Freezing patients to recovery

New cryotherapy center can be used for pain management

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A new therapy center in Riverside uses extremely cold temperatures to treat a variety of ailments.

In a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday, Recovery Zone Cryogenic Therapy celebrated its use of cryotherapy -- a local or general use of low temperatures in medical therapy.

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"You've got to come try it. It's a product that works," owner Joseph Newkirk said. "I think a lot of people are not too fond of the cold, but after you get over that fear of the cold it's a walk in the park."

Patients step into an open-topped "cryochamber" for two to three minutes, during which time the body is briefly enveloped in temperatures as low as -285 degrees Fahrenheit.

Recovery Zone staff explained there is no perception of how cold the temperature is, because at these temperatures the air no longer contains moisture and air currents do not exist.

The core body temperature stays the same, and skin temperature will only reach around -32 degrees.

Mayor Lenny Curry attended the ceremony and praised cryotherapy for helping his body after exercising.

"I started doing ice baths once a week to recover from my workouts and they work, but I discovered this. This is faster, much less painful and much more effective," he said.

A session is, essentially, an ice bath taken to a new and more extreme level, and it is drawing considerable attention among athletes, both elite and recreational.

"What's different than ice baths is once I got out I felt good, where as ice baths I got out and I felt real stiff and things like that," Jaguars wide receiver Allen Hurns said. "I think it for sure will be my go-to just because how good I felt afterwards. I'm going to try going in before practice or before a game and see how it feels, because after I got out I felt incredibly good. So I want to see how that feels going into a game."

Recovery Zone staff claims cryotherapy can be used to provide relief for conditions such as chronic pain, stress, fibromyalgia, migraines and arthritis.

However, the Food and Drug Administration said none of the above statements have been proven.

The FDA warns there are risks like frostbite and asphyxiation when nitrogen vapors reduce the amount of oxygen in an enclosed room.

Those interested in cryotherapy should talk with their doctors first.


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