Generally, sessions cost up to $100.
Or you may be thinking, “what is cryotherapy?” Cryotherapy is a cold therapy technique where the body is exposed to extremely low temperatures for several minutes. Why would anyone do this? Well, cryotherapy has become increasingly popular in the past decade because there are a whole host of medical benefits! It can be localized to various body parts, or you can expose your entire body at once.
Localized cryotherapy consists of ice packs, ice massages, ice sprays, and ice baths. Whole-body cryotherapy consists of immersing your entire self in a chamber of air that is negative 200 degrees to negative 300 degrees Fahrenheit for two to four minutes. Brr!
I don’t know about you, but two to four minutes standing naked in an ice chamber seems a bit like torture, but people are truly loving how they feel afterward. Many celebrities have helped make it popular such as Chelsea Handler, Mark Wahlberg, and Lebron James are all dedicated to the chilly treatment.
The health benefits truly are aplenty! Cryotherapy:
- Reduces Migraines
For longtime migraine sufferers, this has become a true lifesaver. Cryotherapy numbs the nerves in the neck and cools the blood passing through intracranial vessels.
- Reduces Irritation
This is quite popular among athletes and has been referred to as “numb therapy.” A specialist actually uses a probe into the tissue to help numb the nerves and alleviate pain. This can help treat pinched nerves or neuromas, chronic pain, or even acute injuries.
- Treats Mood Disorders
The freezing temperatures can actually go to work on your hormones and cause physiological responses. This includes the release of adrenaline, noradrenaline, and endorphins. This has become increasingly helpful for those experiencing anxiety or depression.
- Alleviates Arthritis Pain
The combination of beneficial triggers help alleviate total body pain and allows for more physiotherapy and occupational therapy. With this, people are rehabilitating faster.
- Treats Eczema And Other Skin Problems
Cryotherapy can produce antioxidants in the blood which then relieves inflammation. Dry, itchy skin of the past now has a better shot at healing. This treatment has also been known to treat the sebaceous glands for those with acne.
- Increases Metabolism
While cryotherapy won’t directly cause you to lose weight, it will help speed up your metabolism. The body is so cold that it is forced to work harder just to stay warm.
- Prevents Dementia
Interesting, right!? Cryotherapy can reduce the inflammation and oxidative stress associated with dementia, mild cognitive impairment, and other age-related forms of cognitive decline.
Yes, it’s going to be cold, so you will experience numbness, tingling, and redness, but it’s all temporary. But what does it cost? Well, it varies across the board, but new patients can expect to pay anywhere from $40-65 for their first session. Most cryotherapy patients buy packages in bulk at their provider’s location. Approximately $175 will get you three sessions and $275 will get you five sessions. But these are baseline prices and it may depend on your geographic area.
Conclusion
If you’ve ever wondered about cryotherapy, there you have it! It continues to bring forth positive health stories as it is studied.