How to Use Cryotherapy & NormaTec Dynamic Compression to Enhance Athletic Performance, Improve Health, and Reduce Cellulite & Varicose Veins

External dynamic compression therapy has been used since the 1960s to enhance the body’s natural circulatory and lymphatic systems. More recently, a rehab physician and bioengineer recognized the value of external compression for health, fitness, and cosmetic objectives. Dr. Laura Jacobs developed NormaTec Dynamic Compression initially to treat chronic wounds, lymphedema, and other circulatory diseases. What she found is that, while NormaTec dynamic compression sleeves are excellent for improving these medical conditions, they are also excellent for improving athletic recovery and performance and for improving cosmetic appearance and health. Currently, NormaTec compression systems are used to:

  1. accelerate athletic muscle recovery;
  2. reduce swelling and inflammation (post-operatively too);
  3. prevent and minimize varicose and spider veins;
  4. reduce cellulite and tighten loose, sagging skin.

The Normatec dynamic compression system is like a massage—both traditional and lymphatic drainage. The NormaTec system utilizes sequential pulsing of compressed air that massages, mobilizes fluid, evacuates lactic acid, inflammation, fat, and other byproducts. The system uses three techniques to facilitate this process; pulsing, gradients, and distal release.

Sequential pulsing essentially mimics the muscle pump of the legs and arms moving inflammation, fluid, fat, and metabolites out which is key in healing after an intense workout, surgery, disease, infrared sauna or cryotherapy. The sequential pulsing is divided into 6 zones to create a pressure gradient; the system uses a “hold pressure” technique that keeps fluids from being forced back in the wrong direction. The sequential pulse technology releases the hold pressure so the limb gains maximal rest time between compression cycles.

The ChillRx NormaTec system offers attachments for legs, hips, arms, and shoulders and has minimal associated risks; risks are equivalent to those associated with a standard massage. The intensity and duration of treatment are set based on the needs or desires of the client. Sessions generally run thirty to sixty minutes.

CoeurCryo recommends NormaTec utilization of post-cryotherapy or pre-infrared sauna to maximize the benefits of these treatments. NormaTec can be used prior to physical exertion to enhance performance—compression warms muscles and improves flexibility, helping to prevent injury. Utilizing NormaTec post-physical exertion helps improve recovery time allowing for more intense training and less pain.

CoeurCryo offers NormaTec as a stand-alone treatment or combined with cryotherapy and/or an infrared sauna. We recommend NormaTec post-cryotherapy and pre-infrared sauna because of its ability to enhance the benefits of these treatments.

Here’s how it works: Cryotherapy is extremely effective for mobilizing inflammation in the body. The physical action of cold causes vasoconstriction which physically pumps inflammation out of blood vessels, muscles and tissue. Cryotherapy also stimulates an anti-inflammatory biochemical response which reduces inflammation at the cellular level throughout the body. Both of these effects mobilize inflammation from cells throughout the body; NormaTec compression will facilitate the evacuation of this inflammation through the lymphatic and circulatory systems. It is an incredibly powerful combination and will significantly enhance the effects of cryotherapy treatment.

Similarly, CoeurCryo recommends NormaTec dynamic compression before and/or after infrared sauna treatment. The infrared sauna uses infrared light and heat to detoxify heavy metals, fat, and inflammation from tissues, muscles, organs, and cells. Compression post-infrared sauna will facilitate the evacuation of these unwanted substances from the body through the lymphatic and circulatory systems.

Who should use NormaTec Dynamic Compression?

What is Lymphedema?

Lymphedema is swelling that may occur in arms or legs, usually after lymph node removal or damage during cancer treatment. It can lead to skin infections and interfere with activities of daily living but can be treated effectively with cryotherapy and NormaTec dynamic compression.

What are Chronic, Non-Healing Wounds?

Poor circulation in the legs, often due to diabetes, can cause non-healing wounds and cellulitis. Cryotherapy combined with NormaTec can effectively treat chronic wounds and reduce wound recurrence.

