Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy services at E-Vita Wellness

LOCALIZED	– scales down inflammation – acts as a pain relief – reduces swelling – improves mobility
CRYO FACIAL	– increases collagen production – helps with irritated skin – scales down pores’ sizes – reduces wrinkle appearance
CRYOSKIN	– slims down the body – rejuvenates skin – melts fat – tones appearance

For a long time, cryotherapy treatment has been a must-have asset wellness service for athletes. But now, it turns out that its benefits are not just limited to the sports industry. 

You may have heard that your favorite athlete gets two cryo sessions every day. However, you don’t have to be an athlete to numb your muscles to wellness.

Cryotherapy is a success story for enhancing muscle performance and getting rid of abnormal cells.

Treatments promise you both wellness and aesthetic benefits. Therefore, the concerns you should be having right now are:

• What is the science behind cryotherapy?
• How does it work?
• What are its exact benefits?
• Are there any side effects?

We break it down for you below. Let’s get down to business.

Cryotherapy treatment uses extremely cold temperatures to freeze abnormal tissues. To achieve subzero temperatures, this therapy uses argon or liquid nitrogen. The temperatures may drop to -200 to -400 degrees F while each session lasts 2 to 5 minutes.

Cryotherapy treats tissues both on the skin surface or inside the body.

Research claims that ice baths have a lot of mental and health benefits. You have probably read some lifestyle articles encouraging you to have cold showers or cold water immersion in the morning. And some will tell you how it will improve the general quality of your life.

Or you have used an icebox when you hit your little toe against furniture. It is almost similar to how cryotherapy works.

How is cryotherapy related to this? And what do research and science say about cryotherapy benefits?

Read on for the cryotherapy wellness service‘s potential benefits.

Reduces Migraine Symptoms

The numbing effect of cryotherapy can help treat migraines. The subzero temperatures will first cool, then numb the neck area. After that eventually, it relieves you from migraines.

Also, research shows that cooling the blood passing through the intracranial vessels will eventually lead to reduced migraine pain.

Cryotherapy for Pain and Nerve Irritation

One reason athletes get treatment is to cure sports injuries. (1)

It is ideal for muscle soreness and pain. As soon as you leave the cryotherapy session, blood circulation increases on the wounded area, promoting quick pain relief.

Muscle soreness and athletic injuries may hit you after your gym sessions. Having cryo post-gym sessions may help you resume your workouts faster and stronger.

 Also, cryotherapy is good for numbing pain. The cold temperatures can numb an irritated nerve. In some instances, the healthcare professionals can use a small cryoprobe to treat:

• pinched nerves and nerve damage
• chronic pain
• neuromas
• acute injuries

Helps Fix Mood Disorders

The cold temperatures in treatments can help stimulate physiological hormonal releases. With the cold temperatures, your body is stimulated to release more:

• adrenaline
• endorphins
• noradrenaline

These hormones play a significant impact on your mental wellbeing. They can help fix mood disorders such as depression and anxiety disorders.

Reduces Arthritis Pain

Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the medical conditions that can be managed by cryotherapy. The treatment is an effective alternative medicine in reducing arthritis pain.(2)

This minimally invasive treatment is well tolerated. It also paves the way for further physiotherapy and occupational therapy needed by arthritis patients.

Weight Loss

Disclaimer: Cryotherapy alone will not get you to your weight loss goals. It will only support you through the journey.

Cryotherapy exposes your body tissues to extremely cold temperatures. This sends your body and its mechanisms to the edge; it starts working harder to keep warm.

 Also, because cryotherapy helps with muscle soreness, it could help you go harder on your gym sessions without fear of having muscle pain for days. You can do intense exercise and get cryotherapy to calm you down.

When the cancerous cells inside the body are frozen, they will eventually die and be absorbed into the body for excretion. For treatment of damaged cells on the skin surface, a scab forms and falls off later.

Prevention of Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease

Whole-body sessions can help prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

 Cryotherapy has strong anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects on the body. That makes it an ideal way to fight the inflammatory and oxidative stress of Alzheimer’s. 

