Wellness centers are popping up all over the city offering cryotherapy, compression therapy and infrared saunas.

Improve Health with Freezing, Heating and Compressing

An inside look at some of the newest health trends.

Cryotherapy wellness centers are popping up all over the United States. Although all independently owned, they all offer the same experience which include three types of treatment options. The treatments found at a cryotherapy wellness center are whole body cryotherapy, infrared sauna and compression therapy.

Wellness facilities around the United States offer cryotherapy, infrared saunas, compression therapy and localized therapy. In recent years, these treatment options have become a popular trend that can be used by anyone who wants to receive the benefits they entail (Left). Cassandra, an active marathoner, is doing whole body cryotherapy. She is standing in the enclosed chamber for three minutes as nitrogen gas releases cold air (Middle). Depending on the level that is appropriate for the client, the chamber temperature is between negative 200 and 300 degrees Fahrenheit (Right).

Along with cryotherapy, treatment facilities offer infrared saunas to heat the body from the inside. This alternative is great for people like Warren, a cyclist, who are seeking recovery but do not like the cold, and it’s a great addition to those who like doing cryotherapy because they may achieve additional benefits (Left). Localized cryotherapy is a great option for those who are in need of treatment for a specific area. A medical professional is able to target the specific spot by using a smaller tank which is attached to a small hose that releases the nitrogen to the area (Middle). Compression therapy is an effective choice for those who want to increase blood flow throughout their body. People can choose from legs, hips or arms sleeves which Cassandra has chosen legs sleeves, and now pressure will be applied to the area (Right).

Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy means “cold therapy” and involves exposing the body to extremely cold temperatures for a period of two to three minutes. Whole-body cryotherapy or WBC is when a person stands in a chamber, with the head exposed, and cold air, which created by nitrogen gas, drops the temperature to negative 200–300 degrees Fahrenheit. The client moves in circles to help evenly distribute the blowing gas and increase the blood flow in the body.

Cryotherapy can also be delivered localized, in just one area. This type of delivery using a cold probe that is placed directly on the location and the cryotherapy technician will move the probe in a spiral motion for seven to ten minutes.

Benefits

Many people are jumping on the cryotherapy bandwagon because of the benefits. Cryotherapy was originally created to help with rheumatoid arthritis because of its power to reduce inflammation and pain on the joints. However, the benefits go beyond improving joint pain. The cold increases blood flow by the contracting of the muscles during the freezing temperatures and then the muscles expand and release after the person leaves the chamber. This process supports exercise recovery, improve performance, and improve skin irritations.

The euphoric feeling that is received after a session has been proven to improve overall wellness and mental health and therefore many clients are using it to help combat depression and anxiety.

The benefits and results vary by the individual but those that swear by cryotherapy believe it the three minutes of misery is worth it for how good it makes them feel.

Evidence Cryotherapy Works

The evidence shows that just after ten days of cryotherapy session both men and women showed benefits in overall wellness including improvement in mental health.

The research shows that cryotherapy improve anaerobic power in both men and women. This is important for not only athletes but all people because as a person ages their strength and power decrease and this can lead to injury. This can especially beneficial for a person that has arthritis or limited mobility as a way to improve their anaerobic power without weight baring exercises.

Infrared Sauna

If you don’t think you can handle the cold another option to improve overall well-being is sauna sessions. The heat produced in a sauna helps alleviate sore muscles making them feel better and is very relaxing. However, a normal sauna session can be extremely hard for some people to handle and they also leave the person very sweaty. Therefore, the popularity of infrared saunas in on the rise. These sauna offer all the benefits of normal sauna without the excessive heat and sweat. An infrared sauna uses dry heat and heats the body from the inside. The heat is created by an infrared light which pernitrates more deeply into the body.

Compression Therapy

From professional athletes to the weekend warrior compression therapy has become a popular way reduce muscle soreness and help in recovery time. Compression therapy is used to increase blood supply to the limbs. The compression machines commonly used at cryotherapy wellness centers are placed around the limb and use a system of squeezing and pulsing motion to move fluids around the limbs. They begin with squeezing the limb tightly to compress the limb and create a tourniquet type affect. Then the pulsing motions releases the blood and sends it moving through the limbs. This is done in the limbs in zones allowing each part of the limb to get maximal compression and then rest throughout the entire session.

Are you Interested?

When deciding to try cryotherapy discuss any concerns you have with the technician administering your service. Like any new wellness treatment, it is suggested talk to your doctor before starting any new treatment. It is also important to always follow the guidelines of the cryotherapy center and be sure if you feel any intense burning to stop immediately to avoid frostbite. The benefits vary for every individual but the research shows cryotherapy, compression therapy and the infrared sauna have affected benefits for all type of individuals.