Spectrum Health & Pain Clinic

About Cryotherapy

Local Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy is the therapeutic application of extremely cold dry air/gas usually between −90°C and −120°C.

Cryotherapy stimulates the body's natural healing abilities and uses extreme cold to induce responses on three levels:

1) the circulatory system

2) the nervous system

3) energy meridians

Treatments take only 2-3 minutes!

Depending on the condition of treatment, it is recommended the patient to take initially take 5 – 10 treatments in close succession (separated by 1-2 days --- 3x/week) to maximize the results. After this initial treatment regiment, patients can take fewer treatments that are spaced further apart to maintain and improve on the results.

Conditions treated by Cryotherapy

Localized Cryosauna can potentially help with numerous conditions:

· Fibromyalgia

· Migraines/Headaches

· Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

· Osteoarthritis

· Rheumatoid Arthritis

· Osteoporosis

· Multiple Sclerosis

· Phantom Pain

· Chronic Pain Syndrome

· Ankylosing Spondylitis

· Inflammation of the Spine

· Muscle Pain and Inflammation

· Depression, Anxiety and Mood Disorders

· Lyme Disease

· Immune System Improvement

· Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

· Central Nervous System Disease

· Degenerative Disease of Joints and Spine

· Inflammation of Tendons, Bursa, Joint Capsules

· Alzheimer's and Dementia prevention

CryoTherapy Contraindications

Cryotherapy can potentially be contraindicated with numerous conditions:

Cold intolerance

Cryoglobulinanemia

Cryofibrinogenemia

Raynaud disease

Cold utricaria

Open wounds and ulcers

Gangrenous lesions

Thromboembolic changes and inflammation in the venous system

Agammaglobulinemia

Central nervous system disease

Sympathetic neuropathy

Hypothyroidism

Local blood flow disturbances

Significant anemia

Mental disorders, which may prevent adequate co-operation with the patient in the chamber.

Emaciation and hypothermia

Cancer

Printzmetal syndrome

Unstable coronary artery disease

Valve disorders: aortic valve stenosis and mitral valve stenosis

Diseases of the myocardium or the mitral apparatus

Arrhythmia at a rate higher than 100 strokes per minute

Severe forms of exertional angina pectoris and spontaneous angina

Venous blood leaks in the lungs

Acute respiratory diseases of various origin

Effects of drugs, especially antipsychotics and alcohol

Some relative contraindications also exist concerning participation in the cryogenic treatment. These include age above 65, venous thrombosis and a history of peripheral arterial embolism, excessive emotional lability, expressed inter alia, in excessive excitability.