Cryotherapy as a support for rehabilitation. What does cryotherapy help.
Cryotherapy is one of the basic physical treatments used in rehabilitation to treat patients. It has been known since the “dawn of history” and enjoys unflagging popularity to this day. It uses the body’s reaction to low temperatures, producing an analgesic, anti-swelling and relaxing effect. Most often, the procedure is performed locally, using a special device for example Cryo Local Polar Bear that produces steam from liquid nitrogen or cold air.
Cryotherapy from the Greek kryos – cold, ice and therapeia – treatment, means treatment with coolness, cold. The temperature of such treatment depends on the gas used for the treatment, for example liquid nitrogen generates the temperature at the nozzle outlet up to -160 ˚C for local cryotherapy and for the cryotherapy chambers up to -180 ˚C. Cryotherapy is most popular in such fields of medicine as:
- orthopedics
- neurology
- dermatology
- rheumatology
- traumatology
- sports medicine
- more and more cosmetology
The cold used for this type of treatment can be applied locally to a selected area of the body or systemically to the whole body.
Whole body cryotherapy takes place in a cabin specially adapted for this treatment like Cryo Total or Activ Cryo V2. Liquid nitrogen vapors circulate throughout the cryochamber and the patient walks in it for a certain period of time, usually from 1 to 3 minutes. then goes out, gets dressed and goes to gymnastics and starting exercises. It should be remembered that the patient stays in the cabin wearing only underwear, socks, gloves, a mask and a hat or a headband. This guarantees an even feeling of coolness and a therapeutic effect on the whole body in the form of action:
- pain reliever
- decongestant
- anti-inflammatory
- immune
- improve circulation
- wellness
Local cryotherapy – the procedure is performed directly on the painful area of the body. During this procedure, the patient reveals a selected part of the body and the therapist directs the nozzle with cold steam over the affected area at a distance of 15-20 cm. The treatment lasts differently depending on the area to be treated, from 1 minute to 3-5 minutes, it is not unpleasant or painful, only after several seconds you can feel the cold in the part of the body that is being treated. In order to obtain the therapeutic effect of point cryotherapy, the treatment should be performed at least once a day in a series of 10-15 treatments. After this period, we can feel the positive effects of cryotherapy in the form of action:
- pain reliever
- anti-inflammatory
- decongestant
- hyperemic
- that reduces muscle tension
After the procedures, the patient can perform painless and trouble-free movements in the joints that have been dysfunctional and problematic so far.
Taking into account the wide range of health effects of cryotherapy and the lack of side effects after its application, it can be said that it can be used in many diseases. These will include:
- injuries of tendons, capsules, muscles, joints (bruises, sprains, fractures)
- swelling
- inflammation of soft tissues
- surgical procedures for muscles, tendons and bones
- degenerative changes in the spine and peripheral joints
- rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
- ankylosing spondylitis (AS)
- psoriatic arthritis
- neuralgia
- back pain syndromes
- discopathy
- fibromyalgia
- spastic paresis
- joint overload syndromes
- cellulite
Before starting the cryotherapy treatment, check whether the body and skin at the treatment site are dry, clean and without any ointments, creams, lotions or gels. There should also be no additional items on it, such as: rings, bracelets, necklaces, etc. If you have prepared it in this way, you can start the procedure.
