Use of hot water bottles can improve lymphocytopenia.
We observed that patients with lymphocytopenia have a cold external body temperature-especially the abdomen, hips and extremities-as recognized by palpation. Such patients were recommended to use a hot water bottle especially for cold extremities for the purpose of improving "chill". Six cases of lymphocytopenia diagnosed by previous medical doctors within two weeks before consulting our clinic are described in this study. The patients warmed their trunks and extremities by hot water bottles for as long as possible not only while sleeping but also during the daytime. There was no remarkable change in leukocyte count, but granulocytes significantly decreased in number (from 6,716 +/- 4,032 to 5,467 +/- 2,660) (p=0.013), and lymphocytes significantly increased from 718 +/- 211 to 1,845 +/- 406 (p=0.0017). It is important for clinicians to recognize that such an easy method can improve lymphocytopenia.
Aoyama Institute of Women's and Natural Medicine, Division of Natural Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 2-7-3 Kita-Aoyama, minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0061, Japan. madarame@ah.mu.ac.jp
Takeo
T
Madarame
Akira
A
Kawashima
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001831:Body Temperature; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000502:physiology; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000502:physiology; D008231:Lymphopenia / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014867:Water
D014867:Water