A localized cryotherapy session for back or shoulder pain is a controlled stream of cold air aimed at the spot that hurts. It lasts a few minutes, someone is beside you the whole time, and there is nothing to recover from afterwards. Most people feel the ache ease during the session.
It is the ice pack idea done properly. Colder than a bag of peas, for longer than you could manage at home, and on the one spot.
What does a session feel like?
Cold, then numb, then a warm flush when it stops. The first minute is the sharpest. After that the sting fades, the area goes numb, and you can talk the whole way through.
You lie down or lean forward, depending on where the pain is. The cold arrives as a stream of air, so nothing presses on the sore spot.
How long does it take?
The session itself is short. Your first visit is an intro visit, which takes about half an hour, and the sessions after it are quicker. You drive yourself home, with nothing to take and nothing to rest.
Does cryotherapy help back pain?
For pain you already understand, cold brings inflammation down and dulls the ache. That is the same reason the NHS tells people to put an ice pack on a sore back to reduce pain and swelling.
The research on cold for back pain is thin. A Cochrane review of heat and cold for low back pain found only three studies on cold, all of poor quality. It said no conclusion could be drawn from them.
So we do not promise a cure, and you should hear that from us before you book.
What our clients tell us afterwards is more useful than either of those. Anna Hristov wrote: “Cryotherapy helped so much with my lower back and shoulders pain.” Diego Chavez wrote: “The cryotherapy boosted my energy and mood instantly.”
How long does the relief last?
It varies a lot. Some people get a few days, some get longer. Most treat it as something they come back for now and then, the way you would with a massage.
What cryotherapy will not do
- It will not diagnose anything. We are not a doctor’s office, and nobody here will tell you what is wrong with your back.
- It will not cure it. Cold takes the edge off inflammation, and the cause is whatever it was before you came in.
- It is not a whole body chamber. We treat the spot that hurts and nothing else.
When should you see a doctor first?
Before you book with us, if any of these apply. The NHS back pain guidance lists them.
- The pain started suddenly and is severe, or it is getting worse quickly.
- You feel hot, shivery or unwell with it.
- You have lost weight without trying to.
- There is a lump or swelling in your back, or your back has changed shape.
- It is worse at night or does not ease with rest.
- It is between your shoulder blades, not in your lower back.
Get that looked at by someone qualified. Once you know what you are dealing with, cold is a fair way to manage it.
Coming in from around St. Louis
Our studio is on Old Olive Street Road in Creve Coeur, just off Olive at I-270, with parking right outside the door. That counts for more than usual when your back is the problem.
No referral is needed. We are open Monday to Thursday from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Plenty of people come in for this and never book a body treatment at all.
What to do next
If the pain is something you already understand and you want it to ease, our page on cryotherapy in St. Louis covers what people come in for, what a session involves, and the questions people ask first.
Call (314) 301-9012 or book an intro visit.