Whole-Body Cryotherapy
Whole-body cryotherapy is a therapeutic cold exposure therapy designed to lower the body’s surface temperature and accelerate the body’s natural recovery, rejuvenation processes, and burn calories. Try out whole-body cryotherapy in Spring Hill!
What is whole-body Cryotherapy?
A short duration of enclosed exposure to subzero refrigerated cold, dry air drops the body surface temperature by approximately 35-40 degrees. The treatment lasts only 2-3 minutes. Clients have their hands, feet, and ears covered.
The rapid drop in skin temperature tricks the body into thinking it is in hypothermia. In response to the perceived freezing, the metabolic rate increases. As a result, thermo receptors near the surface of the skin send signals to the brain to stimulate rapid vasoconstriction of the blood vessels. Blood moves away from peripheral tissues and towards the core to regulate body temperature and protect vital organs. In the core, the body’s natural filtration system works to expel toxins and inflammatory properties in the blood and speed the distribution of pain reducing endorphins.
Upon completion of the treatment, the body temperature rises and highly oxygenated blood flows back to the extremities through a process called vasodilation. Cryotherapy enriches peripheral tissues and the brain with oxygen, nutrients, and enzymes. The body also releases adrenaline and endorphins leaving many clients feeling energized and even euphoric. As the process of restoration occurs over the next 48 hours, range of motion increases, depleted ATP (energy) levels are replaced and anti-oxidant levels expedite the body’s natural ability to heal. The body and the brain are reset. In addition, your body starts burning calories and helps you on your weight loss journey. Learn about our whole-body cryotherapy special.
Pain and Inflammation Management with Cryotherapy
When the immune system becomes overly reactive, it will cause inflammation. Inflammation is the body’s way of eliminating the cause of cell injury and dead cells and initiating tissue repair. When someone has their nerves damaged or not functioning properly, the central nervous system receives pain messages along the nociceptive fibers.
The extreme cold temperatures of whole-body cryotherapy numb the nerves to slow the messages passed along the nociceptive pain fibers, reducing stimuli to the central nervous system. The release of endorphins also helps dull pain in the body. By reducing pain and allowing for more aggressive physical and occupational therapies, clients can enjoy faster recovery and accelerated post-surgery recovery to return to normal activities sooner. Try out whole-body cryotherapy in Spring Hill! What else can help with pain and inflammation relief?
Does cryo Chamber burn calories?
Wait… Is it really possible to burn something (calories) in cold temperatures? So how does cryo burn calories?
Well, not many people are aware, but we actually have two primary types of fat cells in our bodies that we produce and store: brown and white. And these two different types of fat have different functions and roles to play.
Most of the fat in your body is white fat. White fat stores energy in various places around your body. White fat insulates your organs. Too much white fat leads to obesity.
Brown fat is a type of body fat that keeps you warm when you get cold. It also stores energy and helps your body burn calories. Brown fat starts working (activates) in cold temperatures.
A Dutch study found that the type of thermogenesis produced by cryotherapy does indeed turn our typically white fat into brown fat.
In other words, in response to the rapid cold exposure of whole-body cryotherapy, your body increases its metabolic rate in order to produce more heat and protect the core. And in order to do that, your body needs to burn calories. So, cryo does burn calories! On average, clients burn between 400-800 calories per treatment session. Learn about our other modalities that help with weight loss.
While a consistent whole-body cryotherapy regimen will contribute to overall weight loss, it is important to note that as with any method targeting weight loss, a healthy diet and regular exercise will create and maintain optimal results. The metabolic boost also increases endorphins resulting in improved sleep and overall mood enhancement. Now you know that you can achieve your weight loss goals with Cryotherapy!
Chronic Pain and Disease
While whole-body cryotherapy is primarily associated with pain associated with acute injury and muscle injuries, medical studies report routine use of whole-body cryotherapy reduces inflammation to alleviate chronic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, and ankylosing spondylosis. Inflammation is also believed to be at the center of many diseases associated with aging and disability, including heart disease, diabetes stroke, cancer and Alzheimer’s. The use of whole-body cryotherapy on a regular basis will not cure any one of these diseases. However, studies are now looking at how routine cold exposure may serve as a preventative course.
Mood Disorders and Cryotherapy
One anti-inflammatory response associated with whole-body cryotherapy is the increased production of norepinephrine (NE). Evidence shows norepinephrine deficiencies are linked to a variety of attention, mood and sleep disorders. Using routine whole-body cryotherapy has shown to regain norepinephrine balance, increasing mental clarity and focus. Clients report longer and more restful sleep and the ability to manage a variety of mood disorders including depression and PTSD. Norepinephrine also acts as a neurotransmitter to inhibit inflammatory pathways addressing inflammatory diseases and aging. Preliminary studies also show routing use of whole-body cryotherapy improves memory in older patients with cognitive impairment.
Anti-Aging and Beauty
Whole-body cryotherapy also helps detox and rejuvenate the skin by stimulating collagen. Collagen is the most important component to healthy and youthful skin. While your skin consists of many layers, the dermal (middle) layer contains an intricate collagen matrix. As you age, the production of collagen slows, and the matrix becomes less firm and resilient and the resulting thin skin becomes more vulnerable to environmental damage. Fatty deposits also build up over time resulting in unsightly cellulite.
Whole-body cryotherapy increases blood flow and stimulates collagen production in the deeper layers of the skin. Oxygenation of the dermal cells reduces pore size and leaves skin tighter and smoother with increased elasticity. After a series of treatments, clients report improved skin tone, brightened dark spots, and a reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Skin elasticity increases and visible cellulite reduces. Cooling the skin also improves anti-oxidant levels. And as you might know, anti-oxidant levels have been claimed to reduce acne and dry skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, and rosacea.
Cryotherapy Helps with Athletic Performance and Sports Recovery
For the athlete, oxidative stress is the main factor affecting performance. Intense muscle activity breaks down fibers in the muscle groups exerted and generates oxidants into the intercellular space damaging membranes, cellular structure and DNA. Pro-inflammatory tissue chemicals form to begin the process of tissue repair. However, our immune systems have to neutralize these chemicals in order to begin repair.
Research supports the effectiveness of whole-body cryotherapy in enhancing anti-oxidants to relieve accumulated metabolic inflammation and decrease soreness and swelling. Following metabolic overload, the extreme cold exposure lowers the amount of post-external pro-inflammatory tissue chemicals. Also, it induces the body to release anti-inflammatory proteins including IL-10, Pro inflammatory cytokine IL-2 and chemokine IL-8. Whole-body cryotherapy enhances psychological recovery, decreases perception of muscular tiredness and pain, and induces analgesia. Motor unit activation improves, and athletes report a significant decrease in Delayed Muscle Onset Soreness (DOMS).
Athletes are also finding whole-body cryotherapy to be a stimulating treatment pre-workout to enhance anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant barriers to prevent chronic injuries due to overload. With the reduction in inflammation, clients experience increased endurance and accelerated injury repair and recovery. This allows the athletes the ability to obtain peak performance with less mandatory rest time and enjoy greater frequency and intensity to maintain stamina during competition.