Cryotherapy for Pain: A Natural, Drug-Free Approach for Chronic Pain

Living with chronic pain feels overwhelming and can prevent you from enjoying the activities you love. Fortunately, there’s a natural, drug-free approach that has been shown to bring relief to our clients. This answer? Cryotherapy.

This non-invasive therapy utilizes cold temperatures to trigger your body’s response, aiming to reduce inflammation, alleviate pain, and facilitate a faster recovery.

Whether you’re experiencing chronic pain, inflammation, or sore muscles, cryotherapy may provide pain relief without medication. Continue reading to learn about the conditions it has been used to treat and the various health benefits we’ve seen in our clients who have utilized this treatment.

What is Whole Body Cryotherapy?

Cryotherapy is an advanced form of cold therapy that treats inflammatory conditions with a systemic body response. The extreme cold triggers a process called vasoconstriction, which is the tightening of the blood vessels, sending blood flow to the organs where it is flushed with nutrients, enzymes, oxygen, and more.

Then, when the skin warms, the body reacts by widening the blood vessels and sending that nutrient-dense blood throughout the body. This can then result in a reduction in inflammation and pain throughout the body.

Clients utilizing whole body cryotherapy for chronic pain or muscle soreness have found relief and respite. This momentary vasoconstriction/vasodilation response created by whole body cryotherapy provides a natural, drug-free option for potentially healing injuries and alleviating chronic pain.

Cryotherapy Benefits

Cryotherapy has been shown to deliver many benefits for people struggling with pain. Since it’s a drug-free, non-invasive option, many clients have sought it out.

Here are some of the benefits of cryotherapy we’ve seen at Imagine Float:

• A Reduction in pain and swelling

• Faster recovery and healing

• Drug-free option

• Better mobility

• Boosts energy and mood

• Improved sleep

When our clients have experienced the benefits of cryotherapy, they often report feeling better emotionally. Relieving pain and being able to move more easily can help you lead a happier life.

Who is a Good Candidate for Cryotherapy?

If you’re experiencing inflammation, chronic pain, or muscle soreness, and prefer a drug-free, non-invasive option, cryotherapy may be right for you. Schedule a consultation to see if this might be an option for you.

Types of Cryotherapy

You can choose whole-body cryotherapy or localized cryotherapy, depending on whether you need a full-body treatment or have to target specific areas like an ankle or fingers.

Whole-Body Cryotherapy

Whole-body cryotherapy exposes the body to incredibly cold temperatures for 2-3 minutes. Using temperatures ranging from -110°C to -140°C, in a specially designed chamber, reduces the skin temperature by 30 degrees, triggering a response. As a result, your body constricts its blood vessels and sends blood from your extremities to your organs for protection. While there, the blood is saturated with nutrients, proteins, enzymes, and more. We lovingly say, it’s getting supercharged.

Upon exiting the chamber, your skin immediately begins warming up. This then triggers a second response, causing blood vessels in your body to dilate, sending your supercharged blood back to its extremities. This process has been shown to help flush out toxins, promote faster healing, and reduce inflammation. The increased blood flow delivers oxygen and nutrients to tissues and muscles, which may reduce pain. Many of our clients utilize whole-body cryotherapy for muscle recovery, pain relief, and reduced inflammation following an injury or strenuous physical activity.

Localized Cryotherapy

Localized cryotherapy is a treatment that uses cold therapy to address specific body parts. During treatment, cold air in the form of CO2 is used to relieve pain and reduce inflammation. It’s applied with a handheld device that targets the treatment area. While the therapy utilizes cold temperatures, our clients have never felt uncomfortable in any way. Instead, they welcome the cold, soothing sensation the localized cryotherapy brings.

After localized cryotherapy, the body undergoes its natural healing process. When blood flow increases and moves to the treatment area, it flushes out toxins and delivers oxygen and nutrients. This process reduces swelling, alleviates pain, and facilitates the body's healing process.

This therapy has been shown to alleviate pain and inflammation in localized areas of the body, for example. Broken finger or toe, ankle swelling after a sprain, and so on.. We’ve had clients use it to treat muscle strains, sports injuries, arthritis, and recovery after workouts.

Cryotherapy Pain Relief By Body Part

Cryotherapy is a non-invasive therapy that can be customized to aid in relieving pain in your body. Whether you’re experiencing chronic pain or recovering from an injury, cryotherapy may alleviate discomfort and decrease inflammation.

Here’s how it can relieve pain in your body:

Cryotherapy for Back Pain

Back pain can come from injuries, strains, and certain medical conditions. Poor posture, age, and everyday abuse can make it worse. Fortunately, cryotherapy is an option we’ve seen alleviate back pain by reducing inflammation, easing muscle tension, and improving recovery.

