Chronic Pain Relief through Cryotherapy
Advanced chronic pain relief is here, and it’s called Cryotherapy! Traditionally used in Europe, Asia, and Australia, Cryotherapy is now approved for use in the United States.
Whole Body Cryotherapy (WBC) is an effective treatment that uses sub-zero airflow to activate your body’s natural healing abilities and release endorphins into the bloodstream.
“Whole-Body Cryotherapy is cold therapy like an ice bath, only you don’t have to spend an uncomfortable 20-minutes in a bath of freezing water.”
What is Cryotherapy?
Whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) is a safe, pain management treatment that cools the exterior layer of skin with sub-zero blasts of air for several minutes. Cryotherapy reduces inflammation in much the same way as the application of an ice pack but applied to the entire body using a cryo sauna. Aches and pains are often caused by the inflammation of expanding blood vessels surrounding an injury. These symptoms can be effectively addressed by cooling the body and shrinking the blood vessels. Cryotherapy cools your nerves, which causes fewer pain signals to be sent to your brain.
How it Works
Whole-Body Cryotherapy is cold therapy like an ice bath, only you don’t have to spend an uncomfortable 20-minutes in a bath of freezing water.
A whole-body cryotherapy session is a maximum of three minutes. It’s a dry, painless cold that penetrates the top layers of the skin and the cold dissipates quickly after the procedure. The treatment for whole-body cryotherapy includes standing in an enclosed chamber with an opening for your head. The chamber will drop between negative 200-300 degrees for between two and three minutes.
As the temperature drops inside the chamber, you will experience fresh, oxygenated blood to flow into your core. The intense cooling induces physiologic changes in your body. Initially, as the blood vessels constrict, blood moves away from the limbs and towards the vital organs of the body, which is a protective and natural measure that the body takes in response to extreme cold. In the process, several systems within the body are affected, and it is here that the benefits begin. At these extreme temperatures, your heart pumps more blood into your body, which activates several mechanisms that have significant long-term medical and cosmetic benefits. Your body will release toxins and enrich your blood with nutrients, enzymes, and oxygen.
Benefits of Cryotherapy
Whole-body cryotherapy is an effective pain management treatment that reduces inflammation and cools nerves reducing pain signals to the brain. Cryotherapy promotes faster healing of athletic injuries, boosts metabolism, increases muscle recovery post workout and can reduce pain associated with joint and muscle disorders.
The immune system increases the white blood cell count causing decreased inflammation and a positive, powerful immune system response. Circulation is improved, and water weight is reduced as the circulatory system reacts. An increase in testosterone and DHEA has been noted in blood sample studies.
A cryotherapy session induces a total systemic response that offers numerous advantages including chronic pain reduction, increased athletic recovery, improved muscle strength, treatment for muscle repair, improved sleep, increased mental alertness, and vigilance, as well as collagen and antioxidant synthesis. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory benefits of cryotherapy can drastically improve many painful conditions such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Due to the presence of heating receptors in your head and chest, WBC offers an excellent autonomic response which signals the body for dynamic tissue repair. Routine cryotherapy treatments can help rejuvenate the collagen matrix, improving your skin’s resilience and reducing the appearance of cellulite and fatty deposits at the skin’s surface.
Relieves Pain & Inflammation
Cryotherapy relieves pain by increasing cellular survival and strengthening the immune system. It has been used to relieve pain and inflammation from a variety of health conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, and other joint problems.
Boosts Metabolism
Cryotherapy can boost your metabolism by trying to warm the body. A single whole-body cryotherapy session can burn as much as 800 calories. The benefits of increased metabolism can help you burn more calories all day.
Aides in Post-Workout Recovery
Athletes use whole-body cryotherapy as part of their recovery routine, allowing them to train harder, stronger and longer.
Lifts Your Mood
Instead of reaching for antidepressants, opt for cryotherapy. The endorphins that are released into the bloodstream lift your mood following the session. Once your endorphins interact with pain receptors, the perception of pain is reduced, cortisol levels are reduced, and you will feel happier!
Two to three minutes of sub-zero temperatures are well worth the wide variety of physical, emotional, and mental benefits! When you stay focused on amazing health, anything is possible!
Cryotherapy has been used in Europe for years, and we are proud to bring it to those in the valley who suffer from various forms
of pain. Here at Innovative Pain and Wellness, we are treating pain with cutting-edge interventional techniques. We offer comprehensive wellness programs based on the idea of leaving no stone unturned to get our patients back to their normal life. We look forward to helping you!
