If you just search for cryotherapy-near me information before you discuss Cryotherapy is a physical therapy procedure that uses extremely low temperatures to produce a therapeutic effect. A well-chosen dose of the applied cold allows for a very wide application in all types of locomotor injuries, as well as in various diseases.

What is cryotherapy?

Cryotherapyaims to induce and use physiological reactions to cold. The obtained response of the system to this type of stimulus contributes to the basic treatment of the disease and supports the treatment with movement. The cryotherapy treatment can be applied to the body both locally and generally.

Cryotherapy – types

Systemic cryotherapy

Insystemic cryotherapy, the patient’s entire body is subjected to cryogenic temperatures. The therapy is usually used in cryochamber and cryosauna where the cold remains. The procedure is performed with the recommendation of several procedures: appropriate clothing, dry skin, 1-7 people in one entrance, treatment time from 1 to 3 minutes. After general cryotherapy, kinesiotherapy should be used for 30 to 60 minutes.

Local cryotherapy

Local cryotherapyis used in preparation for kinesiotherapeutic procedures (treatment with movement). It consists in cooling a specific area of ​​the body to a level of 2 to 4^°C compared to the skin surface. The treatment is carried out under the visual control of a physiotherapist, and the application time is from 30 seconds to 3 minutes for one body area. In this form of treatment, the most common types of treatment are: liquid nitrogen, carbon dioxide and cooled air. In the case of applying several places at the same time, the treatment should not exceed 12 minutes.

Other forms of cryotherapy

Otherforms of cryotherapyinclude:

• cold compresses,
• ice bags (crushed or factory-ready cold compresses for single or multiple use),
• local cold water immersion,
• ice towel,
• ice cubes massage,
• plastic cooling gel pouches,
• cooling aerosols,
• snow baths.

What are the effects of cryotherapy?

The use of coldis widely used in various disease entities. It has many effects in the body, including:

• pain reliever,
• anti-inflammatory
• anti-swelling,
• reduces muscle tension,
• reduces muscle spasticity,
• contributes to increasing muscle strength,
• destroys pathologically changed tissues,
• stimulates physiological processes,
• contributes to the increase in physical performance.

Cryotherapy and diseases of the locomotor system

Cryotherapyis one of the many methods of treating diseases related to the locomotor system. It has a positive effect on the entire course of the disease, contributing to, inter alia, preventing complications, improving efficiency and stopping the further progress of the disease, minimizing the symptoms that may occur. This treatment is usually usedin diseases of the musculoskeletal system, such as:

• ZZSK (ankylosing spondylitis),
• RA (rheumatoid arthritis),
• Psoriatic arthritis (psoriatic arthritis),
• degenerative changes and secondary changes that distort the joints of the spine,
• gout(joint disease with a metabolic basis)
• periarticular inflammation of tendons and joint capsules,
• inflammatory diseases of connective tissue,
• overload and post-traumatic changes in joints and soft tissues,
• discopathies,
• sciatica_
• fibromyalgia,
• osteoporosis.

What are the indications for cryotherapy?

Cryotherapy can be beneficial for specific health segments.The indications for cryotherapyconcern:

• diseases of the musculoskeletal system,
• prophylaxis of overload of the locomotor system,
• nervous system diseases:
  • multiple sclerosis,
  • central nervous system diseases,
  • root syndrome,
  • depressive syndrome and vegetative neuroses,
  • spastic paresis after strokes,
  • after surgery for spinal and brain tumors,
  • after craniocerebral injuries,
  • trigeminal neuralgia;
• competitive sports:
  • supporting strength and endurance training,
  • acceleration of post-exercise restitution (return to the body’s balance),
  • regeneration of bruises, hematomas, sprains,
• overload teams;
• heat stroke,
• infectious diseases with fever,
• conditions with impaired physical thermoregulation,
• malignant hyperthermia (a state of elevated body temperature caused by external factors).

Cryotherapy – contraindications

Cryotherapy also has contraindications, which can be divided into relative and absolute.Contraindications to cryotherapy:

• relative:
  • age> 65 years,
  • past incidents in the form of venous thrombosis and embolism of peripheral arteries,
  • hypothyroidism_
  • emotional lability, which is expressed by excessive sweating of the skin;
• absolute:
  • cold intolerance,
  • Raynaud’s disease
  • thromboembolic changes,
  • claustrophobia (in the case of systemic cryotherapy treatments),
  • mental disorders,
  • sensory disturbances,
  • ulcers and open wounds
  • active neoplastic disease,
  • active tuberculosis process,
  • hypothermia and exhaustion of the body,
  • local blood circulation disorders,
  • heart rhythm disturbances,
  • severe anemia,
  • cryoglobulinemia,
  • sympathetic neuropathies,
  • acute respiratory diseases,
  • the use of neuroleptics and alcohol.