Cryotherapy In Lynnwood, WA
Ice can be a powerful tool when pain or inflammation hits. Cryotherapy uses controlled cold application — like ice packs or cooling pads — to help calm irritated tissues after injuries, overuse, or strain.
At Alderwood Back & Neck Pain Clinic, Dr. Darcy Szigety, DC often recommends cryotherapy for:
• Sprains and strains from sports or daily activity
• Swollen joints in the knees, shoulders, or ankles
• Acute back or neck pain after sudden injury
• Muscle spasms and tightness
• Tendon irritation, including overuse injuries
• Work-related aches from lifting or repetitive tasks
Cryotherapy helps reduce swelling, ease tension, and support faster, more comfortable healing — especially in the early stages of injury. This page will show how cryotherapy supports your recovery.
What Is Cryotherapy?
Cryotherapy is a technique that seeks to relieve pain by exposing the body to extremely cold temperatures. It works in much the same way as placing ice on a sprain or a cold pack on a swollen joint.
With cryotherapy, the cold temperatures are far more regulated, and the area of exposure is far greater than simple icing can achieve. Cryotherapy uses a specially-designed tank to expose most of your body to the chilled air.
What Conditions Can Cryotherapy Treat?
Cryotherapy is most often used to treat musculoskeletal pain. Part of the reason this treatment is so effective is the almost immediate inflammation reduction that occurs during sessions.
The cold temperature alters your body’s natural inflammatory response. Because a significant source of pain is swelling, treatments that reduce inflammation can also reduce pain.
Patients report a number of additional benefits from cryotherapy treatment, including improvements in:
What Is It Like to Undergo Cryotherapy?
Cryotherapy sessions are relatively short. Because the air within the cryotherapy chamber is cooled to a temperature well below freezing, it doesn’t take long to achieve the desired effects, and remaining in these temperatures for longer than the prescribed time can cause damage to your skin and other soft tissues.
Protective coverings for your hands and feet protect fingers and toes. Otherwise, most people choose to undress down to their underwear for their session. You stand throughout the 2-4 minute treatment time, so there is no concern about your skin touching any surface within the chamber.
Your head is never enclosed during treatment. The treatment tank usually comes up to around the shoulders, so there is no concern about feeling claustrophobic during your short time inside.
Once your treatment time is up, you simply emerge from the chamber and get dressed. There is no need for any advance preparation or recovery time after cryotherapy treatment, so you can get back to your day in less than an hour — start to finish.
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