Is Cryotherapy Safe?

Posted by Publicdomain on March 8th, 2018

Cryotherapy is the latest buzz word in the medical field. Many people including high- performance athletes are recommending it for recovering quickly from injuries. Moreover, it is being hailed as a new health and wellness treatment for non-athletes as well. Whole-body Cryotherapy is being used for pain management too. But, the question that is still on the minds of the people is regarding its safety. Let us find out if this treatment method is truly safe or not.

What Does Cryotherapy Entail

Cryotherapy involves subjecting the body to extremely cold temperatures in a Cryo chamber. The temperature is achieved using liquid nitrogen which doesn’t come in contact with the body. This extreme cold causes the body to go into survival mode and blood rushes to the heart in a bid to maintain body temperature. During this phase which is called vasoconstriction, the blood is infused with nutrients, enzymes and oxygen. The body flushes all the toxins from its peripheral tissues and releases endorphins. After a few minutes, the body temperature is restored to normal, causing the enriched blood to rush back to the body. This phase called vasodilation helps the body to heal quickly.

Safety Concerns Regarding Cryotherapy

The benefits of whole-body Cryotherapy have been extensively researched upon. There is no denying the fact that athletes have recovered quickly from their injuries by utilizing Cryotherapy treatment. However, people aren’t yet confident about its safety. The reason for this is the lack of knowledge people have about this treatment method. They think that the extreme cold is going to harm their hands and feet. This, however, isn’t the case. In fact, you are handed gloves and socks to put on your hands and feet before entering the Cryo chamber. This is done to ensure that the fingers and toes remain safe from the effects of the cold temperature.