General cryotherapy
What is cryotherapy?
Cryotherapy is a physiotherapeutic procedure based on application of extreme cold on human body.
General cryotherapy (cryosauna, cryochamber) is a method based on short-term application of liquid nitrogen vapor on the whole body within the temperature limits from — 120 ° С to – 165° С.
During the procedure a patient is placed in a special cryo chamber for a short time (for about 3 minutes). Low temperature exposure on skin receptors activates all body systems, mobilizes the resources, — which determines the main effects of the method.
Indications for cryotherapy
Curative effects:
- pain relieving effect,
- anti-inflammatory,
- spasmolytic,
- myorelaxing,
- antiedemic,
- reparative,
- sedative
Prevention effects:
- tempering,
- increase of stress resistance,
- better sleep,
- cardiovascular training,
- performance incoordination,
- mood improvement.
Good results are obtained after application of cryosauna at stresses and emotional burnout syndrome.
As a part of treatment cryotherapy is used at the following disorders:
- joint diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis),
- skin diseases (eczema, psoriasis, acneiform rash),
- lung diseases (bronchial asthma and etc.).
Cryotherapy is also successfully applied in cosmetology:
- for skin preparation after dermabrasion,
- thermo- and electrocoagulation,
- laser epilation,
- at the correction of body shape and body mass,
- treatment of
Types of cryotherapy and description of the procedure
There are several types of cryochamber (cryosauna):
- two-chambered,
- three-chambered.
The procedure of general cryotherapy in a two-chambered cryosauna is as follows. A patient after taking a rest for 10-20 minutes, enters cryosauna with minimum clothes (in a swimming suite) with his feet in socks and hands in gloves, a woollen headband covering the ears, a nose and mouth are covered by a disposable medical mask. The temperature of the first chamber is about – 60°С, where a patient is staying from 15 to 30 sec for adaptation. Then patients enter the main chamber where they are staying for about 3 minutes. After the procedure patients are resting for 15-20 minutes in a rest room. Some models of cryosaunas have a capacity of up to 5 patients.
Before the procedure it is necessary to consult a physiotherapist for determination of the number of procedures, the exposure time and discuss possible contraindications.