Cryotherapy Reduces Appearance of Varicose and Spider Veins

Varicose Veins…say bye bye!

If you suffer from varicose veins, you may believe the only way to eliminate them is through painful surgery. You’d be wrong. Varicose veins can be extremely painful and leave you embarrassed to wear any clothing that reveals your legs. While only you and your doctor can make the final decision, there are alternatives that are easier and far less painful than undergoing surgery. While some of these alternatives include diet and exercise, there is also a more efficient treatment for varicose veins.

What causes varicose veins?

Genetics do play a role in the development of varicose and spider veins. But it is not the sole cause….

  1. Age: As you get older, your veins can lose elasticity, causing them to stretch. The valves in your veins may become weak, allowing blood that should be moving toward your heart to flow backward. Blood pools in your veins, and your veins enlarge and become varicose. The veins appear blue because they contain deoxygenated blood, which is in the process of being recirculated through the lungs.
  2. Pregnancy: Pregnancy increases the volume of blood in your body, but decreases the flow of blood from your legs to your pelvis. This circulatory change is designed to support the growing fetus, but it can produce an unfortunate side effect — enlarged veins in your legs. Varicose veins may surface for the first time or may worsen during late pregnancy, when your uterus exerts greater pressure on the veins in your legs. Changes in your hormones during pregnancy also may play a role. Varicose veins that develop during pregnancy generally improve without medical treatment three to 12 months after delivery.
  3. Excessive Weight: Weight also contributes to the development of varicose and spider veins–additional weight puts pressure on veins and blood vessels trapping blood and leading to the appearance of these veins.
  4. Standing or sitting for long periods of time without moving your legs. Blood doesn’t flow as well if you’re in the same position for long periods.

Improve your circulation to prevent or improve varicose veins.

Exercise and weight loss contribute to improving circulation in your legs, which will alleviate varicose veins. Eating foods higher in fiber, omega-3 and co-enzyme Q-10 can also help. Whole body and local cryotherapyhave also been shown to improve blood circulation and vein elasticity in the legs. The reason is that cryotherapy causes vasoconstriction of blood vessels and veins–this pushes pooled blood out of veins and blood vessels. When the body warms up, vasodilation occurs and fresh blood flows through these veins and blood vessels–this sequence can actually evacuate the veins and blood vessels of trapped blood that is causing the look of varicose and spider veins.  Additionally, the vasoconstriction/vasodilation sequence actually “exercises” your veins creating more elasticity.

You may see a marked improvement in the appearance of varicose veins following cryotherapy. Cryotherapy stimulates circulation, which helps improve their overall appearance. The cold causes vasoconstriction of blood vessels and veins which can evacuate them of trapped blood. You may also see a marked improvement in spider veins. Spider veins are simply small dilated capillaries that are very responsive to the vasoconstriction caused by cryotherapy

Cryotherapy can activate weight loss and corresponding improvement in varicose veins:

Cryotherapy sessions burn between 500 and 800 calories and have been shown to boost the metabolic rate. Losing weight relieves some of the pressure on veins and can help pooled blood flow more freely through the legs. This may improve the appearance of varicose and spider veins.

Better yet—cryotherapy has been shown to reduce fat deposits and cellulite—so in addition to fewer visible veins, you may lose inches and experience smoother skin!

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.

Struggling With Infertility? Variable Optics™ Infrared Red Light Therapy May Be Your Answer

Infertility and subfertility are on the rise, in both women and men, all across the world.

Being infertile is the inability, as a couple, to get pregnant after 6 – 12 months of trying. Subfertility refers to having a reduced chance of becoming pregnant, relative to other couples.

It is estimated that 12-15% of couples want, but are unable, to conceive. Due to this, fertility treatments such as IVF, IUI, hormonal or drug approaches, surgical procedures, and more, are rapidly increasing in popularity.

"It is important to note that not ALL Infrared Light systems are equal. At Coeur Cryo, we use the most advanced Whole Body Red Light Therapy (Near & Far) available in combination with the unique Variable Optics™ technology (not widely available) which provides the exact specifications in wavelengths for the maximum benefit in promoting fertility."

Susan Kellner, Coeur Cryo Owner

Light therapy (sometimes known as photobiomodulation, LLLT, red light therapy, cold laser, etc.) shows promise for improving the health of a lot of different body parts and has been studied for both female fertility and male fertility. Is light therapy a valid fertility treatment? In this article, we will discuss why light might be all you need…

Light therapy is a novel treatment idea for infertility, and although it falls under the same ‘ART’ (assisted reproductive technology) classification as IVF, it is a much cheaper, non-invasive, and easier-to-access treatment. Light therapy is very well established for the treatment of eye health issues, pain problems, wound healing, etc., and is being vigorously studied across the world for a wide range of conditions and body parts. Most of the current light therapy for fertility research is coming out of 2 countries – Japan and Denmark – especially for research on female fertility.

50%, about half, of all infertile couples are due to solely female factors, with a further 20% being a combination of both female and male subfertility. So around 7 out of every 10 conception issue can be improved by addressing female reproductive health.