What is Venous Insufficiency

Venous Insufficiency, where blood flow through the veins is impaired, can lead to swelling, pain, varicose veins, and even ulcers. Cryotherapy, infrared sauna, and NormaTec help restore circulation and treat venous insufficiency.

What is Prevention of DVT?

Deep vein thrombosis is a blood clot in a vein deep in the body. Research has shown that DVT can be prevented with regular use of the NormaTec dynamic compression system.

Other Vascular Disorders

NormaTec dynamic compression therapy improves circulation and can help treat many other vascular disorders.

CoeurCryo can recommend a treatment program for medical conditions, cosmetic objectives, and athletic enhancement utilizing cryotherapy and NormaTec dynamic compression. Please call us with your questions!! 208-449-7671.

Reduce Eczema & Other Skin Issues With Cryotherapy

Eczema is the name for a group of conditions that cause the skin to become red, itchy and inflamed. Eczema is considered to be an autoimmune condition because it occurs due to an overactive immune response to an environmental trigger. Inflammation results and causes the symptoms of eczema.

30 million Americans have some form of eczema but it’s not contagious.  People who develop eczema do so because of a combination of genes and environmental triggers. When an irritant or an allergen “turns on” the immune system, inflammation develops and causes skin cells to behave aberrantly causing an eczema flare-up. All symptoms of eczema are the result of excess inflammation.

CoeurCryo Cryotherapy uses cryotherapy (extremely cold, dry temperatures) to reduce eczema-related symptoms. Depending on the type and severity of symptoms, we use a combination of whole body and local cryotherapy to treat eczema. Because eczema is an autoimmune disorder, the underlying cause of  the excessive, out of control inflammation is unknown; cryotherapy can effectively and safely suppress inflammation so that symptoms are significantly relieved.

Eczema is often treated pharmaceutically with steroids and other anti-inflammatories. Whole body and local cryotherapy are all natural alternatives to drug options. Whole body cryotherapy can suppress inflammation throughout the body, internally and externally. By suppressing inflammation globally in the body, the symptoms of eczema can diminish significantly. Local cryotherapy can be used in conjunction with whole body or on it’s own to relieve external eczema symptoms.

There are eight different types of eczema and it is possible to have more than one type at a time.:

All types of eczema cause itching and redness, but some may also cause your skin to blister, “weep,” or peel. Eczema symptoms can be suppressed by reducing inflammation throughout the body and specifically in the skin.

  1. Atopic Dermatitis: This is the most common type of eczema which can be severe and long-lasting. Atopic dermatitis is chronic and inflammatory. AD is an autoimmune condition because it is caused by an immune system overreaction and usually begins in childhood, often in the first six months of the life. AD might improve at times or it may get worse (called a “flare up”).AD is part of what’s called the atopic triad, which includes two other allergic conditions (asthma and hay fever, which is also known as allergic rhinitis). Researchers believe that people who come from families with a history of AD, asthma and/ or hay fever are more likely to develop atopic dermatitis themselves. Common symptoms of AD:
  1. Contact dermatitis is another type of eczema; it happens when the skin touches irritating substances or allergens. The immune system over-responds with excessive inflammation, causing the skin to burn, itch and become red. There are two kinds of contact dermatitis: irritant and allergic. Contact dermatitis usually appears on the hands, or parts of the body that touched the irritant/allergen. The most common irritants include:

Symptoms of contact dermatitis include:

  1. Dyshidrotic eczema is a condition that produces small, itchy blisters on the edges of the fingers, toes, palms, and soles of the feet. Stress, allergies, moist hands, and feet, or exposure to nickel (in metal-plated jewelry), cobalt or chromium salts may be “triggers” of dyshidrotic eczema. This type of eczema is twice as common in women as it is in men. Symptoms of dyshidrotic eczema include:
  1. Hand eczema (also known as hand dermatitis) is very common — up to 10% of the population has this type of eczema. It is also an autoimmune response to an environmental trigger such as allergens or irritating substances. Suppressing the inflammation caused by an over active immune system will suppress dyshidrotic eczema symptoms.Some symptoms of hand eczema:
  1. Lichen simplex chronicus is an itchy skin disease that is similar to atopic dermatitis. People with lichen simplex chronicus tend to get thick, scaly patches on their skin as a result of too much rubbing and scratching of the area.Some symptoms of lichen simplex chronicus:
  1. Nummular eczema, also known as discoid eczema and nummular dermatitis, is a common type of eczema that can occur at any age. It looks very different than usual eczema and can be much more difficult to treat. People with nummular eczema develop coin-shaped spots on their skin, which may be very itchy. It is thought to be “triggered” by things like insect bites, reactions to skin inflammation, or dry skin in the winter. Some symptoms of nummular eczema include:
  1. Seborrheic dermatitis

