Freezing My A** Off: First Visit to Cryotherapy

in #health7 years ago (edited)

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I've been struggling with some semi-severe pain in my hands from tendonitis and just general aches (and admittedly, a lack of regular exercise). Ice has been helping my hands, but it’s hard to tolerate cold on the affected areas for long enough. I stumbled upon a recommendation to try cryotherapy, discovered that there was a place right in town and thought - well, think I'll give it a shot.

Cryotherapy is basically using extremely cold temperatures to trick your body into thinking you are going into hypothermia, which causes the blood to come into your core, get highly oxygenated, and then go back out through your body. This is done by the use of an awesomely sci-fi looking device called a cryo chamber that sprays liquid nitrogen into the air to rapidly cool the enclosure to over -200 for a maximum of 3 minutes.

The benefits touted include pain relief, boosted immune system, faster workout recovery, anti-aging and more.

If you’re going in a big ‘ol mind-bogglingly cold sci-fi tube, you need pics.

My 11 year old daughter came with me to act as photographer (and for moral support, of course). This might not be a job for a kid no matter how many times you say, "Check that one! Did it come out ok? Should you take more? Are you sure my eyes were open and I wasn't in the middle of talking?!"

I arrived, filled out paperwork, and then was asked to disrobe in a changing room. I put on a pair of socks and slippers, as well as the provided robe.

The chamber dominated the room, rising at least a foot above my head, while small swirls of mist gently swirled around the bottom. It had a door on one side and opened in half. The technician placed raised cushions inside so that I would be at the right height to keep my head out, and then set it to pre-cool. I had come totally prepared to make some Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets references, but was too nervous to remember them in time.

It reached around -100f, and I was instructed to step up into it, and hand my robe over the top. She then handed me my gloves. At first I held still but quickly realized that shifting a from foot to foot and swinging my arms lightly made it much more tolerable. The temperature quickly dropped to hover around -230.

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When trying to think of the right words to describe the next three minutes, my brain felt like it was stuck in a loading loop attempting to grasp the right phrases.

A little bit like going to altitude - that sensation where you can breathe, but your lungs feel like they are grasping a bit for extra air.

A little bit like the crisp elation of a hike through a frozen, snowy trail.

A little bit like that moment you jump off a high diving board and wonder if this was a sane idea.

Mostly, it was really, really cold. Beyond numbing cold, it was prickly cold. The peak of when you can't stand an ice pack any more, but all over your entire body at once.

At the same time, it was oddly exhilarating.

Shortly after stepping out of the chamber and getting dressed, I experienced the feeling (sort of) that my limbs were wet, but could touch them and feel that they were dry. This sensation spread from my biceps down my arms to my wrists, and from my thighs to my ankles. It was not unpleasant.

I immediately felt invigorated. My daughter commented that I looked energized. My shoulders and neck felt looser. Within a couple of hours, I could move my hands better - not a full healing by any means, but there was a clear reduction in pain. I felt about the same pain relief as after a massage, but in just 3 minutes.

I had had a frustrating day (oh, the joys of bureaucracy!) and my mood lifted considerably.

I am curious to see further results, but think it was worth the experiment and will likely continue with a few more sessions as I feel that I have seen benefits with just the first use.

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You have a great sense of humor! Although I am sure you would have liked to have more photos to share I think what you did get is great and I thoroughly enjoyed this post. I have always wanted to try cryotherapy. I love jumping in ridiculously cold water, which I am sure doesn't even compare, but makes me think I would enjoy this. I have to point this out because I know it would bug me personally and I am sure you will want to fix it - you have a typo on the title of the post ("Cyro" when it should be "Cryo").

Much love - Carl

You would probably like it! And thank you so much for pointing out the typo - that would very much have bugged me. :) The perils of new vocabulary!

Ooh I’m dying to try this! Thanks for sharing

Do it! Do it! :)

It is interesting that you were feeling energized, cryotherapy burns a lot of calories. I always feel really tired after that.

I think it's the endorphins, possibly. I went again today and got the same energy rush. I'm guessing it effects people differently. Did it work for you after recovery time?

Great story. Not sure I could stand -230.

I got my wife one of those Float Spas a few months ago. She said it was great. Basically you lie there naked in a pod filled with A LOT of epsom salts and water in the dark. It is like an isolation chamber. But they are supposed to advance healing times. Lots of athletes use them nowadays.

I figured it was only 3 minutes and I'm stubborn enough to make it that long. :) We have one of those float places here as well, I have considered it but it seems more claustrophobic so I wasn't sure if I could handle it. The cryo chamber may be cold, but at least my head is free and I can move a bit.

Technically your recent upvote moved you above the "Newbie" experience mark, but you may still need some help along the way. Check out our Initiative at the link below.

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I do still feel like a newbie, and there is always more to learn about anything. Thanks for the resteem and I will check out the link!

Very good I like it a lot! th.jpg