As we gain a greater understanding of the human body, modern wellness therapies have emerged as revolutionary ways to promote healing, reduce inflammation, and enhance overall well-being. One such cutting-edge treatment is whole-body cryotherapy.

At the Health & Wellness Clinic, our expertise goes beyond chiropractic care. We understand the importance of offering comprehensive treatment options that address the diverse needs of our patients. That’s why we’re proud to offer whole-body cryotherapy, which provides a wide array of advantages, whether used in tandem with other treatments or on its own. 

Keep reading to learn more about the science behind whole-body cryotherapy as we explore how this innovative approach works and the myriad benefits it can offer. 

Understanding Whole-Body Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy involves exposing the body to extremely cold temperatures for short periods of time. While this may sound intimidating or dangerous, cryotherapy is safe and effective when administered by trained professionals. The whole-body cryotherapy process involves entering a specialized chamber where liquid nitrogen is used to cool the air around you, creating temperatures ranging from 200 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit below zero. The whole process only takes 2.5 to 3.5 minutes.

While whole-body cryotherapy as we know it today is a relatively new treatment, people have been harnessing the healing power of cold temperatures for millennia. In fact, the oldest known medical text, the Edwin Smith Papyrus discovered in Egypt, makes numerous references to the use of cold temperatures as a type of therapy. This tells us that ancient civilizations as far back as 3500 B.C. were aware of the health benefits that come with targeted cold exposure. 

Your Body’s Response to Cold Temperatures

So, how exactly does subjecting yourself to such frigid temperatures lead to therapeutic benefits? The key lies in your body’s natural response to cold exposure.

When you’re exposed to cold temperatures, your body’s natural defense mechanism kicks in. Your blood vessels constrict in a process called vasoconstriction, helping reduce blood flow to your extremities and redirect it to your vital organs to maintain your core body temperature. This process also temporarily numbs nerve endings, which can alleviate pain and discomfort.

After your whole-body cryotherapy session, your body will undergo a process called vasodilation in which blood vessels expand and blood flow increases — essentially the opposite of vasoconstriction. This surge in blood circulation delivers oxygen and essential nutrients to tissues throughout the body, which promotes rejuvenation and healing. 

The effects of whole-body cryotherapy go beyond the physical. The sudden temperature shift from cold to warm triggers the release of endorphins — your body’s feel-good hormones — and can induce a sense of euphoria and enhanced well-being.

Benefits of Whole-Body Cryotherapy

One of the most beneficial effects of whole-body cryotherapy is its ability to calm inflammation. Inflammation is your body’s natural response to illness or injury, but chronic inflammation is another story. It can contribute to a number of health problems, including stiffness, pain, and reduced mobility. By cooling the body and reducing inflammation, whole-body cryotherapy can help you find relief from conditions such as tendonitis, arthritis, and muscle soreness.

Whole-body cryotherapy has gained popularity among athletes due to its ability to enhance performance and accelerate recovery. Intense exercise can cause muscle fatigue and microtrauma, leading to delayed onset muscle soreness. By reducing inflammation and promoting muscle recovery, cryotherapy enables athletes to reach peak performance and bounce back faster.

In addition to its physical benefits, whole-body cryotherapy is known to have a positive impact on mental health and well-being. As we mentioned before, the cold sensation releases dopamine and serotonin, which are neurotransmitters associated with stress reduction and mood regulation. Many patients report feeling energized, focused, and invigorated after a whole-body cryotherapy session.

You may be thinking, I have a bathtub at home…can I just fill it with ice? Ice baths are also beneficial, but cryotherapy is more comfortable because it eliminates the shock of the sudden plunge. Plus, the lack of humidity prevents frostbite, and since your body’s core temperature remains warm, you don’t risk hypothermia. 

Special Considerations

While whole-body cryotherapy offers significant advantages for many individuals, it may not be suitable for everyone. If you have certain medical conditions, you may need to sit this one out or consult with a healthcare professional before treatment.

