Cold water therapy or cold water immersion has been practiced in ancient civilizations for decades, but it is now emerging into modern medicine. While it has faced scrutiny from many scientists, studies have shown that the body’s natural healing process is heightened when cold immersion is integrated into your routine. Many wellness retreats, sports enthusiasts, and those looking for remission from chronic health conditions have found relief from cold water immersion. Below are just some of the benefits of cold water, ice baths, and cryotherapy.
What Is Cold Exposure?
Any type of exposure to the cold or immersion in cold water is considered a form of cold therapy. It comes in a variety of forms such as ice baths, cold showers, cryotherapy, frozen lake swims, and polar plunges.
Willing our bodies to be exposed to the stress of the cold helps us to better regulate our nervous system and in turn have a better reaction to stress. Managing stress is important for physical and mental health as it can lead to detrimental physical health problems.
The body’s reaction to stress is similar to how it reacts to extreme cold. This looks like an elevated heart rate, feelings of panic, body contractions, or shallow breathing. Learning to relax and cope with these symptoms will help your body know how to handle them when in a high-stress situation.
What Is Cryotherapy?
Cold therapy has been used to help aid in recovery, treat muscle spasms, and slow the aging process. The process of cryotherapy can help fight inflammation and improve your energy levels after injury or during serious illness. Cryotherapy is non-invasive and pain-free for patients who experience pain or tense muscles.
Cryotherapy is also effective in limiting tissue breakdown, improving metabolism, faster recovery times, and more by just quickly cooling the skin and body’s internal temperature. Below is more about the individual benefits you can get from cold water immersion or cryotherapy.
Improve Blood Circulation
Good blood circulation is a key indicator of health in a person. Proper blood flow allows you to have a healthy heart, and high energy, limit headaches and lower your risk for high blood pressure. Enhancing cardiovascular health can be accomplished by cold water therapy because blood is pumped to the vital organs to keep them warm. Once your body learns to self-regulate, you will increase your blood flow during daily life.
Help Aid In Weight Loss
Cold water therapy can lead to brown fat cells and a hormone release of Irisin and FGF in your body which help to burn fat tissues and lead to weight loss. Some instances of cold water can lead to shivering which is your body’s way of producing heat and burning calories. Muscle contraction can help aid in the start of weight loss.
Lessen Muscle Aches And Fatigue
Because cryotherapy and cold water immersion help limit inflammation, it also helps reduce muscle aches and fatigue. Cold water causes blood vessels to constrict and helps reduce swelling. This is a benefit that athletes utilize quite frequently to help enhance muscle recovery. Those who utilize ice baths or other forms of cold water immersion report less muscle soreness after exercising.
Boost Immune System
This benefit should come as no shock considering all the other benefits we have discussed. Your immune system relies on a lot of elements to stay on top of its game. Cold exposure can help the body fight infections, which directly attack your immune system. Bacterial infections usually lead to inflammatory responses, which is where cold therapy can help limit the number of symptoms you experience.
Increase Range Of Motion
Athletes use cold water immersion to help muscles and limit the discomfort their bodies can feel. This helps you to gain better motion and flexibility because your body is able to move with ease. Cryotherapy can help reduce the risk of injury and help people reach new physical milestones.
Better flexibility can help improve your posture, limit back pain, and stand taller. So improving motion has multiple benefits all wrapped into one.
Cryotherapy With Health And Wellness
Health And Wellness Clinic offers chiropractic care and cryotherapy for our patients. For those who want to avoid surgery and prescription medication, our noninvasive techniques are the best option. We have over 25 years of combined experience and can serve both our English and Spanish-speaking patients.
Our clinic looks forward to serving new patients and building a healthier community. Visit our office to get started on a pain-free road today!