Inflammation is the body’s process of fighting against injuries, toxins, infections, and aids in the healing process. When inflammation lingers, it can lead to a number of negative health impacts on the tissues and the organs. Whole body cryotherapy is designed to reduce inflammation in the body, improve energy levels, and strengthen the body as a whole.
How Cryotherapy Works
Since the 1700s, cold therapy has been used to help improve recovery, treat muscle spasms and pain, while slowing the aging process and improving overall health. Athletes have long-used cold therapy in the form of ice baths and liquid nitrogen treatments. Now, whole body cryotherapy (WBC) involves the use of a specialized chamber to make the treatment quick, pain-free, and effective.
Understanding Whole Body Cryotherapy
Using cold therapy treatment has been found to help reduce inflammation. However, the most common treatment was cold-water immersion, or ice baths. Cold therapy does aid in reducing swelling and tissue breakdown, but it is not the most comfortable way to treat the body. Whole body cryotherapy involves stepping into a dry, oxygenated air chamber where liquid nitrogen is used to quickly cool the skin. Patients will receive a 2.5-3.5-minute treatment where the cold air decreases skin temperature below -200°F.
The Benefits of Cryotherapy
Doctors have long recommended using icing as a way to reduce inflammation to joint injuries. Most people are familiar with medical cryoablation, which uses extreme cold to destroy diseased tissues, and aids in removing wart and moles. Neurosurgeons recommend using cold as a way to improve leptin levels and regulating hormones. While these medical claims have proven to be effective, we have found additional benefits to WBC treatments:
- Faster recovery after exercise – Following exercise, cold treatments have been found to improve the entire body by
speeding up the recovery process.
- Immune system improvement – WBC has been found to improve the entire immune system. According to Dr. Jack Kruse, a respected neurosurgeon, cryotherapy has been found to boost the immune system by having the body trigger the hypothalamus where it turns on the anti-inflammatory process.
- Increased energy and improvement in metabolism – One of the most immediate differences patients will notice is an increase in metabolism and overall energy levels. Immediately following treatment, patients will have an increase in catecholamines (adrenaline and noradrenaline), which gives patient a euphoric feeling.
- Decreased inflammation – One of the main benefits of WBC is reducing inflammation. Several key studies have shown that cryotherapy has key improvement for soft tissue injuries and rejuvenation of damaged tissue.
What to Expect
When you come to our Layton Health & Wellness Clinic office, you will need to complete a health screening and consultation with our technicians. Patients can change into comfortable, athletic clothing prior to going into the chamber. We will walk you through the area to show you how the process works and what you can expect. Patients will need to wear the correct cryo kit including head-wear, mask, gloves, and proper footwear. Once dressed, patients will step into the hyperbolic chamber.
Our qualified technicians will record skin temperature and monitors the entire treatment. The entire treatment lasts 2-3 minutes, and we will provide you with results following the treatment. Following treatment, patients will move to a warm-up routine to rejuvenate the body and you will be ready to be on your way!
Learning More About WBC
As this treatment continues to gain popularity, we always focus on the benefits and risks to any treatment. We recommend patients speak with their doctor prior to treatment, and we recommend providing full disclosure of your health history to ensure the treatment is safe for your body. The main risk is going into a chamber with damp clothing as that can lead to frostbite. WBC is something that needs to have proper training to use correctly. We make sure all of our technicians have received the correct training, and our environment is controlled to prevent risk of injury or accident.
Schedule Your Visit
If you are ready to give whole body cryotherapy a go, give us a call, or schedule your consultation online. We recommend cryotherapy for any patients who are seeking reduction of inflammation and a boost in energy levels! We look forward to seeing you at Health & Wellness Clinic today!