Cryotherapy

What is Cryotherapy or Cold Therapy?

Cryotherapy is a treatment procedure where the trained healthcare provider will apply extreme cold to your entire body or a particular part of the body. It helps to freeze and destroy abnormal tissue. The professionals use substances like argon gas and liquid nitrogen to create a severe cold. The procedure is highly effective for the treatment of various skin problems and some cancers. The therapy will help in the treatment of tissues both externally and internally.

Types of Cryotherapy:

The most popular type of cryotherapy is Whole Body Cryotherapy or WBC. The experts use extreme temperatures like a sharp drop to 250 degrees below Fahrenheit to achieve the desired health effect. A few minutes of the treatment is sufficient to stimulate the reaction.

The procedure will also vary depending on the location of the abnormal tissue.

• The external location of the abnormal tissue will only need the spraying device or the cotton swab for application.
• Internal treatment is possible through the use of an instrument called a cryoprobe. The technician will insert it through a small incision on the skin.

Conditions Treated:

• Osteoarthritis
• A recent Injury
• Gout
• Strains
• Tendinitis, or irritation in the Tendons Early acute injury and inflammation
• Muscle spasm
• Spastic conditions
• Fever reduction
• Edematous conditions
• Emergency care for burns
• Limited ROM secondary pain

Benefits of Cryotherapy Cold Therapy:

There is indeed a considerably long list of benefits of the therapeutic procedure.

1. Reduction of migraine symptoms

Cryotherapy or cold therapy will reduce the migraine symptoms by cooling and numbing all the nerves in the neck region. The process works by cooling the blood circulating through intracranial vessels.

2. Numbing nerve irritation

Athletes prefer cryotherapy for the treatment of injuries because the process can numb the pain. As the freezing cold will numb all the irritated nerves, you cannot feel the pain in the affected area. Doctors insert a small probe in the nearby tissue of the affected area to treat the condition. The procedure helps in the treatment of pinched nerves, acute injuries, and chronic pain.

3. Treating mood disorders

Whole-body cryotherapy stimulates physiological hormonal response. It will include the production of endorphins, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. So it will have a positive effect if you are suffering from mood disorders like depression and anxiety.

4. Reduce arthritic pain

Localized cryotherapy will cause a significant reduction in pain in people who have arthritis. It is aggressive physiotherapy to bring about the effectiveness of many rehabilitation programs.

How to Prepare for Cryotherapy:

No special preparation is necessary to receive the therapy. The medical expert will provide you with all the instructions before undergoing internal cryotherapy.

• You may have to stop the intake of some medicines you regularly take, such as aspirin or other blood thinners. The doctor will tell you when to stop the oral medication before the cryosurgery.
• There will be limitations on the quantity of food and liquid intake before the procedure.
• Request someone to drive you home after the procedure.

Recovery

When you leave the cryotherapy chamber, the skin temperature can drop between 35 degrees and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The skin will be flush red until you warm up. It can take almost 15 minutes or more. Blisters may appear too. If you feel mild pain, it will usually stay for a maximum of three days. A scab will form in the treated area, and it will heal in a couple of weeks or more.

If you had internal cryotherapy, then the soreness and mild pain will remain in the affected area for three days.