Whole-Body Cryotherapy: Are There Any Benefits?

Cryotherapy involves using cold temperatures to treat various health issues. Cool compresses are commonly used to reduce inflammation after injury or surgery, such as when an ice pack is applied to a sprained ankle. But whole-body cryotherapy is a more extreme treatment.

Learn more about the purported benefits of cryotherapy and how well it actually works. 

What is whole-body cryotherapy?

Whole-body cryotherapy involves exposing the entire body to an extremely cold temperature for about 2 to 5 minutes. This type of cooling usually occurs in a chamber where the temperature is between -100 and -140 degrees Celsius. For comparison, the average temperature in the South Pole in winter is about -60 C. 

Whole-body cryotherapy was once used to treat chronic inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Now, it is popular among athletes for improving post-exercise recovery.

What does whole-body cryotherapy do?

Depending on whom you ask, cryotherapy can allegedly treat various conditions. For example, people claim that it can help with recovery after exercise and with conditions such as: 

• Migraines

• Alzheimer's disease

• Asthma

• Depression

• Insomnia

• Chronic pain

• Osteoarthritis

Many of these treatment claims are not supported by scientific evidence. And whole-body cryotherapy does not have FDA approval for any of these conditions.

People who do whole-body cryotherapy often use it in combination with other treatments, like medication and physical therapy.

What are the benefits of cryotherapy?

The benefits of whole-body cryotherapy are still being debated. But here's what researchers know about how exposure to subzero temperatures can affect the body. 

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Cryotherapy may decrease inflammation

Cryotherapy causes blood vessels to narrow, reducing blood flow to the skin and muscles. The cold temperature also lowers inflammatory substances in the blood, which may reduce swelling and inflammation. But it's unclear how decreased inflammatory levels affect people. So there's a need for more research.

Cryotherapy may relieve pain

Cryotherapy can also slow the signals that travel along your nerves. Studies suggest that slower nerve signaling is how cold therapy, in general, helps relieve pain. 

According to one review, local and whole-body cryotherapy may ease chronic pain from conditions like fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. But the evidence is very limited.

Cryotherapy may support exercise recovery

During exposure to low temperatures, circulation in the body slows. But after exposure, it spikes. While there are some claims that increased blood flow (and less inflammation) helps muscles heal after injury, the evidence is mixed. For example, one study showed that cryotherapy can reduce inflammation markers in the blood after a muscle injury, but it does not improve healing. 

That said, cryotherapy has been shown to support post-exercise recovery. In a small study, researchers tested cryotherapy methods for muscle recovery in runners. They found that whole-body cryotherapy was more effective than other methods, like ice baths. 

But, in general, much of the research on cryotherapy for workout recovery has been focused on more accessible options like ice packs and ice baths. 

Cryotherapy may support mental health

Exposure to low temperatures may be good for your mental health. Limited evidence suggests that whole-body cryotherapy, when combined with standard mental health treatment, can improve symptoms of depression. Researchers think that this is because cold makes your body release hormones that affect your mood and response to pain or stress. But there's a need for more studies. 

What are the risks of whole-body cryotherapy?

Although the benefits are still being researched, we know more about the risks of whole-body cryotherapy, which can be serious. 

Changes to vital signs

Whole-body cryotherapy can cause changes in your vital signs, like your heart rate, blood pressure, and blood oxygen levels. These changes can affect people differently. For example, your gender and whether you smoke could influence how cryotherapy affects you. But, in general, whole-body cryotherapy is not recommended for people who have a history of chest pain or heart failure.

Skin damage or rashes

Whole-body cryotherapy can also cause major skin damage, such as frostbite, burns, and frozen limbs. Severe frostbite can cause skin blisters, swelling, and third-degree burns that appear after you warm up.

Another serious problem that can result from whole-body cryotherapy is cold panniculitis. This is when the layer of fat under your skin freezes and causes a long-lasting rash that’s accompanied by pain and discomfort. 

Other risks

Other possible hazards of whole-body cryotherapy include:

• Eye injury

• Loss of consciousness

• Low blood oxygen levels

• Suffocation

• Death

Does whole-body cryotherapy work? 

There’s no hard evidence that whole-body cryotherapy works better than other treatments that are safer and more established. Let’s look at a few findings from studies that do exist, though, and what we can learn from them:

• It can reduce pain, but not always better than targeted treatment. In one study involving people with inflammatory muscle conditions, whole-body cryotherapy did help relieve pain. But it wasn’t more effective than cooling a specific area of the body (local cooling).  

• It’s not better for post-workout recovery than resting. In another study, whole-body cryotherapy wasn’t any better than resting at reducing muscle soreness and promoting recovery after exercise. 

• It can help with depression and pain, but more studies are needed. Whole-body cryotherapy may help some people who have symptoms of depression, mild memory problems, chronic pain, or fibromyalgia. But these benefits are backed by small studies. More studies involving larger groups of people are needed before whole-body cryotherapy can be recommended as a treatment option.

Based on the available research, there may be more risks than benefits to doing whole-body cryotherapy.

What should you know before trying whole-body cryotherapy?

If you are considering whole-body cryotherapy, first know that it is an unproven therapy. It has unknown benefits and serious possible risks. Make sure you understand any underlying medical conditions you may have. And talk with your healthcare provider about how whole-body cryotherapy may affect you. 

Whole-body cryotherapy treatment usually begins with stepping into an extremely cold chamber. First, you enter a room cooled to -60 degrees Celsius and stay there for about 30 to 60 seconds to help prepare for the extreme cold. Once you’ve adjusted to this initial temperature, you go on to a room that is cooled to -100 C and stay there for a few minutes.

In the cryotherapy chamber, people typically wear only: 

• Shorts

• Socks

• Shoes

• Gloves

• A hat or headband over their ears

• A surgical mask

The clothing is meant to protect against frostbite, but it’s not always enough. The surgical mask protects the lips, nose, and small airways in your lungs. It also helps decrease the amount of humidity you exhale into the chamber.

There’s also partial-body cryotherapy, which involves standing in a cylinder-shaped tank called a cryosauna. The tank is open at the top, so your head is not exposed to the cold temperature.

Some people do cryotherapy multiple times in a day or a few times a week.

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Kelly Elterman, MD

Kelly Elterman, MD, is a board-certified anesthesiologist by the American Board of Anesthesiologyand has been practicing clinically since she finished her residency training in 2013. Along with her training, she has over 10 years experience in anesthesiology.

Edited by:

Lauren Savage, MA

Lauren Savage, MA, is a health editor at GoodRx, where she focuses on movement, exercise, and healthy aging. She aims to provide readers with the information they need to live healthier, more active lifestyles.

Reviewed by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

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