Did you know that you can benefit from near-freezing temperatures? Cryotherapy is a unique type of treatment that exposes the body to extremely cold temperatures (ranging from -160 to -220 degrees fahrenheit) for an interval of 2-4 minutes, which may in return improve mental and physical health, and possibly even prolong life. Although this may be very uncomfortable, especially for people who are unaccustomed to cold, don’t count this type of therapy out just yet. Today we’ll be focusing on some of the possible healing effects of cryotherapy can offer you. Keep reading to learn more!

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What is a Cryo-chamber?

A cryo-chamber is a tube-shaped chamber that covers most of the body as they stand inside of it, with an opening at the top for the head. The chamber generates cool air to create the desired frigid environment. These cryo-chambers are generally utilized by whole-body cryotherapy.

How does cryotherapy work?

The body being exposed to extreme cooling helps constrict the blood vessels as well as reduce the blood flow to areas of inflammation. After exiting the cryo-chamber, the blood vessels will expand and stimulate more anti-inflammatory proteins found in the blood. Cryotherapy claims to help improve recovery while reducing pain and inflammation. Besides whole-body cryotherapy, there are other types such as localized therapy and cryosurgery. Localized therapy focuses and targets specific parts of your body that are in pain or inflamed. Cryosurgery involves using liquid nitrogen to destroy abnormal tissue.

Benefits of Cryotherapy

  1. Pain Relief

    One of the benefits from cryotherapy can be to help alleviate muscle pain or arthritis. Cryotherapy can also promote faster healing from athletic injuries. For decades doctors have recommended ice packs and ice baths to help athletes recover from injuries and sore muscles because it can increase blood circulation, which speeds up pain relief and healing. This study in 2017 supports cryotherapy as an effective solution. Another study found that the cold therapy can significantly reduce arthritis pain, ultimately making rehabilitation programs more effective.

  2. Weight loss

    Another benefit of cryotherapy is that it can support weight loss. A few minutes immersed in cold can actually increase your metabolism for the day. Some people even claim that they eventually stop experiencing feeling cold after their metabolism adjusts and increases significantly due to the cold temperatures. This potential weight loss benefit can also be due to the fact that people are able to recover faster from muscle pains and/or injuries, allowing them to resume their active lifestyle with less downtime. Cryotherapy may limit its potential weight loss benefit for those who are not active or unable to go exercise.

  1. Less inflammation

    At times the immune system can get overworked from fighting infection, causing chronic inflammation that may link to certain illnesses such as cancer, dementia, arthritis, diabetes, and depression. With that said, reducing inflammation can help lower the risk of encountering health problems. A 2012 study found that utilizing cryotherapy may reduce inflammation and oxidative stress linked to dementia and other cognitive issues that come with age. Some studies suggest using cryotherapy to help reduce inflammation. Other research has also found that mental health conditions linked to inflammation can be improved through this unique treatment.

  1. Improving eczema

    Eczema is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that may cause patches of skin to become extremely dry and itchy. A study in 2008 instructed participants with eczema to replace eczema medication with cryotherapy. Many participants claimed they saw an improvement in their symptoms during the experiment.

Tips & Guidelines for Cryotherapy

If you are interested in getting cryotherapy, make sure you consult with your doctor before scheduling for treatment. If you are located in New Jersey, contact Healthy-Aging Medical Centers to schedule a consultation. We are more than happy to help answer all questions and concerns as well as discuss what to expect and how to prepare yourself for the treatment beforehand.

There has been a lot of research supporting the beneficial claims cryotherapy can provide for your health. From finally getting pain relief, reduction in inflammation, improving eczema symptoms, aiding in weight loss to the host of many other therapeutic benefits you may receive using cold therapy, cryotherapy may be the perfect solution for you. Make sure you contact Dr. Rand and his team of experts to determine if cryotherapy is right for you. Also be sure to check out our extensive list of anti-aging services.