Criotherapy is used for cases like: joint inflammation, shoulder pain, inflammation of epicondylus radialis, joint and tendon inflammation, joint capsule and muscle inflammation, twisted joints, torn tendons and muscles, acute injuries old and new.

There are two types of criotherapy: local and general. The first is based on applying cold through a special applicator locally. Freezing and defrosting is applied a couple of times, which leads to tissue destruction. Presently the destructive function is not the only one, because the effect is based on method, time of exposal and technique.

The most common form of criotherapy is a cold compress in form of a plastic bag filled with silicone gel, which can be frozen down to – 12 °C. The optimum temperature for such compresses is - 5°C - 0°C, the time of treatment is about 20 – 30 minutes.

Ice massage is another popular form, with circular movements being performed while using an ice cube for 5 – 10 minutes. Areas not bigger than 10 – 15 cm are being massaged. When the patient loses any feeling in the massaged area, the treatment should stop immediately. This kind of treatment is used with painful muscles and tendons. It can also be used with heightened tension of particular muscle groups, as a tension-relief.

A very effective way of criotherapy is a gas bath, using a mixture of pressurized liquid nitrogen and air, applied onto the damaged area under pressure of no less than 4 atmospheres. The procedure is performed by moving the applicator over the damage area, about 20 – 40 cm away from skin, with a time limit of 30 seconds – 3 minutes, depending on damage area. In case of multiple damage areas, one session cannot take more than 12 minutes in all. After a procedure like this skin temperature may drop down to as low as 4°C, and the effect may hold for some 3 hours, which is the minimum break time between sessions.

An analogous procedure can also be performed with carbon dioxide. The temperature of the mixture in this case is -65 °C to -85 °C. The skin temperature is lower in this case, by about 10° C for every 2 cm of distance of applicator from skin.

General criotherapy is the second type of temperature therapy, based on total body immersion, for up to 3 minutes, in temperatures from -160 °C to -100 °C. A body used to infections, inflammations and suchlike stops producing antibodies after some time. Exposing it to such low temperatures triggers the immunological system anew.

Piotr Szczerba