Sprains, body aches, strains, injuries, bruises … The cold has been known to alleviate painful areas for a long time. It is recommended in case of inflammation. This low temperature exerts an immediate analgesic and anesthetic action. Gel pouch, ice cubes, frozen pea bag, there are several ways to apply the cold. One of the best known methods of covering the whole body: cryotherapy.
What is cryotherapy?
Cryotherapy, also called "cold therapy", is a technique that involves exposing a specific area or the entire body to extreme cold. "Originally intended for high performance athletes, to prevent or treat muscle pain after exercise, this practice is now offered in the context of inflammatory or neurological diseases, or even outside of any pathological context", says Inserm.
There are three forms of cold therapy:
- Whole body cryotherapy: therapy is carried out in a cryogenic chamber, the whole body including the head are exposed to dry cold
- Partial body cryotherapy: the person enters an individual cryogenic cabin. His head is outside and is not exposed to a cloud of liquefied gas at very low temperatures, while his body is fully submerged
- Local treatment: it is carried out with ice packs, sprays, cryogenic sprays or compresses
What are the benefits of cryotherapy?
Exposing your body to intense cold for a few minutes would have many benefits for the body.
Cryotherapy would:
- Relieve chronic pain and everyday ailments: this therapy helps to overcome fatigue, migraines, rheumatism. In addition, it reduces inflammation, sleep disturbances and stress.
- Better recover after an effort: cryotherapy is used by top athletes because the cold has anti-inflammatory properties. This technique helps relieve aches, treat injuries such as tendonitis, sprains, hematomas, muscle breakdowns. It also stimulates the secretion of endorphins and the immune system. Result: athletes recover better.
- Eliminate fat: the brutal thermal shock causes a rapid drop in body temperature. The body begins to draw on its energy resources to fight the cold and maintain the internal temperature at 37 degrees. During this phenomenon, the body starts to burn calories.
- Better blood circulation: the blood vessels contract under the effect of the cold and then expand when the person leaves the cabin
What temperature for cryotherapy?
The organism is exposed, for 2 or 3 minutes, to extreme cold, that is to say temperatures below -110 ° C which can range up to -170 ° C.
How does a cryotherapy session take place?
During the first visit, a health professional performs a health check to assess the person's physical condition, define the objectives of the sessions and above all determine if cryotherapy is not contraindicated for them. Once this step is over, it's time to do the cold therapy. The individual enters the cryogenic cabin or room in underwear or wearing a swimsuit. He also wears gloves and socks because it is necessary to protect the ends. Under the effect of the cold, blood no longer circulates in the hands and feet to concentrate in the vital organs. The nose and mouth, very sensitive parts of the body, are also protected. The person should remove their piercings to limit the risk of burns and their skin should not be wet. When the 2 or 3 minute session is over, the person immediately leaves the cabin or the bedroom and warms up with a bathrobe. She then gets dressed directly.
Side effects of cryotherapy
Although this technique has many benefits, it also has side effects. "According to the researchers, whole-body cryotherapy also poses genuine safety concerns. Very real side effects have been reported (burns, headache, chronic cold urticaria…). Finally, the report concludes that it is essential to better study and evaluate whole body cryotherapy by making the conditions for these evaluations possible ", says the Inserm report, published on September 4.
Scientists at the organization have evaluated the efficacy and safety of cryotherapy for therapeutic purposes. "The results in favor of a positive effect of cryotherapy are modest and measured and only in the very short term", emphasizes Inserm. The report also specifies that the methodological quality of the existing studies is insufficient. Researchers say it should lead to "to put the positive effects reported even more into perspective". "Cryotherapy cannot in any way claim to effectively treat cancers or other severe somatic pathologies", warn scientists.
Cryotherapy: what are the contraindications?
Cryotherapy is not for everyone. Indeed, it is not recommended in case of:
Read also :
⋙ Cryotherapy: few benefits and many side effects, alerts Inserm
⋙ Cryotherapy: the new pain-relieving technique
⋙ I tested cryotherapy for pain