A Cryotherapy Chamber at a glance might seem to belong in some strange science fiction film. Though it does look futuristic and otherworldly, cryotherapy is very much here and now. The cryosauna machines stand up straight and immerse the patient in the chamber from the neck down. The patient is in minimal clothing, and the "dry cold" of liquid nitrogen lowers the skin temperature to around 30 degrees for a short period of three to four minutes. Now you might just be wondering why anyone in their right mind would pay to be freezing cold, even if it is just for a few minutes. Well, there are plenty of celebrities, athletes, and regular patients who suffer from Rheumatoid arthritis that tout the benefits of cryotherapy. If you're looking for a boost in overall health, cryotherapy might just be right for you.
Athletes like Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, and the entirety of the Dallas Mavericks have used cryotherapy to much success. For such high-performing and energy expending athletes, recover time is essential to prevent injuries and reduce muscle soreness. Cryotherapy allows athletes the opportunity to recover quicker, train sooner, and improve. When the surface of the skin goes back to a normal temperature, vasodilation allows enriched blood to flow back through the body. But unlike an ice bath, only the outer surface is exposed to cold, allowing for quick recovery.
An ice-pack to the arm or leg reduces inflammation in one area and is the basis of why whole body cryotherapy works reduce inflammation all around. Inflammation is inflammatory, and the body gets heated up as it tries to heal. It is perfectly normal to have inflammation with an injury, but this can be incredibly painful. Cryotherapy works because it dulls the pain and swelling that inflammation causes. In the ice vs. heat debate, heat does nothing but make injury inflammation worse.
Brave souls and experimental athletes or health enthusiasts have claimed that ice baths in the morning improve metabolic speed and improve digestion. With cryotherapy, you can get the same benefits without submerging your entire body in cold water that essentially freezes you to the bone. Rather, you stand nicely in dry cold that doesn't chill you to the spine (it's much more pleasant than an ice bath) and reap the benefits. As the body must work hard to reheat, one to three minute cryotherapy treatments burn a significant number of calories.
Collagen is a protein in the body responsible for keeping the cell and tissues of our skin together. It protects the organs, strengthens the blood vessels, replaces dead skin cells, and keeps the skin firm and plump. Collagen loss doesn't only affect the outer appearance, it can weaken the muscles and joints as well. Cryotherapy works to boost collagen production by widening the vascular system. The quick constriction caused by the extreme temperature change is combatted with the rapid dilation when the treatment ends. The quick constrict/widen of the vascular system allows for better blood circulation. It also eliminates toxins in the skin and allows nutrients to be absorbed more readily so that the cells can increase collagen production.
Decreasing pain will most certainly improve mood. However, what really causes the sudden feel-goods after a good cryotherapy session are the endorphins that are released into the bloodstream. Endorphins are chemical in our brain and nervous system that give people a sense of elation and relief. When endorphins are low, people experience depression, anxiety, fatigue, and many other issues. With extreme cold temperature exposure, endorphins are naturally released. Just as you might feel after a good workout, the endorphins that come from a cryotherapy session stay without you throughout the day and encourage productivity.
Looking from the outside in, a whole body cryotherapy tank seems like something straight out of sci-fi. A sterile room and a stainless steel tank looming with a cloud of liquid nitrogen colder than anything imaginable doesn't seem like an enjoyable spa getaway…at least at first.
But if cryotherapy were really so unpleasant, celebrities and elite athletes alike would not dare come back. Nor would they testify to cryotherapy's many benefits including: a reduction in inflammation and muscle soreness/fatigue, skin rejuvenation, cellulite reduction, metabolism improvement, and more.
Inflammation is the cause of many ailments and pains. With cryotherapy, inflammation is reduced as a result of improved blood circulation. If you've ever set an icepack to a pulled muscle or twisted ankle and felt a bit of relief, you've already tried cryotherapy in its basic form. Now, crank it up a notch and turn that icepack into whole body cryotherapy tank and you're reaping the benefits of inflammation treatment on a whole body level.
Athletes who undergo intensive training need to take the time to properly recover so as to not risk injury on the field, on the court, or in the gym. When training season is all or nothing, athletes do whatever they can to stay on top of their game and push. Members of the Dallas Cowboys, Denver Nuggets, Lebron James and Kobe Bryant have all used cryotherapy to recover from intense training.
When injuries do bring athletes down, cryotherapy stimulates healing throughout the body. The intense cold triggers a fight or flight response that constricts the blood vessels so as to preserve energy and warmth in the core. When the body is reintroduced to normal temperatures, the blood vessels widen, allowing for the absorption of nutrients and minerals essential to overall health. The effects set in motion by cryotherapy frigid temps do not cease. The restriction and subsequent widening of the vascular system clears toxins from the bloodstream to reduce inflammation. Improved circulation boosts recovery and restores the body to its pre-exercise state.
Reducing inflammation is a surefire way to improve the texture of your skin. Those who suffer from acne or other skin conditions have found great relief with cryo facials and whole body cryotherapy because the acne we recognize as big red swollen bumps are a direct result of inflammation as the body attempts to attack the invading bacteria.
Cryotherapy also increases collagen production, which has everything to do with skin firmness and elasticity. Collagen also makes for strong hair and nails, and celebrities and other routine patients continue treatment to maintain the aesthetic benefits that cryotherapy provides.
Brave health gurus have attested to the benefits of an ice bath in the morning to start the day and jumpstart your metabolism. Well, an ice bath is a commitment that not many are so willing to make, and a whole body cryotherapy treatment works in much the same way minus the wetness. Cold temperatures force the body to burn calories in order to keep the body warm. A single cryotherapy session can burn a number of calories, and repeated use can boost your metabolism, promoting weight loss over the long haul.
Last but not least, one of the least expected though thoroughly welcomed benefits of cryotherapy is its positive effect on mental health. In the fight or flight response, the body releases endorphins to mask or diminish discomfort. But the short three to four-minute treatment releases endorphins that improve overall mood throughout the day. Endorphins lower blood pressure and heart rate as well, encouraging calmness and relaxation.
There are many more reasons why clients continue cryotherapy treatments and tell others to give it a try. People rarely jump in the frigid cold for fun. With cryotherapy, the multitude of benefits from pain alleviation to increased metabolism are too great to pass up. If you're ready to try something holistic and healing, consider whole body cryotherapy.