Cryotherapy or cold therapy is a type of thermotherapy in which cold is applied to the skin in various forms or to which the whole body is exposed to the cold. Cryotherapy/cold therapy includes applications with ice such as ice lollipops or ice bags, cold spray, cold compresses, the cold chamber or the ice bath. This form of therapy can, for example, have analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, reduce and prevent oedema and reduce muscle tension. This is why cold therapy is used, for example, after operations and sports injuries, but also for chronic inflammatory diseases and in general for pain relief.
For which diseases is it used?
Different applications in cryotherapy can be applied in a variety of ways to different diseases and injuries of the musculoskeletal system. In general, when used in the form of an ice bath or cold sauna, cryotherapy can strengthen the immune system and prevent infections.
- These include, for example, sports injuries such as sprains, bruises or torn ligaments and pain after overloading.
- Also for pain reduction after operations,
- For chronic inflammatory diseases like rheumatism or gout in the inflammatory phase,
- With activated arthrosis
- And for fibromyalgia, cold therapy can be used.
- Cold therapy is also used in neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis or spasticity to improve mobility and relieve pain.
- Cryotherapy can also be used for skin diseases such as neurodermatitis or the freezing of warts.
How does cryotherapy work?
In general, cryotherapy has a narrowing effect on the superficial skin vessels, and after a longer period of application, also on the vessels in deeper layers of the tissue. The vasoconstriction leads to reduced blood circulation in the tissue, which reduces the formation of water retention in the tissue, i.e. edema formation. Especially in neurological diseases, the slowing effect of cryotherapy on nerve conduction velocity is used to relieve spasticity.
If the cold affects the whole body, cryotherapy leads to a slowing down of the heartbeat and breathing and to an increase in blood pressure. By alternating cold and heat applications, the aim is to train the vascular system, as the vessels have to be dilated and expanded several times. Together with the stimulation of the metabolism this should have a positive effect on the immune system.
- Prolonged exposure of the tissue to cold reduces the metabolism of the tissue, which for example slows down the healing process, but can also alleviate inflammatory processes.
- Short-term cooling, on the other hand, can stimulate blood circulation and metabolism when the cold is removed. The application of cold has a pain-relieving effect and muscle-relaxing effects when the tissue is cooled for a longer period of time.
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