The present application relates to systems and methods for altering the core body temperature in a mammalian body. For example, a method may include maintaining the patient in a general anesthetic state by administration of at least an anesthetic agent to the patient, wherein the anesthetic agent prevents vasoconstriction of AVAs in the patient's glabrous tissue. The method may also include applying a warming stimulus selectively to glabrous tissue of the hands, feet or face of the patient during the general anesthetic maintenance. In another exemplary method, the vasodilation of AVAs in the patient is triggered via a physical stimulus; the glabrous tissue of the patient is warmed; general anesthesia is administered to the patient; and said vasodilation and said warming are maintained during at least a portion of the administration of general.

A sequential compression and temperature therapy blanket with a plurality of air chambers is disclosed. The air chambers are filled and released by a valve assembly that may be separate from or integrated within the blanket. The temperature therapy blanket includes a fluid bladder for delivering hot and/or cold therapy to a patient. The temperature therapy blanket may also include an air bladder for providing compression.

A therapeutic appliance includes a water pack, at least one massaging finger, a recirculating water system and a thermoelectric device. The massaging finger has a vibrator disposed on the water pack to exciting liquid in the water pack for massaging a body portion to be massaged. The recirculating water system has a container and a conduit connecting the container and the water pack such that the liquid is permitted to circulate between the container and the water pack. In addition, the thermoelectric device is disposed in the container of the recirculating water system for heating or cooling the liquid.

A temperature regulation system for regulating the temperature of a portion of a body, in particular of a user's body. The system comprises one humidity sensor for measuring humidity in the vicinity of the portion of a body, one temperature adjustment element for providing heat to a portion of the body, a memory unit for storing one threshold humidity related value (H.sub.thresh) and one reference user information related values (t.sub.ref, .sub.ref), a controlling unit in communication with the humidity sensor, with the memory unit and with the temperature adjustment element, and configured to determine one instant user information related value (t.sub.inst, .sub.inst), perform a comparison between one instant user information related value (t.sub.inst, .sub.inst) and one triggering user information related value (t.sub.trig, .sub.trig) based on said reference user information related value (t.sub.ref, .sub.ref), activate the temperature adjustment element to provide heat to a portion of the body depending on the result of said comparison. The controlling unit is further configured to receive one instant humidity (H.sub.inst) measured in the vicinity of the portion of the body from the humidity sensor, perform a comparison between said instant humidity related value (H.sub.inst) and one triggering humidity related value (H.sub.trig) based on said threshold humidity related value (H.sub.thresh), and to set the one triggering user information related value (t.sub.trig, .sub.trig) to a value lower than said reference user information related value (t.sub.ref, .sub.ref) when the instant humidity related value (H.sub.inst) is greater or equal to said threshold humidity related value (H.sub.thresh).