Cold therapy, also referred to as cryotherapy, is a reliable healing technique that exposes your body to extremely cold temperatures. This lasts for several minutes for maximum efficiency. Through cold therapy, your muscles will recover after injury, strenuous activity, or a surgical procedure.
Besides, this therapy reduces blood flow to the targeted area, hence preventing cases of inflammation. This also stimulates nerve activity and lessens swelling, ultimately relieving pain around your muscles.
While cryotherapy is mostly administered by a professional, there are several localized cryotherapy methods. Some involve the Breg polar care cube that fixes affected parts of your body. Given the effectiveness of cold therapy, it has numerous benefits.
Here are the four major benefits of cold therapy.
1. It Stimulates Injury Recovery
One of the main benefits of cryotherapy is that it stimulates quick recovery from injury. Most doctors recommend this type of therapy for post-surgical rehabilitation. This is the case because it plays a key role in reducing pain by controlling inflammation and swelling in the affected part.
Cold therapy applied through the Breg polar care cube helps you achieve normal body function after sustaining an injury. You will feel better at a faster rate with cryotherapy. This makes it one of the most essential pain recovery therapies.
2. It Soothes Injured Joints and Muscles
When you have minor injuries such as sprains or bruises, you can count on cold therapy to provide relief. This therapy is highly effective because it reduces swelling and inflammation that could trigger acute pain. Even better, cold therapy speeds up healing time, giving you a chance to go back to your normal lifestyle in the shortest time possible.
For instance, when you have ankle sprains, you can treat them with ice and they will heal in less than a week. This is a shorter time compared to other types of therapy. Besides, it doesn’t involve complex recovery methods. Apart from minor and one-time injuries, cold therapy can also fix repetitive strain injuries.
Keep in mind that repetitive strain injuries can be quite uncomfortable and frustrating. Some of these injuries include trigger finger, tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, plantar fasciitis, and shin splints. Cold therapy is also highly effective for arthritis patients.
3. Recharging Muscles After Exercising
Cold therapy is also vital in relaxing muscles after exercising. Many professional athletes use cold therapy for injury or muscle recovery after exercising. Cryotherapy is ideal because it helps muscles repair themselves and get ready for the next session. Recent research done by Sports Medicine found that cold therapy reduces muscle pain after a steamy gym session. When properly incorporated into a post-workout routine, cryotherapy improves your performance going forward. It also reduces the recovery times.
4. Extra Pain Relief
Through cold therapy, you can get pain relief for migraines and headaches. Research shows that neck wraps with ice packs can reduce headache symptoms and numb nerves. Besides, this therapy can provide relief to conditions like dermatitis, mood disorders, and nerve irritations.
Consider Cold Therapy for Better Health
If you are experiencing aggressive pain in your muscles and joints after exercising, you should consider cold therapy. This therapy helps relax muscles, numb pain, and improve your general health.