Inside Cryotherapy: The Science Behind the Ice

Posted by cyroaus on July 26th, 2018

If you think that Cryotherapy is just another beauty routine adopted by celebrities then think again. It is a treatment method that has been used for treating conditions like pain and cancer by doctors and scientists for the better part of 40 years. Not satisfied yet? Here is the science behind it.

The Cold Hard Facts

Cryotherapy was developed in Japan in the 1970s. It works by cooling down the temperature of the skin to under 30 F. This low temperature is achieved by making use of liquid nitrogen. The temperatures that the body is subjected to in a cryo chamber can fall to -100 F to -274 F. However, the liquid nitrogen used for lowering the temperature doesn’t come in contact with the client’s skin. A cryotherapy session lasts for just 2 to 3 minutes and requires you to completely strip down and wear just socks and gloves.

Cryotherapy relies on two processes, vasoconstriction and vasodilation. Vasoconstriction is when the body tries to maintain its core temperature when facing extreme cold by directing the blood flow to the body’s core. This is accompanied by flushing of the toxins and enrichment of the blood with nutrients, enzymes and oxygen. In this panic mode, the body activates all of its healing abilities and releases endorphins as well. When the cryotherapy session is over and the body begins to warm up again, vasodilation kicks in. This is when the oxygenated and nutrient-rich blood flows back to the body, repairing muscles damage and reducing inflammation in the process.

There are two distinct methods of cryotherapy. One of them is called Partial Cryotherapy in which a part of the body is treated to the cold temperature. The other one is Whole-Body Cryotherapy which the entire body is exposed to the cold.

Benefits of Cryotherapy

The following are some of the benefits that Cryotherapy has to offer you.

1. Decreases Inflammation: Cryotherapy can reduce inflammation throughout the body and in turn provides pain relief. Chronic joint pain and inflamed muscles can be treated quite effectively using cryotherapy.
2. Enhances Performance Levels: Cryotherapy helps in shortening the recovery time for athletes after a workout session. This helps them in returning to the gym quicker than usual which ends up enhancing their performance levels.
3. Improved Metabolic Rates: The body consumes a lot of calories for heating up the body during and after a cryotherapy session. This not only increases metabolic rates but also helps in shedding weight too.

Cryo Australia is a market leader in the cryotherapy field in Australia and New Zealand. Contact us to find out more benefits of cryotherapy treatment.