Whole-Body Cryotherapy in Layton, Utah

At the Health & Wellness clinic, we are proud to provide safe, effective whole-body cryotherapy treatments tailored to the unique needs of each patient. Whether you’re recovering from an injury or seeking relief from chronic pain, cryotherapy may be the perfect way for you to chill out and achieve enhanced overall well-being.

Our team at Health And Wellness Clinic offers exercise rehabilitation and chiropractic adjustments for clients who struggle with pain. Restoring better movement to the body is the ultimate goal of any kind of rehab or chiropractic. Reducing pain symptoms and helping patients avoid invasive surgery can also be accomplished.

Even though both of these treatment options can be used to treat similar injuries or ailgmnets, there are some differences between the two. In this blog, we will share some of the similarities between the two therapies, while also sharing how they differ. This can help patients determine what practice will be best for their current life situation.

Similarities

Knowing the similarities between these two natural healing options can help you make an informed decision about your body. The similarities between chiropractic and exercise rehab include more than just the ones listed below, but these are some of the most prominent. 

Patient Focused

Exercise and chiropractic adjustment are both focused on the goals of the patient. Each individual will have their own personal goals for their body. Chiropractors take into account your past health conditions, your current lifestyle, and activities that you want to be able to do. Limiting pain and helping patients meet their goals is the biggest goals of exercise rehab and chiropractic.

Gives Your Body More Functionality

Working to give patients more mobility, prevent injury, and help athletes improve their performance. Chiropractic works to create proper spinal alignment so that your brain can communicate with your nervous system. Exercise rehab focuses building strength and improving flexibility. Restoring normal bodily function can be done with chiropractic or exercise rehab.

Less Invasive Than Other Treatment Methods

Avoiding surgery or strong medications is important to patients who seek these treatments. Eliminating pain and discomfort with noninvasive techniques that help to naturally heal your body. Whether you just want to avoid the side effects of of surgery or want to keep playing a sport you love, natural healing is the best option. 

Training Is Required To Perform These Treatments

Those who practice chiropractic or exercise rehab need to go through training and schooling in order to perform these processes safely. Chiropractors and rehabilitation specialists will learn about bodily anatomy in order to provide patients with knowledge on how to protect themselves. Training will also teach these specialists what muscle groups to work, how to avoid injury, and the best stretches for flexibility. 

Differences

Even though there are similarities, the differences between the two therapies make one option better than the other for specific patients. Those who are not candidates for surgery or who have not been injuried may gravitate towards exercise rehab.

Bodily Focus

Chiropractic focuses on the spine and nervous system, exercise rehabilitation focuses on the musculoskeletal system like the joints, muscles, and tendons. Chiropractors focus on improving the overall health of the patient so that daily function is improved. Exercise rehab will work on improving certain muscle groups for highly specific physical needs. 

Manual Treatments Or Physical Exercises

Chiropractors use their hands or other machines to do manual adjustments on the body. The patient doesn’t do much work at a chiropractic appointment. Wheras, during exercise rehabilitation the patient is taught or told to do exercises and stretches to improve strength. 

Specializations

Both therapies have specializations that help patients of certain ages or injuries.  Chiropractic specializations include pediatric chiropractic, sports chiropractic, and chiropractic neuropathy.

Exercise rehabilitation includes specializations of orthopedic rehabilitation, sports rehabilitation, or post-surgical rehabilitation. 

Frequency Of Appointments

Typical chiropractic patients have appointments weekly at the start of their treatment. Depending on the severity of their pain, the appointment frequency may start to taper off. Exercise rehabilitation works to build stamina overtime, so frequent appointments can be necessary, but the treatment process is more long term. 

Can Exercise Rehab And Chiropractic Be Used Simultaneously?

Many athletes, those with back problems, or individuals who have been in a car accident will combine the resources of exercise rehab and chiropractic. Using both of these therapy’s at the same time will help a patient have less pain while also building up muscle strength. This can help the body avoid injury in the future. 
Chiropractors often recommend stretches and other physical exercise to their patients. Working with a trainer during exercise rehabilitation and a chiropractor outside of the gym can help you have more well-rounded health.