What Are the Benefits of Cryotherapy?
Are you curious about cryotherapy? While researchers are still studying the mechanisms behind the treatment’s health-promoting effects, the consensus is clear: cold therapy offers a wealth of health benefits. At A Family Practice & Wellness Center, our chiropractors, Dr. Eric Fromm and Dr. Scott Habers place a heavy emphasis on natural healing therapies that provide a non-invasive, safe alternative to conventional treatments.
What Is Cryotherapy?
Before expanding on the benefits of cryotherapy, it’s helpful to delve into what the therapy entails. At its core, a cryotherapy is a form of cold therapy, which has long been utilized to promote tissue healing and inflammation reduction. During a whole-body treatment, you’ll stand, bare skin exposed, within an enclosed chamber that contains an opening at the top for your head.
When the treatment begins, the temperature within the chamber drops far below 0 °F as liquid nitrogen cools the cabin to operating temperature. Though the ambient air is well below freezing, you’ll spend a mere two to four minutes standing within the chamber. Depending on your unique needs and the treatment recommendations of your chiropractor, you may require several sessions to experience lasting benefits.
What Are the Benefits of Cryotherapy?
Though it might sound like a scene out of a science fiction movie, cryotherapy isn’t just another trendy treatment that’s bound to fall off the radar. In fact, cold therapy has been widely used for decades, primarily for its ability to quell tissue inflammation and promote pain relief.
Traditionally, cold therapy was applied using ice packs or ice baths, but today, technology allows your chiropractor to administer cold therapy in a much more rapid, more effective manner. Potential benefits of the treatment include:
Inflammation Reduction. Exposure to intense cold triggers the release of anti-inflammatory compounds, which lessen both acute and chronic inflammation. This is true for tissue injuries, as well as for chronic inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.
Pain Relief. Cold exposure reduces nerve activity, thereby decreasing sensations of pain and sensitivity related to injuries or chronic conditions. Decreasing inflammation also contributes to pain reduction.
Mental Health Improvements. In individuals with depression or anxiety, studies have demonstrated that whole-body cold therapy may reduce symptoms by up to 50%.
Migraine Relief. Researchers have found that targeting the neck area with an intense cold can help reduce migraine symptoms.
Tissue Healing. Exposure to intense cold stimulates blood circulation, which is critical for tissue healing. Because blood carries essential nutrients and oxygen to injured and sore tissues, increasing blood flow encourages more rapid healing. Intense cold also triggers increased collagen production, which helps promote healthy, strong connective tissue and joints.
What Can Cryotherapy Do For You? Contact A Family Practice & Wellness Center to Find Out!
Whether you’re suffering from an acute injury or dealing with aches and pains due to chronic inflammation, our team at A Family Practice & Wellness Center is here to get your body back on track. If you live in or near the Cartersville, GA area and are curious about how our chiropractors use cold therapy to help your body heal, feel free to reach out to our team today! To learn more or to schedule your appointment, give us a call at (770) 386-5262. We look forward to seeing you!