I. Introduction
Hook:
It has been a while since cryotherapy has been a part of the headlines. It wasn’t until most of the leading athletes and celebrities began to endorse its use that it attracted wider attention. Quite quickly, it was discovered how celebrities like Christine Aguilera were able to lose weight so safely and rapidly. From repairing the injuries of athletes to helping celebrities lose weight, is it worth a shot? If it is, what are some of its other benefits?
Summary:
Cryotherapy, the new pain relief treatment, also serves as the contemporary-day ice bath to treat the specific wounds of athletes. Moreover, it has also become a preferred sensation among top celebrities who want to lose weight, shed their obesity, and stop aging by giving away a few bucks to treat their bodies at an extremely abnormal and cold temperature. Among the different types of cryotherapy methods, Whole Body Cryotherapy is the most commonly used method, which lasts for three minutes of exposure of the skin to temperatures from -200°F to -250°F. The treatment has some pros and cons as well; this paper aims to figure them out.
Thesis Statement:
Ever since cryotherapy was introduced in the 70s, it has become a common practice among the elites for some reason to benefit their bodies; weight loss is one of the most claimed advantages that the treatment aims to give. However, according to different speculations reported by researchers, this is not entirely true.
Moreover, does it serve as an anti-aging process, or are these just some of the falsely claimed benefits? This essay will highlight some of the pros and cons of the method and will pay specific attention to its claimed benefits.
II. The Process of Cryotherapy
By definition, it is stated as “Cryotherapy is a pain treatment that uses a method of localized freezing temperatures to deaden an irritated nerve. Cryotherapy is also used as a method of treating localized areas of some cancers (called cryosurgery), such as prostate cancer, and to treat abnormal skin cells by dermatologists.”
Cryotherapy treatment requires an essential session in a deep-freezing tank for a few minutes. It helps people to lose weight, improve their athletic performance, reduce their muscle pain, improve their sleep, and slow aging. According to some researchers, this is the argument that has been supported, and these are the benefits stated that an individual could seek by receiving cryotherapy treatment. However, how can one support the use of “Whole-body Cryotherapy” that has potential health risks and even major side effects attached to it? However, it is proven that the treatment has fewer side effects and more benefits.
III. The Effectiveness of Cryotherapy
As stated by the researchers, “The use of ice or freezing materials to conduct treatment of something technically qualifies as the process of Cryotherapy by definition. Hence, the most long-standing and common form of Cryotherapy is the application of ice or cold packs to injuries to cause blood vessels to constrict, which reduces blood flow and alleviates pain, swelling and inflammation.”
There has been a long debate on the long-term effects of the process and the healing of the localized area, which can also be called the specific part where cryosurgery is applied. Cryosurgery is specifically used in treating prostate cancers. This is another major benefit.
IV. The Weaknesses of Cryotherapy
It is known as a standard practice among health professionals and hospitals; however, cryosurgery is the use of immensely cold substances, even different formulas like liquid nitrogen, to freeze and remove the lesions. This helps in reducing the pain of the affected part. However, the removal of lesions results in different side effects like headaches, migraines, and fidgetiness of the body.
According to several practitioners, the act of deliberately and forcibly letting individuals undergo a highly abnormal freezing temperature is harmful. It is a forced phenomenon for one’s body, which the body usually does not allow; however, due to the trendy aspects of cryotherapy, people are encouraged to invest money in such a treatment. Some elite athletes like Lebron James and Kobe Bryant and some actresses like Mandy Moore, Demi Moore, Kate Moss, Jennifer Aniston, and Jessica Alba have undergone this process to help prevent aging and weakness. However, this forced anti-aging method has caused them certain problems in the long term.
IV. Cryotherapy’s Main Benefits
The Weight Loss:
As the major responsibility of this process is to kill the cells and affected parts, it therefore plays a central role in shedding weight. As the research states, “Some people claim that WBC can even improve appearance, slow aging, and shed body weight, with WBC even being labeled as a new weight loss trend.” So the question lies in why people can’t exercise, eat healthily, and drink protein drinks to keep themselves healthy and young rather than undergo a bitter cold treatment for some minutes? But, in this rapidly moving era, people don’t have time, and therefore, they seek time-effective methods like cryotherapy to treat their bodies.
Inflammation:
Some claims on the internet state, “Those running Cryotherapy facilities, ranging from decreasing inflammation to redirecting blood flow to vital organs to convincing the body that it is in danger so that it boosts its immune system and metabolism.”
Most of the current evidence focuses on the effects of “Whole Body Cryotherapy” and how it helps in preventing musculoskeletal pain and inflammation.
Health professionals have provided some statements such as “The use of WBC to relieve pain and inflammation from conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, enclosing spondylitis and injuries. However, a recently published systematic review of the literature did not find compelling scientific evidence that WBC is effective in preventing and treating muscle soreness after exercise in adults. Without nearly enough scientific evidence, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet approved WBC as a medical treatment.” (Degraeve, 4-5)
Anti-Aging:
The wealth of these elites does not prevent them from spending thousands of bucks on a treatment that solves a number of their issues in the course of some minutes. And, as Hollywood and sports are major global influencers, several other citizens are impacted by these elite classes and follow the same method of investing their money in a time-effective treatment like this, and this is how cryotherapy paved the way.