Considered a chronic form of eczema, seborrheic dermatitis appears on the body where there are a lot of oil-producing (sebaceous) glands like the upper back, nose, and scalp.

The exact cause of seborrheic dermatitis is unknown, although genes and hormones play a role. Microorganisms such as yeast, that live on the skin naturally can also contribute to seborrheic dermatitis. Unlike many other forms of eczema, seborrheic dermatitis is not the result of an allergy.

People of any age can develop seborrheic dermatitis including infants (known as “cradle cap”). It is slightly more common in men than women.

People with certain diseases that affect the immune system, such as HIV or AIDS, and the nervous system, such as Parkinson’s disease, are believed to be at an increased risk of developing seborrheic dermatitis.

Seborrheic dermatitis often appears on the scalp, where symptoms may range from dry flakes (dandruff) to yellow, greasy scales with reddened skin. Patients can also develop seborrheic dermatitis on other oily areas of their body, such as the face, upper chest, and back.

Common symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis include:

  1. Stasis Dermatitis is skin inflammation that develops in people with poor circulation. It most often occurs in the lower legs because that’s where blood typically collects. When blood collects or pools in the veins in the lower legs, the pressure on the veins increases. The increased pressure damages capillaries, allowing proteins to leak into tissues. This leakage leads to a buildup of blood cells, fluid, and proteins, which causes your legs to swell. This swelling is called peripheral edema. Skin inflammation occurs as an autoimmune response to the build-up of blood cells, fluid, and proteins in tissues. Relieving this inflammation topically and internally will relieve symptoms of stasis dermatitis.

Symptoms of stasis dermatitis include:

CoeurCryo Cryotherapy treats eczema with a combination of whole body and local cryotherapy. Cold exposure globally and/or locally to areas of eczema reduces the inflammation that is causing eczema symptoms. We also use infrared sauna in combination with cryotherapy to accelerate eczema symptom reduction. Infrared sauna therapy improves blood circulation, detoxifies the skin and reduces skin inflammation. All of these benefits contribute to eczema relief!

Call us to discuss eczema and any other health concern! 208-449-7671.

CoeurCryo has a medical advisor on staff who oversees our treatment protocols for safety and effectiveness.

Inflammation Ages Your Skin: Fight Back With Cryotherapy

Not all inflammation is bad. Acute inflammation—the kind that occurs immediately following an injury or infection– is necessary to initiate healing. We’re all familiar with this acute version: swelling, redness and pain immediately develop from an injury or infection as blood, leukocytes and other immune defensive biochemicals race to the scene. Acute inflammation should last a few days to a few weeks as the injury or infection is healed or cleared out by the immune system.

Inflammation becomes far more sinister when it enters into the chronic realm. Chronic inflammation isn’t necessarily visible—but it can last days, months, or even years and it can lead to premature aging of the body and skin.

Chronic inflammation occurs due to longer-term injury or infection: chronic exposure to toxins (like alcohol and cigarettes), allergens, stress, irritants, autoimmune dysfunction, physical or emotional trauma and inflammatory foods (like sugar!). Exposure to these stimulants triggers the release of free radicals and arachidonic acid, initiating the “inflammatory cascade”—leukocytes and blood are mobilized, just like the acute inflammatory process. The real players though are called MMPs: matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). MMPs accompany inflammation for all of the right reasons: they enzymatically destroy injured tissue making way for the growth of healthy, new tissue. MMPs are required to remodel tissue during wound healing. The problem is that in the case of chronic inflammation, there isn’t injured tissue, only healthy tissue. So the MMPs destroy that instead….

