Cold therapies have profound health benefits; it’s not just top athletes who can take advantage; anyone can. Freezing temperatures, whether through an ice bath at home or visiting a professional cryotherapy facility, significantly speed up the body’s recovery process. Cryotherapy treatment and ice baths are two standard methods for gaining cold exposure benefits. Both create a surge between the brain and nervous system, which causes a sudden release of endorphins leading to blood vessel constriction, super high alertness, and mental clarity.
However, there are significant differences in the body’s biological responses when comparing whole body cryotherapy and ice baths. Traditionally cryotherapy focuses on a particular area, and ice baths are an immersive entire body treatment. Whole body cryotherapy facilities now provide the best of both worlds, using liquid nitrogen instead of cold water to create the same effects in a significantly shorter time. Let’s dive in and explore the differences between whole-body cryo and ice baths.
Whole Body Cryotherapy
Whole body cryotherapy uses temperatures between -200 and -300 degrees Fahrenheit. The procedure uses liquid nitrogen vapor to immerse your body completely. During cryo, a thermal shock happens due to the sudden exposure to extreme cold. The body doesn’t have enough time to heat the blood and goes into fight or flight mode, doing what it needs to survive and stay alive. This shock is what you need to gain the benefits.
The cold forces blood vessels to constrict and draw blood back to the body’s core. Constriction is the body protecting your vital organs, pulling blood away from swollen, inflamed, and painful areas. Post-treatment, blood vessels expand again when you step outside the cryo sauna; it releases endorphins and anti-inflammatory chemicals. The body also protects and reduces the production of valuable hormones, enzymes, and neurotransmitters to keep the body alive.
The process incurs good stress on the body while simultaneously releasing the chemicals to help reduce inflammation, restart biological systems, and initiate the healing cascade. There are various benefits to whole body cryo, including:
- Reduces migraines
- Improves skin conditions effects
- Reduces pain caused by arthritis
- Numbs irritated nerves
- Lessens the potential of Alzheimer’s Disease
- Reduces inflammation
- Reduces anxiety and stress
- Aids muscle recovery
Whole body cryo is significantly quicker than ice baths. For example, whole body cryo sauna therapy only takes 3 minutes, whereas ice baths or cold plunges need 20 minutes for the therapeutic effects.
Ice Baths
A cold plunge or ice bath achieves the same healing process, relieving muscles after injury and strain. However, the process and biological response of the body is slightly different from whole-body cryotherapy. The temperature in ice baths is significantly warmer than what the body is exposed to during whole body cryo, so your body responds differently.
Ice bath temperatures are not cold enough to cause the same shock to the body as with cryo. In an ice bath, the body has time to heat the blood, which means instead of drawing it away from the peripheral skin., some blood is sent to different body parts, most notably to the skin, to protect it from damage to the cold temperature.
Ice baths also take much longer to gain benefits; typically, it takes 20-30 minutes to work. Because the ice bath process takes such a long time, the body uses a significant amount of energy to heat the blood, leaving you overly tired due to the energy consumption.
Summary
Although cryotherapy and ice baths achieve the same outcome, different biological processes occur. Ice baths certainly have their advantages; they can be done at home for a fraction of the cost of cryotherapy. In contrast, cryotherapy takes only a few minutes and shocks the body into initiating a response – releasing chemicals and endorphins to help the body recover. To recap, let’s revisit those main differences between cryo and ice baths:
Cryotherapy
- It takes 3 minutes to initiate therapeutic benefits.
- It uses liquid nitrogen vapor to immerse the whole body.
- Thermal shock initiates the body’s response.
- The body doesn’t have time to heat the blood and use energy.
Ice Baths
- Ice baths take 20 minutes for the body to kick-start biological responses.
- Blood is sent to skin cells to protect the skin from the cold.
- The body uses vast amounts of energy to warm the blood.
In summary, cryotherapy can give you all the benefits of cold therapy while allowing you to feel energized and fantastic afterward. In contrast, ice baths can be done at home for a fraction of the cost; they often leave you feeling tired due to the massive amount of energy used to heat the blood. If you’re looking for more information regarding cryotherapy, please get in touch today to speak with one of our team or book an appointment. We can’t wait to see what whole body cryotherapy can do for your recovery.
