CryoTherapy

St. Louis CryoTherapyWhat is CryoTherapy?

Whole body cryotherapy (WBC) is a non-invasive advanced recovery and pain management method.  The treatment is a 3-minute session inside a state-of-the-art Cryo chamber utilizing nitrogen to produce a rapid decrease in temperature.

How does CryoTherapy work?

The sudden drop in temperature causes the body to use its natural defense mechanism, vasoconstriction, to send the blood rushing to the core of the body to preserve vital organs and maintain normal core temperatures.  As the blood travels to the core, so too does inflammation where it can be buffered and disposed of.  Once the treatment is finished and you step outside of the chamber, vasodilation occurs in order to return the body back to its normal temperature.  Now the circulatory system is expanded and fresh, nutrient-rich oxygenated blood is pumped back through the body at a magnified rate.  This fresh blood promotes the healing of damaged tissues and cellular structures.

A Brief history of CryoTherapy

Cryotherapy was first used in Japan in 1978.  Originally it was developed to treat arthritis and arthritic conditions but now it is being used to decreased inflammation throughout the body, to stimulate natural weight loss, manage and reduce chronic pain, slow aging, treat skin conditions, enhance mood and state of mind and to improve overall health.  You may be wondering how this therapy could help so many conditions.  The answer is relatively simple.  Once it is understood that inflammation is the one thing that human conditions have in common, it is easy to see how a therapy that rapidly reduces inflammation could be beneficial to most any condition.

CryoTherapy for Anti-Aging

As we age our skin loses elasticity.  It does this because we decrease collagen production.  But guess what?  This does NOT have to happen.  By briefly freezing the outer layer of skin throughout the entire body the deep layers of collagen are disrupted and our body responds by creating more collagen.  The result is that our skin regains elasticity and appears smoother and younger.  Even people who are experiencing cellulite have reported a visible improvement as a result of Whole Body CryoTherapy.

CryoTherapy and Inflammation

Inflammation is the one thing that all disease processes in the human body have in common.  Chronic long-term inflammation is the precursor to diseases such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, diabetes, and many others.  Whole Body CryoTherapy helps to reduce inflammation in the entire body by triggering the body to release anti-inflammatories into the blood to soothe affected areas.  Although originally developed for treating rheumatoid arthritis it became very apparent that inflammation throughout the entire body responded to cryotherapy.

Inflammation is a biologic response to harmful stimuli.  The characteristic signs of inflammation are redness, heat, pain, and swelling.  These are the body’s attempt to protect and remove the stimulus to initiate the healing process.  This is a natural part of the healing process if short lived.  However, chronic, rampant, total body inflammation that never turns off is the precursor to a whole host of diseases and disease processes like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.  Whole Body CryoTherapy helps to reduce or even eliminate the inflammatory fire.

Benefits of CryoTherapy

Health & Wellness

  • Decreases muscle pain and inflammation
  • Decreases fatigue
  • Increases circulation
  • Improves immune system
  • Better sleep
  • Decreases anxiety
  • Improves mood
  • Alleviates depression
  • Helps central nervous system disease
  • Helps degenerative disease of joints and spine
  • Decreases inflammation of tendons, ligaments, bursa, and joint capsules
  • Helps multiple sclerosis
  • Helps rheumatoid arthritis
  • Helps fibromyalgia
  • Helps osteoarthritis
  • Helps Phantom Pain
  • Helps ankylosing spondylitis
  • Decreases chronic fatigue syndrome
  • Decreases chronic pain syndrome
  • Decreases inflammation of the spine

Sports & Fitness

  • Decreases muscle soreness, pain, and inflammation
  • Reduces Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)
  • Increases energy and peak athletic performance
  • Decreases injury recovery time
  • Improves joint motion
  • Improves Immune System
  • Decreases Fatigue
  • Boosts lymph drainage and blood circulation
  • Allows for immediate post-therapy activity

Beauty & Spa

  • Increased blood circulation
  • Tighter and healthier skin
  • Quicker surgical recovery
  • Increased collagen production

Media Coverage Features

  • Doctor Oz
  • The Doctors
  • Good Morning America
  • The New Ricki Lake Show
  • Dancing with the Stars
  • ET
  • The Insiders
  • Extra

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I expect?

Each treatment session is three minutes, but can be stopped at any time if needed.  The last 30 seconds will feel the coldest.  The entire body is cooled by a dry nitrogen vapor.

What are the risks?

Whole Body CryoTherapy is very well-tolerated and has minimal risks.  However the following effects are possible:  fluctuations in blood pressure during the procedure by up to 10 points (this effect reverses after the end of the treatment), allergic reaction to extreme cold (rare), claustrophobia, anxiety, activation of some viral conditions (cold sores, etc.) due to stimulation of the immune system.

What if I am Claustrophobic?

Your head will be out of the chamber during the entire session.  The session can be stopped anytime and the door can be opened immediately.  The sauna door is never locked and a trained technician will be with you at all times.

What do I wear?

Prior to your session you will change into a robe, thermal socks, gloves, and slippers all of which will be provided to you.