MMPs break down the core components of healthy skin: collagen, elastin, glycosaminoglycans (GAG’s)and other connective tissue. If chronic inflammation exists in the skin or elsewhere in the body, MMPs will cause skin to thin, wrinkle, lose elasticity and discolor. It isn’t pretty! MMPs are also responsible for the scarring and pitting that is caused by chronic acne inflammation.

There are over 30 different types of the MMPs…but the main culprits will sound familiar: collagenase (breaks down collagen), elastinase (breaks down elastin) and hyaluronidase (breaks down hyaluronic acid). The breakdown of these key connective tissues leads to aging everywhere—in the skin, joints, organs etc. The bottom line is MMPs are bad for your skin and body unless you’re fighting an acute infection or injury.

In order to maintain beautiful, healthy skin as you age it’s necessary to reduce chronic inflammation in your body—and avoid the release of MMPs! You can do this in a number of ways:

  1. Eat an anti-inflammatory diet that is low in sugar and high in fruits & vegetables;
  2. Limit exposure to toxins and other irritants;
  3. Exercise to de-stress, lose weight and build muscle;
  4. Use products that decrease MMPs…examples are retinol, vitamin C, resveratrol and ginger;
  5. Use whole body and local cryotherapy to lighten your inflammatory load in your body and on your skin!

To prevent and potentially reverse the signs of aging in your skin, we recommend whole body cryotherapy at least 2 times a week; add a CryoFacial one to two times a week to directly reduce inflammation in the skin. Here’s what you will notice after starting cryotherapy:

  1. Acne, rosacea, eczema and psoriasis diminish or even disappear!
  2. Dry, rough, flaking skin is relieved. Skin is smoother, softer.
  3. Skin is tighter, spongier, more elastic.
  4. Cellulite is reduced from increased collagen and reduced fat.
  5. Wrinkles diminish as collagen, elastin & hyaluronic acid increase.
  6. Brown spots and other pigmentation diminish.

You will love the many benefits cryotherapy has on your skin. Cryotherapy will also increase both mental and physical energy, help reduce weight, increase metabolism and improve cognitive function and sleep!!! By reducing inflammation throughout the body, at the cellular level, cryotherapy can transform you mentally & physically. Give CoeurCryo a call to learn more at 208-449-7671 or visit our website for more blogs at www.coeurcryo.com.

Localized Cryotherapy For Migraine Relief

The idea behind cryotherapy for migraine relief is that the cold (typically between -120° and -160° degrees) triggers a physiological response in the body. While often thought of as a whole-body treatment, it can also be used as a localized treatment. Here it causes blood vessels to constrict, reduces blood flow and slows down the transmission of pain signals to the brain providing migraine relief.

Jennifer booked her first session at Coeur Cryo in Coeur d'Alene and we walked her through the entire treatment. Owner and Cryotherapy expert Susan Kellner said, “When Jennifer came in, she was suffering from a very debilitating migraine. We gave her a localized treatment which involved applying extreme cold therapy to the back of her neck and head using our T-Elephant cryotherapy machine. Sure it's cold, but it's completely painless."

“In fact, right after the first session, she experienced a significant reduction in pain, and it’s continued to get even better. She used to come in twice a week for treatments, which turned into once a week, then every two weeks, and now it’s once every three weeks because she doesn’t need it as often.”

Jennifer is now experiencing longer-term benefits, “After five sessions, I noticed that after getting migraines probably once a week, I’d get migraines only once or twice a month, which is such a significant change from what I had experienced in the past.”

She added that the improvements are giving her quality of life a significant boost. Where frequent migraines used to mean she used to miss out on social gatherings or had to give up her favorite foods and drink knowing they would leave her suffering, now her life is returning to normal and "missing out" is becoming the rarity rather than the norm.

