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Application of Heat and Cold: Physiological Responses and Therapeutic Implications

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Thermotherapy for Neoplasia, Inflammation, and Pain

Summary

Temperature regulation of homeotherms employs nervous receptive and integrative activities and a multitude of nervously or hormonally controlled organ systems that regulate the generation and dissipation of heat. The underlying biological temperature dependence is multifactorial and may alter bodily functions in therapeutically desirable ways. Most of the known therapeutic effects have been empirically established. Physiological temperature actions are discussed that provide a rationale for existing thermotherapies as well as for their further development: temperature-induced autonomic response patterns of different degrees of complexity influencing cardiovascular, visceral, and immune functions; temperature effects on control components of the somatomotor system; temperature dependence of physical tissue properties that are relevant for the performance of the skeletomuscular system; implications of thermoregulatory metabolic control for energy balance; and modulation by temperature of sensors for nonthermal modalities that may affect the perception of pain.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Max-Planck-Institute for Physiological and Clinical Research, William G. Kerckhoff-Institute, Parkstrasse 1, D-61231, Bad Nauheim, Germany

    Eckhart Simon

  2. Department of Environmental Physiology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Nagasaki, Sakamoto 1-12-4, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan

    Mitsuo Kosaka

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  1. Eckhart Simon
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  2. Mitsuo Kosaka
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Physiology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, 852-8523, Nagasaki, Japan

    Mitsuo Kosaka

  2. Health Research Foundation, 606-8225, Kyoto, Japan

    Tsutomu Sugahara

  3. Clinic of Rheumatology, Physical Medicine, and Balneology, University of Giessen, Bad Nauheim, Germany

    Klaus L. Schmidt

  4. Max Planck Institute for Physiological and Clinical Research, W.G. Kerckhoff Institute, Bad Nauheim, Germany

    Eckhart Simon

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© 2001 Springer Japan

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Simon, E., Kosaka, M. (2001). Application of Heat and Cold: Physiological Responses and Therapeutic Implications. In: Kosaka, M., Sugahara, T., Schmidt, K.L., Simon, E. (eds) Thermotherapy for Neoplasia, Inflammation, and Pain. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-67035-3_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-67035-3_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Tokyo

  • Print ISBN: 978-4-431-67037-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-4-431-67035-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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