New frontiers in cryotherapy

Today, on Dispotech's blog, we are going to be covering cryotherapy and its excellent results on patients deciding to experience the benefits of cold therapy, available through a wide range of devices. Let’s find out more thanks to the support of an article published on verywellhealth.com

Cryotherapy is now a very popular therapeutic method not only among athletes, but also among ordinary people. The beneficial effects of cold can help to treat swelling and alleviate pain, but they are also used in beauty treatments - hence crossing over into the aesthetic field.

Cryotherapy has become standard practice in the world of sport. Many athletes, in fact, undergo short sessions (a few minutes is enough) with the aim of recovering in a short time their form in view of important and prolonged efforts, as well as treating any inflammation. Those undergoing this type of therapy need only to step into a cabin where the temperature drops to impressive sub-zero temperatures. The organism and the brain, in response to such cold temperatures, trigger a stimulating reaction to endure them.

Many scientific studies have found that, indeed, cold therapy is able to decrease muscle pain and, in general, to help the physical recovery of those undergoing it.

Despite the amount of scientific evidence advocating in favour of cryotherapy, there are a few aspects that need to be taken into consideration. Dr. Chris Bleakley (of the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland quoted in the source article) claims that the extreme cooling to which some parts of the body are being subjected could strengthen the so-called placebo effect, giving the patient a feeling of relief and well-being. Along with this hypothesis, Dr. Bleakley and other scholars noted in the Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine that there are also other forms of cryotherapy that can be effective, such as the  use of ice packs or cold water immersion.

There are now a large number of cryotherapy devices that are subjected to strict controls before being released on the market. There are several risks involved in cryotherapy and they should not be ignored or underestimated, including the risk of burns, injury or suffocation. There is a need for caution, or perhaps new technologies to support cryotherapy which would make the devices safer. Some new devices on the market, for example, use sensors that can measure the temperature of the skin of a patient about to undergo cryotherapy, preventing excessive cooling and freezing.

In conclusion, there are many studies along these lines and we are sure that cryotherapy will become increasingly popular and safer in the near future.

What do you think about cryotherapy? Let us know your opinion by contacting Dispotech.