Jan 31, 2018 5 min read

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Remember the blast of cold winter air that recently hit the area? That was nothing.

Nothing compared to what I recently had the opportunity to experience at Legacy Medical Centers in Peters Township.

Cryotherapy is a very brief, but very invigorating, modality that has a number of health benefits and a whole host of conditions that can experience relief.

“With whole body cryotherapy, the body is exposed to ultra-low temperatures at around -220 degrees Fahrenheit, triggering a systemic anti-inflammatory response,” says Matthew Burnett, DC, owner of Legacy Medical Centers. “The modality was first used in Japan in 1978 to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Studies conducted during the past three decades have established this treatment as a powerful aid for musculoskeletal inflammatory disorders and injuries. The accelerated production of collagen can improve skin elasticity and texture, slowing skin aging and the appearance of cellulite, which further bolsters the aesthetic properties of cryotherapy.”

For me, it was primarily just aches and pains caused by daily wear and tear on the body for which I wanted relief, along with my inability to get a good night’s sleep.

When I arrived, and after I completed a waiver that explained the benefits as well as cautioned individuals who should probably not consider cryotherapy – those with heart conditions, breathing disorders, untreated hypertension or incontinence, for example – I was taken to a room about the size of a closet that contained a large vat. I dressed in a robe and put gloves and slippers on before entering the machine to start my session.

Once the machine was turned on and I was inside of the vat standing on a platform, I was slowly raised to the top of the machine, so that my head and neck were the only exposed parts of my body.

The machine was set to turn off at three minutes. Longer than three minutes, I learned, would put me (or anyone) at risk of developing frostbite. If I decided to stop sooner, they could easily turn off the machine.

I was advised to walk around in circles on the platform and to keep my body moving, not just to try to keep warm, but to expose my entire body to the liquid nitrogen that seeped out of the machine, decreasing temperatures to -224 degrees.

This liquid nitrogen that fills the vat has the ability to decrease inflammation and flush away toxins. “Skin exposed to temperatures below 220 degrees triggers the systemic release of anti-inflammatory cytokines, and decreases circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines,” Burnett explains. “This internal response decreases inflammation in all areas of the body. In addition, the extreme cold exposure causes the body to turn up its metabolic rate to produce heat. This effect can last for hours to days after the procedure, causing the body to burn up to 800 calories following the procedure.”

Another benefit of this modality, according to Burnett, is that because the body essentially goes into survival mode while protecting itself from freezing to death, it releases endorphins that have analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties and can improve mood disorders. In fact, whole body cryotherapy has been studied for the successful treatment of medication-resistant depressive disorders.

The three minutes that I feared would feel more like a lifetime actually went by so fast, thanks to the staff who stayed in the room with me and kept me preoccupied through conversation. (It also helps to face away from the clock so you can’t keep track of time.) I was given the 15-second warning before I knew it, and from there, I was done. When I stepped out of the machine, I felt a rush of blood flow through my body and extremely relaxed.

I felt very cold for a few hours after the experience, but it was nothing compared to the overall wellness I felt, particularly in places like my feet, shoulders and neck, where I experience frequent soreness and pain. I also discovered that my mood had improved, which, as I learned, may be due to cryotherapy’s ability to improve the immune system and decrease stress levels. The body’s release of endorphins causes a pleasant euphoric feeling.

“Procedures and progress can vary from client to client,” Burnett emphasizes. “Of course, people come in all shapes and sizes, but it is not so much the difference in body size one has as it is in the biology and gene makeup of the individual. The individual’s own body chemistry, their lifestyle, foods, drinks and medications all contribute to variations in how a particular individual will respond to this type of therapy. For some, 10 sessions may produce the desired results, whereas others may take only five or up to 20 sessions. Simply put, there are no set parameters of how an individual’s body will react to cryotherapy, and as provides of this treatment, we cannot set parameters of when this therapy will be of significant benefit to an individual or guarantee any beneficial results. As a team, we will strive to find the best session formula for you.”

For more information on cryotherapy, visit www.legacymedicalcenters.com.