Does Cryotherapy Work for Back Pain?

We’ve seen it work! Whole-body cryotherapy and localized cryotherapy has been shown to treat back pain in our clients. The type of treatment that will work best for you depends on the severity and location of your pain.

If you’re experiencing pain throughout your back, a combination of these treatments may be the solution.

Schedule a consultation to determine if whole body or localized cryotherapy is the treatment option for your lower back pain.

Cryotherapy for Knee Pain

Arthritis, injuries, overuse, and aging are common causes of knee pain. When applied to the knee, cryotherapy reduces blood flow to this area momentarily and then returns blood to the area once the cold air is removed, creating a process that may decrease inflammation and pain, making it easier to move the knees. We’ve seen success with both whole body and localized cryotherapy for alleviating knee pain.

Cryotherapy for Neck Pain

Common causes of neck pain include poor posture, strain, injury, stress, and degenerative conditions. Cryotherapy may help the neck in many ways. It reduces inflammation and muscle spasms, relieving pain and improving range of motion. If you’re experiencing neck pain, call for a consultation to see if whole body or localized cryotherapy is for you.

Cryotherapy for Shoulder Pain

Injuries, arthritis, muscle strains, and dislocations often cause shoulder pain. Cryotherapy can improve movement and ease discomfort in this area. This treatment has been shown to decrease swelling, inflammation, and pain with the use of cold therapy. Both whole body and localized cryotherapy have been shown to be great solutions for shoulder pain, improving range of motion and accelerating recovery after injuries.

Cryotherapy for Foot Pain

Poorly fitting shoes, overuse, injuries, and conditions like plantar fasciitis can lead to foot pain. By using cold temperatures, we are triggering the body’s natural response to send good blood flow to the area in an effort to ease discomfort, relieve the pain, and promote the body’s natural healing process. Both Whole Body and Localized cryotherapy have been effective for targeting and relieving foot pain in our clients.

Cryotherapy for Specific Pain Conditions

Cryotherapy has provided relief for chronic joint and nerve pain.

Here’s how we’ve used cryotherapy for chronic pain conditions:

Cryotherapy for Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is a type of pain that lasts at least three months. Injuries, overuse, age, and certain health conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia, and Lyme disease can cause chronic pain. It may last weeks, months, or years. As a result, chronic pain can impact a person’s quality of life, making daily activities more difficult.

Localized Cryotherapy has been shown to alleviate chronic pain by using cold temperatures to “ice” the treatment area, in the hopes of providing quick pain relief. The cold has also been shown to reduce inflammation and swelling, two factors that contribute to chronic pain. Additionally, cryotherapy has been shown to stimulate blood flow, helping the body remove toxins and heal.

As the muscles relax following the treatment, patients experience improved mobility and reduced discomfort, making it easier to perform routine activities.

Whereas whole body cryotherapy utilizes a systemic response throughout the body, hoping to put out all the little tiny fires of inflammation beyond a localized area. Our clients have used regular whole-body cryotherapy treatments to manage chronic pain and improve their quality of life.

Cryotherapy for Joint Pain

Joint pain is discomfort or soreness in the joints. Common causes include injuries, arthritis, and autoimmune diseases. These types of pain limit mobility and can make simple tasks like walking or getting up from a chair more difficult.

By reducing systemic inflammation around the joints, cryotherapy may relieve joint pain. The cold temperatures temporarily constrict blood vessels and then vasodilate blood vessels, in the hopes of reducing swelling and pain signals sent to the brain. The increased blood flow to the inflamed areas delivers oxygen and nutrients, hoping for lasting healing of the joints.

The cause of the joint pain will determine which type of cryotherapy works best. Localized cryotherapy is a great option for joint pain in specific areas, like the fingers or toes. If your joint pain is widespread, whole-body cryotherapy may be the most suitable treatment. Our clients have experienced a better range of motion and decreased stiffness, making it easier to lead an active life.

Relieve Chronic Pain with Cryotherapy in Avon, CT

If you’re struggling with chronic pain, cryotherapy may deliver the natural, drug-free option you’ve been looking for. Whether you’re dealing with back pain, neck pain, or muscle soreness, this non-invasive therapy may help to bring you relief. With whole-body and localized options, Imagine Float offers you a custom plan to help alleviate your pain.

As the leading provider of cryotherapy in Avon, CT, Imagine Float can help you feel better and live a happier, more active life. We’re proud to serve Avon, West Hartford, Farmington, Canton, and beyond.

Ready to relieve your pain? Call (860) 453-6109 to schedule a consultation with our team.