Chronic muscle and joint pain can be caused by a wide variety of things including medical conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. It can be very mild and only appear under certain circumstances or at certain times of the day; or, it can be severe and interfere with daily activities. There are many options available for joint pain relief including over-the-counter medications, prescription medications and therapeutic creams and rubs.
One new and exciting option that is becoming much better known thanks to a growing popularity with big named athletes looking to relieve sore joints and muscles is Whole Body Cryotherapy, a cold solution to a very common problem. While there is no denying that the cryosauna is better known thanks to being in the media spotlight because of the use of whole body cryotherapy for athletes, the methodology was originally developed to help alleviate muscle and joint pain related to medical conditions such as arthritis.
One traditional means to manage pain and stiffness in muscles and joints is topical pain relief. This includes creams and balms that are designed to soothe tense muscles and provide relief to painful joints. Capsaicin and methyl salicylate based creams are most commonly used. In the short term, these types of products can provide some relief and they tend to work fast. However, in addition to some side effects such as stinging and burning, they do not provide a long term solution. While a single visit to a cryotherapy cold sauna is not enough to alleviate symptoms in the long term, multiple visits (typically ten to twelve) are thought to be able to provide long lasting relief instead of just masking the symptoms of muscle and joint pain.
It is possible that longer sustaining results can be achieved from regular whole body cryotherapy pain relief treatment sessions. This is because of the way in which cryotherapy works. By quickly reducing the temperature of the surface of the skin, the body responds by ramping up its immune system processes which can speed the repair of damaged muscles and joints. In the long term and over subsequent visits, this can lead to less chronic pain daily.
Medications are often a first line of defense in the battle against chronic muscle and joint pain, including knee joint pain. Common anti-inflammatory over-the-counter or nonsteroidal prescription drugs include aspirin and ibuprofen (brand names Advil and Motrin), or naproxensodium (branded under Aleve). They can be incredibly effective, but for persons with diseases and conditions that create ongoing symptoms, taking medications daily can be dangerous. Most Cox-2 inhibitors (except the brand Celebrex), for instance, have been pulled from the market due to increased risk of gastrointestinal and even severe cardiovascular problems, including stroke and heart attack! Sometimes the side effects caused by certain pain relief medications can be worse than the symptoms they are designed to counteract. Medications do a far better job of dealing with the underlying chronic joint pain causes responsible for symptoms than topical creams do, but they can have other detrimental effects on the body.
One of the benefits of using a whole body cryosauna is that it’s considered safe and there are no side effects related to the therapy. Safety is important however, and those considering cryotherapy will be instructed as to how to do so safely to avoid adverse effects. Just like with many other treatments considered to be generally safe, persons with certain health conditions such as those related to the heart, kidneys, bladder, vascular system and lungs should not consider whole body cryotherapy for chronic muscle and joint pain treatment.
Interestingly, while it may seem like a space aged solution, the cost of cryotherapy isn’t as high as many people would think. Individual sessions offered by Cryotherapy Health And Wellness Inc. in Toronto, Canada, can be as affordable as fifty dollars. With ten sessions or more being considered optimal for long term benefits, it’s easy to see how the cost can add up. However, when compared to the high cost of many best medications or the ineffectiveness of many even the best topical products, a whole body cryosauna may inevitably be one of the more cost effective solutions for chronic muscle and joint pain. It’s a twist on an old treatment that is being implemented in a new way to keep stiff muscles and painful joints from interfering with the things that active people love to do.