Some claimed scientific evidence has supported and provided an explanation that “Whole Body Cryotherapy” is a treatment to stop aging, promote weight loss, or provide preventive measures for obesity.
Hence, there is no single magic solution to losing weight besides regular exercise, a healthy diet, and a sufficient intake of water. However, this elite class does claim that the secret behind their anti-aging physical appearance is the magic of drinking eight glasses of water and exercising regularly.
V. The Lack of Research on Cryotherapy
“Whole Body Cryotherapy” may be highly helpful in preventing different diseases, as stated above. However, there is no evident proof that it serves as a weight-loss agent and obesity-preventing treatment beyond the experience of an individual who has already undergone the process. The process may be sound, but there is not enough research to support the argument that it is a healthy choice that must be followed by everyone who has enough money to undergo this experience. However, health professionals have also shown an absolute disregard for the process, and this is why there has been much less funding to conduct the research and find the real benefits and drawbacks of the process.
VI. Treatment of Cryotherapy for Cancer
Cryotherapy treats a specific area to deaden or destroy irritated nerves or cells. This is why it is also used to treat localized areas of some cancers, a procedure also called cryosurgery.
It is further suggested that cryotherapy is an effective and efficient choice to make to treat cancer; however, for weight loss and anti-aging processes, it still lacks enough data. In the situation of cancer, it is stated that the process lets the person undergo treatment for a specific localized area rather than undergoing whole-body therapy. Therefore, the methods used for cryotherapy and cryosurgery are different, and it is not recommended to every individual who is willing to lose weight, shed their obesity, or look young by trying this so-called, falsely claimed anti-aging treatment. (Zhou, 14)
As for cancer, it is stated, “In Cryotherapy, a probe is inserted into the tissue next to the affected nerve. The temperature of the probe drops to then effectively freeze the nerve. The freezing inactivates the nerve, and as a result, painful nerve irritation is relieved. Cryotherapy is a relatively safe and efficient means of treating localized nerve irritation.” (Seifert and Junginger, 152-154)
Therefore, it can be used for cancer and not for other purposes as used by the elite class, such as athletes and actresses in Hollywood. Some of the temporary side effects of the method are stated to include unwanted nerve irritation; it sometimes even affects the tissues and causes the individual to experience unusual sensations such as hallucinations, tingling, and even numbness.
Moreover, it leads the affected area to become irritated and filled with redness. These effects are stated to be temporary, but the pain is so problematic that people have to go through it.
VII. Types of Cryotherapy Treatment
There are different ways to conduct the process, such as cryosurgery for cancer, as previously addressed. In addition to this, there are methods like ice pack therapy, partial-body cryotherapy, and whole-body cryotherapy, and each one of them has certain adverse effects.
It typically treats skin conditions like skin tags, solar keratosis, warts, and moles and freezes the tissues at the cellular level. The procedure is usually carried out under severe cold conditions that are difficult for a human to undergo and adapt the body to. It is not even easy for the body, and therefore, in some cases, individuals are unable to tolerate the process or control themselves and may eventually die. Regarding the adverse effects, “Whole Body Cryotherapy” has the most adverse effects.
It is stated, “Systematic reviews of whole body Cryotherapy have repeatedly called for research studies to implement active surveillance of adverse events, which are suspected of being underreported. If the cold temperatures are produced by evaporating liquid nitrogen, there is the risk of inert gas asphyxiation as well as frostbite.” (Knight, 8)
Hence, “Whole Body Cryotherapy” is the most harmful. On the other hand, “Partial Body Cryotherapy” particularly uses cylindrical chambers that have an aperture typically at the top, while the head of the patient remains outside and is not subjected to the cold stimulus. In the scenario of partial-body cryotherapy, the adverse effects usually revolve around the use of evaporating liquid nitrogen, and there is a huge risk of inert gas asphyxiation as well as frostbite. It also results in severe headaches and migraines, as stated earlier.
VIII. Conclusion
Hence, the conclusion remains that people should not follow influencers blindly and end up getting this treatment. This treatment is positive in many terms but must not be used without any proper consultation. Readers are advised to properly consult a doctor and ask which type of cryotherapy treatment they require.
Moreover, cryotherapy has major benefits that could serve as a time-effective service for the busy lives of people. As stated, “A study published in the September 2000 edition of the Archives of Family Medicine showed that a combination of pressure and cold temperatures done in the Cryotherapy treatment, both applied locally via a headband, can successfully mitigate headache-related pain and also decrease the duration of a headache.” (Bellows, 17)
Works Cited
Knight, Kenneth L. Cryotherapy in sports injury management. Human Life Press, 1995.
Seifert, J. K., Th Junginger, and D. L. Morris. “A collective review of the world literature on hepatic cryotherapy.” Journal of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh 43.3 (1998): 141-154.
Degraeve, C., et al. “Recurrent contagious ecthyma (Orf) in an immunocompromised host successfully treated with cryotherapy.” Dermatology 198.2 (1999): 162-163.
Bellows, John Goldfreed. Cryotherapy of ocular diseases. Lippincott, 1966.
Zhou, Xin‐Da, and Zhao‐You Tang. “Cryotherapy for primary liver cancer.” Seminars in surgical oncology. Vol. 14. No. 2. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1998.
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