Cryotherapy

A colleague has just been to stay for a couple of nights, work-related, at Whites of Wexford, apparently the only location in Ireland or the UK to offer whole body cryotherapy. He had toyed briefly with the idea of trying it and I vigorously encouraged him. I even offered to stump up the €70 fee. In the end, though, he in no uncertain terms bottled it. He was probably right to do so, but sadly that leaves me without any amusing anecdotes to tell about this alarming technique.


Not my colleague

“Whole Body Cryotherapy is the stimulating use of extremely low temperatures below minus 110 degrees Celsius. The chamber works by cooling the entire skin surface of the body in order to develop defensive reflexes and reactions such as stimulation of blood circulation, endocrine system, the immune system and the central nervous system. Such stimulation makes the therapy beneficial to a range of conditions.

“The therapy stimulates the temperature receptors in the skin to communicate with the brain. The brain then transmits messages throughout the body causing the peripheral blood vessels to constrict redirecting the blood to the core of the body to conserve heat. Once the treatment is over the same blood is pumped vigorously back around the body. The enhanced blood supply that Whole Body Cryotherapy stimulates increases the oxygen and nutrient supply to areas that need revitalizing.

“The extreme cold also stimulates the body's hormone system to secrete enhanced levels of endorphins and adrenaline. The immune system is enhanced by increased production of lymphocytes. Better communication between the Central Nervous System and the muscle groups is stimulated by Whole Body Cryotherapy.”