As they opened their cryogenic therapy firm, my clients wanted a post debunking some of the misunderstandings.
NO NEED TO CRY OVER CRYOTHERAPY
Ask someone if they would use cryotherapy and they might wrinkle their nose and say, “What’s that?” or “Isn’t that where they freeze a dead person?”
We use it every day
The fact is whenever you hold an ice pack to a swollen ankle, you‘re using cryotherapy. Despite some misguided views out there, cryotherapy is simply using COLD to treat various ailments and injuries common to everyone. Applying cold restricts blood flow to the affected area, which slows inflammation and provides some pain relief.
Cryotherapy is in routine use as a best medical practice
“Cryo” means “cold” and “therapy” means, well, therapy! Cryotherapy for has been part of mainstream medicine for centuries. In modern times, it became possible to compress and freeze gases, so doctors began using frozen nitrogen to topically treat skin lesions such as tags, common warts, and even non-malignant carcinomas. Deep cold is used in surgeries to slow organ functions when necessary.
Latest trends in Cryotherapy
New developments in the field occur regularly. The increasingly popular “WBC” or “Whole Body Cryotherapy” involves standing in a cylindrical tank, minimally dressed, while being showered with liquid nitrogen. It’s the ultimate cold shower in which most of the body’s surfaces are exposed to temperatures as low as -200 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 to 4 minutes.
Result: Athletes and celebrities such as Kobe Bryant, Jennifer Anniston, Kate Moss and most of the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA say they emerge feeling stronger and more energetic. Some say their appearance is improved, and there have even been claims WBC can aid in weight loss.
The future is bright
Most of these reports are subjective, but there is no doubt cryotherapy is a proven medical approach. Frontiers in cryotherapy expand all the time, and reports from the (cold!) front are positive and healthful.