Anybody ever try cryotherapy?

[Scuba]

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/packers-players-using-cryotherapy-to-aid-in-recovery-process-b99623511z1-357455321.html

Packers players using cryotherapy to aid in recovery process



Inside, temperatures plummet to levels that might be considered maniacal. Minus 100 degrees withers to minus 125 degrees. Minus 125 degrees shivers to minus 150 degrees. And by the time each treatment is finished, anywhere from 90 seconds to three minutes later, the red numbers on the digital thermometer read minus 153 degrees.

Oh, and that's Celsius. "The first time it's pretty crazy," said Clay Matthews, a linebacker for the Green Bay Packers.

...

The cold inside the chamber is startling, arresting. It collides with your lungs, which are unaccustomed to gobbling such frigid air. It invades your quadriceps, which causes muscle and body to quiver. It jump-starts your heart, which can beat frantically as an indication that the science behind cryotherapy is working.

"I'm stimulating the body's fight-or-flight response by stimulating those skin receptors with that extreme cold," Shields said. "The body is fooled into thinking it's in danger. "Being in danger is forcing all the blood out of the extremities to the core, which makes it very nutrient-dense and oxygen-dense. Then when you come out you get hypovascular dilation, all those veins just go boom — huge endorphin rush and your brain is stimulated to heal after that for up to 36 hours."

[GeorgeGist]

1. I predict this will not end well.

[Recursion]

2. Didn't a woman die recently when they switched it on by accident? (nt)

[Scuba]

3. The linked article includes meager details on a woman's death.

[-none]

14. She worked there and used it when alone.

That is a no-no.

[orpupilofnature57]

4. I'm a X-skier and love the cold, but minus 153 ? I'd give it a try after the results from an exam .

[longship]

5. Why? It is a cure to nothing with no plausibility.

Read about it here:
Whole Body Cryotherapy (at Science Based Medicine)

Last week a Hawaiian woman living in Las Vegas, Chelsea Ake, was found dead in a cryotherapy chamber where she works. Apparently she was using the chamber unsupervised and accidentally locked herself in or passed out, and was found 10 hours later. Her death, of course, is tragic and we have nothing but sympathy for her and her family.

The event, however, was the first time many people heard of whole body cryotherapy (WBC) and prompted many questions. Three months ago Zachary Hoffman published a guest post on SBM about cryotherapy, showing that the science is just not there. He focused mainly on using ice packs to treat sprains and sports injuries (which is surprisingly not evidence-based, but also perhaps not unreasonable), I am going to focus on using WBC for general health.

much more at link, including supporting links

[whitefordmd]

6. ""The body is fooled into thinking it's in danger."

no..... the body is in grave danger at those temps.

[RKP5637]

7. No thanks, the next person in line can go, I pass.

[amerikat]

8. No but that can of WD40 would make me think twice about entering the cryo chamber.

If there was a roll of duct tape too, No way.

[Scuba]

9. I think thats for thawing out the eyelids.

[amerikat]

13. Can't just put my visine in the microwave?

my eye care insurance isn't so great.

[Orrex]

10. I thought that was what you get when you spend the day watching sad movies.

[hobbit709]

11. If the human body was meant for temps like that, we'd be drinking methane instead of water.

[amerikat]

12. I have practical knowledge that cold is good for the body.

One of my favorite hikes was from Dingmans Falls to Childs park(PA). Not a long hike at all. But on the way back my legs would be tired. There was a spot along the trail which was like a whirlpool bath. We took our shoes and socks off and dipped our legs in the cool 50 degree water. After a few minutes in the cool water my legs were sort of numb. Not even sure I could get up and continue the hike.

But when I got up my legs and feet were restored. I was rather amazed that all the tiredness and soreness were gone. Gone. Totally rejuvenated.

I'd buy a cold tub before I would buy a hot tub. Just my personal experience with cold.

[abelenkpe]

15. Didn't a woman recently die in one

Of those chambers?

[longship]

16. See my response #5 nt

[LeftyMom]

17. Oh hell no.

We had an overnight low of 27 (this is unusually cold by local standards) and that's quite unpleasant. Negative anything? Nope, not interested.

[haele]

18. For removing warts...

And I've used a cryo-spray that was somewhat helpful to ease an inflamed muscle or joint injury enough to be able to continue to work when stuck on a accelerated 12-hour work day installation schedule.
I wouldn't recommend a CO2 spray though, that can actually burn layers of skin off.
Personally, I'd be leery about a cryo-chamber though. It seems to be too long an exposure to that level of cold, and I'm not sure the purported "shock" property is a valid health value. I'd put more faith in acupuncture than I would in a cryo-chamber.

Haele