However, further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of cryo in preventing dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Treats Different Skin Conditions

Cryo can help improve the antioxidant levels in the skin. This, in turn, can reduce inflammation and treat atopic dermatitis. Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory infection characterized by itchy and dry skin.

Cryotherapy can also be used in treating and preventing acne and skin tags. It is also used to freeze unsightly warts and keloids. Numbing warts and keloids make it easy for them to get cut off. Also, with cryotherapy, the chances of warts recurring after treatment are very low.

After a biopsy, pap test, or colposcopy, when abnormal cells are discovered in the body, it could be time to schedule your cryotherapy session.

In over 85% of cases, cryotherapy fixes the abnormal cell problem for good.

In case the abnormal cells recur, you may reschedule another cryotherapy treatment again. However, your doctor may recommend another treatment such as LEEP.

This is why we recommend that you take regular Pap tests to know whether your cryotherapy treatment worked effectively.

Getting Ready for Cryotherapy Treatment

Your doctor will help you prepare for cryotherapy. However, there is not much to do if you have an external localized cryotherapy treatment. Minimal clothing is recommended during the session.

 However, some of the guidelines may include not eating 12 hours prior to your appointment for cryosurgery. You may also have to stop using blood thinners and aspirin 2-3 days before your scheduled appointment.

 Also, we recommend that you plan to get driven home after your cryosurgery.

During Treatment

What should I expect during the treatment?

 If you have external cryotherapy, your provider will use a spraying device or a cotton swab to apply the cold liquid nitrogen or argon gas.

 For internal cryotherapy or cryosurgery, a cryoprobe will be inserted through an incision on your skin. The provider will use an ultrasound to guide the movement of the cryoprobe to the target tissues.

You may get general or local anesthesia depending on the location of the target cells. So, local anesthesia numbs just a specific targeted area, while general anesthesia puts you to sleep.

A little discomfort or pain is normal during the treatment.

After Treatment

 If you have had an external cryo session, the area will turn red and have a blister. You may also experience mild pain, which will go away in 3 days. After the blister heals, a scab will form. The scab falls within three weeks.

 If you have internal cryotherapy, you will experience soreness and mild pain in the affected areas. The pain will disappear in three weeks.

If you have cryotherapy on your cervix, you may have a watery discharge, which should wear off after a few weeks at most.

Ensure you get your doctor’s go-ahead before getting your procedure. (2) Do not get it if you have:

• A pacemaker
• History of high blood pressure
• Stroke
• seizures
• claustrophobia (fear of enclosed places)
• pregnancy (radiation therapy is not ideal during pregnancy)

Cryotherapy may worsen these conditions.

Disclaimer: Undergoing cryotherapy for more than a few minutes can turn out to be dangerous. However, professionals will time and monitor each session for your safety.

It poses risks such as:

• formation of panniculitis (by the cold injuring fatty tissue)
•  frostbite formation (Frostbites occur when the skin, and sometimes the tissues beneath the skin, freeze – potentially resulting in permanent damage).

We answer some cryotherapy FAQs below. Plus, we hope this helps you grasp more cryotherapy knowledge before you book your appointment.

What is Cryotherapy Used to Treat?

It treats:

• abnormal skin tissues such as warts and keloids
• tumors and cancerous cells
• chronic pain
• muscle soreness and injuries
• depression and anxiety

What Does Cryotherapy Do to Your body?

The treatment numbs the target tissues, and eventually, the cells die from cold temperatures. If it is internal, the system will absorb the tissue and later excreted it. If it’s external, it will form a scab and later fall off.

Can Cryotherapy Help with Weight Loss?

 Yes. However, complements weight loss because it exposes your body to extreme cold. This makes your body go out of its way to keep you warm. In the process, it increases metabolism, which in turn stimulates weight loss.

However, cryotherapy alone will not make you lose weight.

Final Thoughts

From a lot of anecdotal evidence and backed-up research, cryo treatments have proven to be an effective treatment with many solid health benefits. The subject needs more research. However, it is a promising treatment that is good for individuals who want to reduce pain such as in rheumatoid arthritis. Also, to reduce inflammation, fight cognitive decline, and get rid of abnormal cells.

Speak to your doctor to get clearance before getting your treatment.

Sources:

1 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8896090/

2 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24345205/