receptors are particularly sensitive to
changes in temperature. Cooler temperatures slow the velocity of
nerve transmission, while heat tends to increase the velocity. The
human body has certain tolerance levels when it comes to
temperature. A hot bath is considered anywhere from 100 – 115
degrees (Above 115 degrees can be damaging) A cold bath would be in
the range of 38 – 65 degrees. VORTEQ allows the user to adjust the
temp to what is best for the patient. VORTEQ lets you set the exact
temperature, exact amount of time and exact duration of treatment.
VORTEQ targets specific location.... Contrast therapy can be useful
in the easing of pain, reducing inflammation and increasing
circulation. With understanding of the basic dilation and
contraction action provided by the contrast in temperatures and
practice, the use of localized contrast therapy can be effective in
assisting the body’s own pumping action, both in the superficial
portion of the circulatory system and the lymph system. The VORTEQ
heats up then brings temp back to neutral then goes to cool then
brings temp back to neutral then back to hot.. continue this
rotation cycles for the duration of treatment time.
Thermal contrast therapy has a lengthy history in physical therapy
practice for promoting healing from injury, but its use has been
constrained by the need for tight temperature maintenance and
timing, both requiring close oversight of the administering
therapists. The patented VORTEQ® technology resolves the need for
constant oversight because it automates temperature and timing
control and makes the therapeutic application simple, easy and
safe. VORTEQ® brings this historically proven clinically effective
therapy into the 21st century. The Proven Effects of Contrast
Therapy The scientific literature on the use of contrast therapy is
fairly limited but with a number of high quality peer-reviewed
studies demonstrating the effects on peripheral blood flow. Jerrold
Petrofsky and others have done quality work assessing the effect of
contrast therapy on lower extremity vasculature. One study
demonstrated that the use of contrast therapy produces a
statistically greater blood flow on skin blood flow in the feet
than simple sustained heating.1 The results were quite surprising
as seen in Fig. 1.
Starting from the same baseline, blood flow showed a steady and
dramatic increase during each heating cycle dropping slightly below
sustained heating at only 2 points, and increasing more than 40%
during subsequent cycles, for an overall average increase of nearly
11% over the 20-minute treatment interval when comparing the
contrast therapy with sustained heating. While the results were
less dramatic in the diabetic population during this study, the
blood flow increase during the heating cycles of the contrast
therapy group still far surpassed the sustained heat results.
Perhaps even more importantly for diabetic individuals, the rise in
blood flow was particularly greater in blood flow to the bottom of
the foot. (Fig. 2.) An older study assessed the impact of contrast
bath therapy on lower extremity blood flow in individuals with
rheumatoid arthritis, a group with much reduced peripheral blood
flow. Over a 30 minute period of contrast bathing, lower extremity
blood flow increased by an average of 95% five minutes after the
therapy and remained increased by nearly 40% three-quarters of an
hour after termination of the therapy.
2 Oxygen is an essential requirement in living tissues, and reduced
oxygen availability presents significant risk to tissue viability.
As the studies above demonstrate, an increase in skin blood flow is
produced by heating and even more so by contrast therapy heating.
But the increase in tissue heating also produces in increase in
tissue metabolism, thus necessitating an increase in oxygen
availability. Inflamed tissues also require this increase in
metabolic activity, but fortunately an increase in blood flow can
readily supply sufficient oxygen to support metabolic demand. An
older study assessed the relationship of blood flow to tissue
oxygen availability. Simple tissue heating, (raising skin
temperatures from 34°C to 38°C) doubled subcutaneous tissue oxygen
tension(from 47.7 Psqo2 to 97.4 Psqo2 )3 . So, thermal contrast
therapy increases blood flow, which in turn supplies the required
increase in tissue oxygen to better support the demands Fig. 1 Fig.
2 of tissue cell metabolism. This beneficial process allows tissues
recover and heal from injury, and also allows the inflow of white
blood cells to combat infection, all through a simple
non-pharmacologic intervention. Because individuals with Type 2 DM
often have diminished peripheral blood flow, they are more prone to
skin breakdown and prolonged wound healing. In a study assessing
the role of heating in the management of chronic lower extremity
ulceration, the combination of heat plus a weak electrical current
(20 mA) produced a doubling of blood flow both circumferentially
around the chronic ulcers, as well as in the wound center.4 (Fig
3.) The result was a 75% healing of the chronic ulcers in 1 month,
with the control group showing no healing and actual clinical
worsening. Again, the increase in tissue oxygen availability
obviously is an important component in this healing process. Fig. 3
Summary Thermal Contrast Therapy (TCT) can be efficiently,
measureably and safely delivered by the VORTEQ® device. This
therapy has been scientifically shown to increase blood flow,
increasing oxygen availability to skin and other tissues,
potentially healing injured tissues and chronic ulcers. These are
common problems and TCT is an effective, non-pharmacologic option
to promote tissue maintenance, healing and recovery.
Anyone suffering from pain or circulatory issues now have access to a method of natural pain reduction. With the use of VORTEQ®, rapid thermal contrast therapy (RTCT) greatly enhances regional blood flow. With increased blood flow comes inflammation reduction and a substantial increased delivery of healing agents to the targeted area, all of which are critical to the recovery process.
Contrast therapy has been effectively used on the following ailments:
- Diabetic Neuropathy
- Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)
- Opioid Addiction Crisis
- Sciatica
- Complex Limb Ischemia (CLI)
- Bursitis
- Below the knee amputations
- Above the knee amputations
- Muscle Spasms
- Post-Surgical Recovery
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Wound Healing
- Diabetic Ulcer
- Shin Splints
Experience the energizing effects of RTCT with VORTEQ®. Heal faster, recover naturally and return to your best after injury or surgery.