Combination of whole body cryotherapy with static stretching ... reduces fatigue and improves functioning of the [ANS] in CFS, 2022, Kujawski et al

Full title:
Combination of whole body cryotherapy with static stretching exercises reduces fatigue and improves functioning of the autonomic nervous system in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Abstract
Background

The aim of this study was to explore the tolerability and effect of static stretching (SS) and whole body cryotherapy (WBC) upon fatigue, daytime sleepiness, cognitive functioning and objective and subjective autonomic nervous system functioning in those with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) compared to a control population.

Methods
Thirty-two CFS and eighteen healthy controls (HC) participated in 2 weeks of a SS + WBC programme. This programme was composed of five sessions per week, 10 sessions in total.

Results
A significant decrease in fatigue was noted in the CFS group in response to SS + WBC. Some domains of cognitive functioning (speed of processing visual information and set-shifting) also improved in response to SS + WBC in both CFS and HC groups. Our study has confirmed that WBC is well tolerated by those with CFS and leads to symptomatic improvements associated with changes in cardiovascular and autonomic function.

Conclusions
Given the preliminary data showing the beneficial effect of cryotherapy, its relative ease of application, good tolerability, and proven safety, therapy with cold exposure appears to be an approach worth attention. Further studies of cryotherapy as a potential treatment in CFS is important in the light of the lack of effective therapeutic options for these common and often disabling symptoms.

https://translational-medicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12967-022-03460-1

 

I live in eastern Canada and a brisk 5 minute walk in mid January could render the same effects?

 

I looked up the coldest temperature ever recorded on earth: − 93.2 °C. That's still warmer than the temperatures used in this study.

 

I'm not opposed to doing research on this, and I know the exposure time is very short, but I wonder what the risks are?

Found this short article on whole body cryotherapy (WBC) on the FDA website:

https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consu...apy-wbc-cool-trend-lacks-evidence-poses-risks

Article is not talking about risks in research, it's about providers who are offering this WBC treatment right now.

 

I'm wondering if temperatures for this type of therapy have to be that freezing cold in order to have positive benefits?

Most ppl with autonomic issues feel better in cooler/colder temperatures.

 

Haha yeah you’d love this therapy @Snow Leopard brrrrr

 

I’m wondering what happens if you get stuck inside the cryo machine?! That would be my fear.

 

You wouldn't get stuck in a machine because an employee has to be with you the entire session.

I used to do whole body cryotherapy. There are several businesses in town that have the chambers. At the ones I've been to, they check your BP before and after and require providing a health information background before the 1st session.

My sessions have been 3 minutes. Everyone wears wool socks, and women remove all their clothes, and men remove everything but their underwear. You put on wool slippers, don a robe, and then ring a bell so the employee comes in to start the session. Then the employee keeps talking to you because engaging in conversation makes it more bearable. At the end of a session, the employee opens the chamber door for you and then leaves so you can get dressed.

I found it exhilarating afterwards, but would sometimes have a hard time sleeping, even though I always did it in the morning. Many people find it actually helps their sleep. Over time, it did ease my pain quite a bit.

I'm going to do another session soon since it's been some years since I've done cryotherapy. My sleep is much better than it used to be, so maybe I wouldn't get the insomnia effect.

My doctor of physical medicine looked into cryotherapy some years back and said it was safe because it's such a short time you are exposed to the low temperatures, but that it's not effective for everyone.

I didn't think the 3 minutes in the chamber were bad at all. They have you slowly turn around in the chamber, maybe just for the distraction. But I am someone who would much prefer generally to be too cold rather than too hot.

 

Yes, that could be possible. I do feel better in the cold, just posted about it on another thread.

By the way, I hope my earlier post didn't look like I was laughing *at* you!

I thought you were making a joke about how cold it got Canada so I posted a laughing emoji.

Anyway, so sorry if there was any confusion!

 

@perchance dreamer - thanks for posting the details of your experience with cryotherapy.

Can you share what country this was in?

 

@ahimsa, I live in Austin, Texas. It's sizable enough to have several different cryotherapy businesses.

The cat in your avatar is beautiful! My sister has a pair of marbled tabbies.

 

I wonder how this extreme cold air treatment might compare to moderate cold water treatments?

A daily cold shower is much more accessible. And as I understand it, water (especially running water) is likely to draw heat from the body more quickly than air of the same temperature (especially if the air is still).

Of course, the temperatures quoted here seem very extreme, so perhaps a simple cold water shower wouldn’t be nearly cold enough?

That said I have recently started having a 2-3 mins cold shower each morning. Usually it is right after a warmer 2-3 mins getting washed.

It took a while to get used to this, but now I find I enjoy it.

A big plus already is that I’ve been sleeping much better. I’ve done this for almost 2 weeks now.

I started it because I thought I was feeling better on the days I had a dip in the sea.

Has anyone else tried any cold sessions?

 

In a few months the temperatures here in eastern Canada will be going down to -20's. I feel much better in the colder months.

I also take cooler showers in the evening, not the mornings. Helps me sleep better.