Fluidotherapy is a useful mechanical device for occupational therapists which can be successfully used to help treat a wide variety of afflictions: pain treatment, range of motion, blow flow insufficiency, arthritic treatment, wounds and swelling. The effectiveness of using Fluidotherapy in a therapeutic setting is “based on its ability to simultaneously apply heat, massage, sensory stimulation for desensitization, levitation, and pressure oscillations,” (Fluidotherapy, 1). It is a natural and dry environment that allows for a higher level of temperature than do traditional fluid-oriented therapies like water and paraffin baths. The patient has as much flexibility and freedom of motion in Fluidotherapy as they do in water, and there are many resistance exercises which the patient can perform. Low frequency pressure changes in the bed allow for a decreased edema and body fluid pumping.
Temperature and heat and fluid and pressure are the two biggest physic’s concepts that apply to Fluidotherapy. In times of heart failure on the right side, the heart becomes less efficient in drawing up blood coming back to it. This increases pressure at the ends of the capillaries. A condition called edema will occur because of reverse osmosis and fluid build up. Fluidotherapy is very effective for reducing or minimizing edema because the pressure oscillations in the fluidized bed reduces the pumping of fluids in the body.
Where muscle and bone pain are concerned, kinesthetic energy is used to counter-irritate limbs that are immersed in the bed. Cellex is a solid media that is used in most Fluidotherapy beds. This natural, organic cellulose represents the particles that flow around with gases that allow for a high heat transfer exchange. The kinetic energy that is release from the particles is what produces the counter-irritation and pain relief to the immersed limbs.
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