Cryotherapy is a medical therapy that involves exposing the body to extremely cold temperatures for a short period of time. There are several methods of cryotherapy, with the most common one involving immersing the body in a cryogenic chamber, where the temperature can drop as low as -200 to -300 degrees Fahrenheit (-130 to -190 degrees Celsius) for 2-4 minutes.
Cryotherapy can also be applied in various ways, including icepacks, coolant sprays, ice massage, and whirlpools, or ice baths.
Use of Cryotherapy
A person can derive benefits from just one session of cryotherapy, but it’s most effective when used regularly.
Medical Benefits of Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy is a minimally invasive therapy. This treatment removes damaged or diseased tissue that comes from a variety of medical conditions. Cryotherapy is usually done without open surgery. Most people recover quickly from the procedure and with little pain. There are a number of benefits of cryotherapy.
Reduction of Inflammation
Cryotherapy decreases inflammation by constricting blood vessels and decreasing metabolic activity, which can help with conditions like arthritis and other inflammatory disorders. A whole-body cryotherapy significantly reduces pain in people with arthritis.
Chronic Pain Relief
Cryotherapy can help reduce pain and inflammation in various conditions, such as arthritis, muscle soreness, and injury recovery. The cold temperatures cause blood vessels to constrict, reducing blood flow to the affected area and thereby reducing inflammation and pain.
Muscle Recovery and Sports Injuries
Athletes often use cryotherapy to speed up muscle recovery after intense workouts or sports injuries. The cold exposure is believed to help in reducing muscle soreness and speeding up the healing process.
Migraine Relief
Cryotherapy applied to the neck area has been explored as a potential treatment for migraines. The cooling effect can constrict blood vessels and reduce the severity of migraines or even prevent them in some cases.
Skin Conditions
Cryotherapy can be used to treat skin conditions like warts, skin tags, actinic keratosis and certain types of benign skin lesions. It involves freezing the affected area to destroy the abnormal tissue. Additionally, cryotherapy can improve the appearance of the skin by promoting collagen production. The freezing temperatures destroy abnormal skin cells and promote the growth of new, healthy skin cells.
Mood and Stress Improvement
Cryotherapy might trigger the release of adrenaline, noradrenaline and endorphins, which can lead to an improved mood and reduced stress levels. The cold exposure has a positive impact on the nervous system.
Weight Loss
Cryotherapy activates brown fat, which burns calories to generate heat and maintain body temperature. Regular exposure to cold temperatures can therefore aid in weight loss.
Cancer Treatment Support
Cryotherapy is sometimes used as an adjunctive therapy to treat certain types of cancer. For example, it can be used to freeze and destroy cancerous cells in the prostate (cryosurgery) or to treat precancerous skin lesions.
Improved Circulation
Exposure to cold can cause blood vessels to constrict and then dilate once the body warms up again. This process may improve overall circulation.
Mental Health Benefits
Most people report improved mood and reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety after cryotherapy sessions. The release of endorphins, the body’s natural mood enhancers, during and after exposure to cold might contribute to these effects.
Boosted Immune System
Cold exposure is thought to stimulate the production of certain cytokines, which are proteins that play a role in regulating the immune system. Regular exposure to cold through cryotherapy might help enhance the immune response.
Treats atopic dermatitis and other skin conditions
Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with signature symptoms of dry and itchy skin. Because cryotherapy can improve antioxidant levels in the blood and can simultaneously reduce inflammation, both localized and whole-body cryotherapy can therefore help treat atopic dermatitis.