“Migraines are very debilitating and it can dramatically affect your quality of life,” Susan said, the owner of Coeur Cryo. "As a long term sufferer of migraines myself, I can understand the desperation to find a solution that not only helps in the moment but also over the long term”.

Jennifer said of the Cryotherapy team at Coeur Cryo: “I’d like to thank Susan for all of the hard work that she does, and for providing a solution to something that has definitely affected my quality of life because this has really improved it. This is definitely something that I’m going to continue."

Localized Cryotherapy And Migraine Relief

Typical Localized Cryotherapy treatments last around 5-10 minutes, are completely painless and quite refreshing. They can significantly reduce pain of a migraine in process or if done close to when you get any type of aura or twinkling, can prevent the migraine from happening at all. Regular use of the Localized Cryotherapy has often helped to reduce the amount of migraines over time. If you would like to learn more about Localized Cryotherapy, please give us a call at 208-449-7671 or read more about it HERE.

The Truth Behind Cryotherapy Facials

(Information provided by FloatState)

In the battle against aging, there are tons of products that claim to keep us looking young. With countless creams, lotions, salves, and treatments that promise to rejuvenate your skin, it can be hard to find the right product or treatment that effectively preserves your youthful appearance.

But there is an exciting new treatment that could revolutionize the fight against aging skin: the cryotherapy facials. These facials use super-cooled nitrogen gas to revitalize your skin. They can give you a more youthful, even skin tone in just a few minutes.

In this article, we’ll go over the basics of cryo facials, the benefits they offer, and how they can help you fight the daily damage done to your skin.

Cryo Facials: The Basics

With very cold temperatures, these super-cooled facials might seem dangerous or extreme. But the truth is that they are a safe and effective way of caring for your skin. A cryo facial is performed at a specialty clinic under the close supervision of staff members to ensure a safe, comfortable environment.

Staff members use a liquid nitrogen wand to blow super-cooled nitrogen gas across the surface of your skin; the gas can be as cold as -256 degrees Fahrenheit. Staff members keep the wand moving in circles, spreading the cold gas evenly. This keeps your skin from getting too cold in one spot and ensures that frostbite or other skin damage doesn’t occur.

The super-cooled gas causes the blood vessels in your face to constrict, a process known as vasoconstriction. When your skin warms back up, the blood vessels dilate, which increases circulation and blood flow.

This process of vasoconstriction and vasodilation might sound fairly simple, but it offers your skin some surprising health benefits.

Cryotherapy Facials Keep Your Skin Looking Young

As we age, our skin begins to change. UV rays, stress, decreased collagen production, other factors damage our skin as we age. This causes wrinkles in the skin, discoloration, and a loss of elasticity, which can make the skin look older and less radiant.

Cryotherapy facials can help reverse much of the damage caused by aging by stimulating collagen production, decreasing inflammation, and removing dead skin cells.

Collagen is the most abundant type of protein in the body and makes up a large portion of our connective tissue. Collagen plays an important role in healthy, youthful skin; collagen keeps skin elastic, which prevents wrinkles.

Immediately after a cryo facial, oxygenated blood rushes back into the skin, which stimulates collagen production and leads to fewer wrinkles and discoloration. This gives the skin a more radiant, smoother complexion while preventing further collagen loss.

Decreases Pore Size

While pores in the skin are important for keeping it moisturized and healthy, large pores are visible and can give the skin an uneven texture and appearance. Large pores can also trap oil, dirt, and dead skin, which causes blackheads and acne to form on the skin.

Many people use toner products in an effort to shrink their pores, giving their skin a more even appearance and preventing acne. But these toner products can be harsh and damaging, leading to dry, irritated skin.

Cryotherapy facials offer the opportunity to shrink your pores naturally without the use of harsh toners. The pores shrink in response to the very cold gas, reducing their visibility. This gives the skin an even texture and also causes the skin to tighten.

When the skin tightens, it gives the skin a more uniform appearance. It also reduces the likelihood that acne will form due to smaller pores and better protection against excess oil, dirt, and dead skin.

