Cryotherapy and Medicine

Whole body cryotherapy is based on the effect of extremely low temperatures between -110°C and -180°C on the human body.

The objective is to cause a physiological adaptive response of the body to extreme cold. As a modern rehabilitation – healing process it is applied in a wide range of indications and medical fields.

The first one to test whole body cryotherapy was a Japanese professor Toshima Yamauchi in the 1970s. Later this method gradually spread to the whole world.

Thanks to the presence of thermoreceptors in our skin, extremely low temperature causes an illusion of threat, to which the human body reacts by an adaptive reaction. Thermoreceptors signal the extreme cold to the CNS, and the brain will send orders to all peripheral body parts to reduce supply of blood to acral parts, concentrating the blood into the body core. During the short duration of the treatment, there is no reduction of temperature inside the body, the temperature of the body core and internal organs remains unchanged. Temperature of the body surface drops slightly by 0.5°C to 6°C, depending on the body part.

After 2.5 to 3 minutes, when the customer leaves the cryosauna and goes back to normal environment, the body signals this change of temperature and starts pumping blood to the peripheral parts – muscles, joints and skin. This stimulation of blood circulation will trigger metabolism and all recovery processes in the human body, like secretion of metabolites and toxins from subcutaneous layers, cell renewal process, replacement of damaged cells and removal of dead cells from peripheral tissues, thereby regenerating and rejuvenating the body at cellular level. 

The distinction of cryotherapy lies in its wide-spectrum use and effects at several levels of the human body. 

Cryotherapy in medical areas

Local cryotherapy for medical purposes

The analgetic effect of extremely low temperature to accelerate the regeneration of muscles and joints is ideal for use in physiotherapy, orthopedics and traumatology. Local stimulation of the affected body part immediately extends the range of movement and reduces pain, enabling full kinesiotherapy of the joints.

Pain attenuation activates the patients and motivates them to exercise, which wouldn’t be possible in a painful state. Studies on patients treated by this method show a reduced need for intra-articular steroid injections.

In some cases cryostimulation helps to avoid surgical intervention for patients, whose indications for synovectomy are related to the pathological expansion of the synovial membrane.

Excellent results are achieved by local treatment of chronic dermatological diagnoses – acne, psoriasis, atopic eczema, hypersensitivity and reactivity of the skin.

 

 

 

“Cryotherapy positively affects the psychological state and mood of the customer. A 10 course treatment will result in a long term feeling of motivation and positive mood.

Patients prone to depression will see a decrease in the level of anxiety and irritation. Decision processes, motion and visual coordination, emotional control and stability, orientation in space and precision of thinking will improve”

Whole body cryotherapy in medicine

Whole body cryotherapy is currently the most efficient and most comprehensive method of treatment and stimulation by extreme cold. Thanks to its wide spectrum of effects, it is used by medical and rehabilitation facilities around the world.

Cryosauna represents an ideal ergonomic and effective solution for hospitals, orthopedic, rheumatologic or rehabilitation centers, as well as specialized cryo-centers, fitness and wellness facilities.

Cryotherapy treatment

Within a 2-3 minutes long treatment in a cryosauna, the human body is rapidly exposed to extremely low temperature of about -130 °C.

The most distinct adaptive reaction on cryostimulation is concentrating the blood from peripheral parts to the body core and inner organs, as well as increased production of beta-endorphins, inducing a feeling of joy and activity. These feelings, as well as the analgetic effect will persist for 3 to 5 hours after the treatment.

After finishing the treatment and leaving the cryosauna, thermoreceptors will recall the “state of emergency”, which results in intensified repletion of the acral parts – skin, muscles and joints. This activates metabolism, detoxification and starts healing and regeneration processes.

Founder of cryotherapy: “Treatment is beneficial to almost everybody”

“The positive effect of cryotherapy is immediate. For ordinary people, two ten-day treatments are recommended each year. Athletes, depending on the load, already know that when their body becomes accustomed to cryotherapy, it reacts differently. After the first treatments the reaction is faster. Biochemical evidence based on studies shows how rapidly all undesirable metabolites are degraded by cryotherapy stimulation in the body. Athletes and ordinary people who use cryotherapy know how to fit it into their lives. A very good approach is a cryo-cure before winter, when there is no transition period between autumn and winter. The effect of immunity and resistance lasts for 2 to 3 months throughout the winter and the flu period. I personally didn’t have flu over the last twenty years”.

“Our body perceives extreme cold as stress and produces defensive substances, endorphin hormones that protect it from stress”, says Dr. Caban. “It will reduce pain, block transmission of pain signals, release muscle fibers”, explains the doctor. “After production of endorphins, corticoids that treat inflammation are also produced in the body”, he adds. Cooling also eliminates pollutants, free radicals, lactic acid and urea from the body. In sports, it is ideal to undergo cryotherapy within 1.5 hours after exercise, along with maintaining hydration and supply of minerals.

“Cryotherapy helps to regenerate the athlete‘s muscles, improves mental health, helps with weight loss and revitalization of the skin, slows down aging, smoothens the skin by rejuvenating the body. Treatment is beneficial to almost everybody from 3 years old up to high age. Contraindications are serious heart conditions, vascular and oncology diseases”, says Dr. Caban.