Increase Hair Production With Cryotherapy Facials

As we get older, our hair begins to thin. In some cases, people begin to lose their hair completely. This leads to patchy, inconsistent hair coverage on the scalp, which can be embarrassing. Restoring hair growth can be expensive, painful, or ineffective. Certain methods can even require surgery or the use of unnatural chemicals.

This is often due to decreased blood flow in the scalp, which deprives the hair of the nutrients it needs to grow. While treating the scalp with cold gas might not sound effective, it can actually help stimulate hair growth.

Cryotherapy facials are mainly focused on the skin of the face and treating issues with the appearance of the skin. But many cryotherapy facials also include a head and neck treatment as well.

When the scalp is treated with super-cooled gas, it causes vasoconstriction. This causes blood to move away from the scalp. When the scalp is warmed up, the blood comes rushing back, increasing circulation and delivering nutrients to the hair.

This can cause new hair growth and help increase hair production. This gives people another shot at a healthy head of hair well into their later years.

Improves Skin Conditions Like Eczema and Acne

Skin conditions like acne and eczema can be difficult to manage. Skin conditions are prone to irritation, which can lead to increased redness of the skin and pain. It can even cause the skin condition to spread.

While lotions and skin cleansing products are used to combat these conditions, they are frequently ineffective. This is because these lotions and cleansing products are filled with unnatural chemicals which can damage the skin or make skin conditions worse.

Cryotherapy facials offer people a natural alternative to treating their skin conditions. With conditions like eczema and acne, inflammation is the main cause of pain and redness. Inflammation also prevents healthy blood flow, which prevents the skin from healing.

Cryotherapy facials reduce this inflammation without the use of harsh products or irritating chemicals. This allows the skin to heal naturally. The vasodilation following cryo facials also gives the skin improved circulation. This results in more nutrients in the skin and a healthier complexion.

This reduction of inflammation and improved circulation gives the body the opportunity to heal these conditions by itself.

Cryo Facials: Skin Treatment of The Future

Cryotherapy facials offer everyone the opportunity to naturally reverse the effects of aging, improve their skin tone, and treat skin conditions.

Localized Cryotherapy & How It Works

Cryotherapy also called cold therapy is a process where the human body is exposed to extremely cold temperatures via nitrogen gas for a scheduled period. This treatment is beneficial for reducing general inflammation and fat loss, some parts of the body may need more attention due to acute pain issues. In such situations, Local cryotherapy is useful to get quick results for treating the affected areas. Different from Whole Body Cryotherapy, this can be employed to hit precise areas of the body and providing these benefits locally. It is treated for reducing inflammation, cellulite reduction, athletic, and surgery pain recoveries in acute pain areas, at trusted centers like Coeur Cryo!

What is local cryotherapy? Does it work?

Benefits of Local Cryotherapy:

Detailed benefits of localized Cryotherapy:

Better than whole body cryotherapy to cure acute pain quickly:

The impact of this local cryotherapy is different from that of Whole-Body Cryotherapy (WBC) in many ways for a human body. WBC provides oxygen and nutrients to the blood but localized cryotherapy will push the blood away from the inflamed or injured part of the body. This process happens at a particular therapeutic temperature and the blood will later get nutrients back to the target area stimulating recovery.

Super beneficial for Athletes:

Headaches and allergies:

Other than these uses of reducing acute pain issues and skin rejuvenation, cryotherapy has provided positive results in people suffering from migraine issues. Since the local cryotherapy provides the option to treat the different nerves from the spinal cord and brain, migraine pain issues are decreases immediately. People who are suffering from sinus issues due to certain kinds of allergies could also see much benefit from these treatments. It is possible to work on the sinus zone and reduce the inflammatory response in the cavity to have a direct impact on allergic reactions.

Bottom line:

Local Cryotherapy is the safest, quickest, and smoothest way to promote recovery in the body which is prone to stiffness or soreness. You could easily opt for this type of treatment if you are suffering from chronic acute pain and want to ease your pain or swelling and promote healing of wounds. But be firm to take this treatment at a reliable and expert center like Coeur Cryo of Coeur d'Alene!