Thyroid problems and PCOS are among the leading causes of infertility, both being severely underdiagnosed. Endometriosis, fibroids, and other unwanted internal growths account for another large percentage of infertility cases. When a woman is infertile, 30%+ of the time there will be some degree of endometriosis. Other common infertility causes are; fallopian tube blockages, internal scarring from surgery (including C-sections), and other ovulation problems besides PCOS (anovulation, irregular, etc.). In many cases the cause of infertility is just unexplained – it’s not known why. In some cases, conception and egg implantation occur, but at a later point in early pregnancy, there is a miscarriage.

With the rapid rise of fertility problems, there has been a commensurate rise in infertility treatments and research. Japan as a country has one of the worst fertility crises in the world, with one of the highest rates of IVF use. They are also pioneers in studying the effects of light therapy on improving female fertility….

Light therapy uses either red light, near-infrared light, or a combination of both. The ideal type of light for a specific purpose varies based on the part of the body.

When looking at female fertility specifically, the primary targets are the uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, and general hormonal systems (thyroid, brain, etc.). All of these tissues are inside the body (unlike male reproductive parts), and so the type of light with the best penetration is necessary, as only a small percentage of the light hitting the skin will penetrate down into tissues like ovaries. Even with the wavelength that gives the optimal penetration, the amount that penetrates is still very small, and so a very high intensity of light is required as well.

Near-infrared light at wavelengths between 720nm and 840nm have the best penetration into biological tissue. This range of light is known as the ‘Near Infrared Window (into biological tissue)” because of the unique properties of passing deep into the body. Researchers looking at improving female infertility with light have overwhelmingly selected the 830nm near-infrared wavelength for study(1-6). This 830nm wavelength not only penetrates well but also has potent effects on our cells, improving their function.

Some of the early research out of Japan was based on ‘The Proximal Priority Theory’. The basic idea is that the brain is the master organ of the body and all other organs and hormonal systems are downstream from the brain. Whether or not this idea is correct, there is some truth to it. Researchers used 830nm near-infrared light on the neck of infertile Japanese women(1), hoping that the direct and indirect (via the blood) effects on the brain would ultimately lead to better hormonal and metabolic situations across the entire body(3), especially the reproductive system. The results were great, with a high percentage of women previously deemed ‘severely infertile’ not only getting pregnant but also achieving live births(1,2,4)– welcoming their baby into the world.

Light On the Neck

Following on from the studies using light on the neck, researchers were interested in whether or not light therapy might improve the success rates of natural pregnancies and IVF.

In vitro fertilization is known as a last resort when traditional methods of conception have failed. The cost per cycle can be very high, even unfeasible for many couples, with others taking out loans as a gamble to fund it. The success rates of IVF can be very low, especially in women aged 35 years or more. Given the high cost and low success rate, improving the chances of an IVF cycle is critical to achieve the goal of pregnancy. Eliminating the need for IVF and getting pregnant naturally after failed cycles is even more appealing.

Implantation rates of the fertilized egg (critical for both IVF and regular pregnancy) are thought to be related to mitochondrial function(8). Lower-performing mitochondria hinder the functioning of the egg cell. The mitochondria found in egg cells are inherited from the mother and can have DNA mutations in certain women, especially as age advances. Red and near-infrared light therapy work directly on the mitochondria, improving function and reducing issues like DNA mutations. This explains why a study from Denmark showed that two-thirds of women who previously had failed IVF cycles achieved a successful pregnancy (even natural pregnancies) with light therapy. There was even a case of a 50-year-old woman getting pregnant!

Light On the Abdomen

The protocol used in this study from Denmark(7) involved 3 near-infrared light therapy sessions per week, with the light being directly applied to the abdomen, at quite a large dose. If the woman did not conceive during the current menstrual cycle, treatments continued into the next. Out of a sample of 400 previously infertile women, a whopping 260 of them were able to conceive following near-infrared light treatments. Declining egg quality is not an irreversible process, it would seem. This research raises questions over the ART process of removing a woman’s egg nucleus and inserting it into the egg cells of a donor (known as mitochondrial transfer, or 3-person/parent babies) – is it really necessary when a woman’s own egg cells can be potentially restored with a non-invasive therapy.

Using light therapy directly on the abdomen (to target the ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes, egg cells, etc.) is thought to work in 2 ways. Firstly it optimizes the environment of the reproductive system, ensuring egg cells are released during ovulation, can travel down the fallopian tubes, and can implant into a healthy uterus wall with good blood flow, a healthy placenta can form, etc(23). The other mechanism involves improving the health of the egg cell directly. Oocyte cells, or egg cells, require huge amounts of energy compared to other cells for the processes related to cell division and growth. This energy is provided by mitochondria – the part of a cell affected by light therapy. Declining mitochondrial function can be seen as the key cellular cause of infertility(8). This may be the key explanation for most cases of ‘unexplained’ fertility and why fertility declines with advancing age – the egg cells just can’t make enough energy. Evidence that they require and use so much more energy is found by the fact that there are 200 times more mitochondria in egg cells when compared to other regular cells. That’s 200 times more potential for effects and benefits from light therapy relative to other cells in the body. Of every cell in the entire human body, male or female, the egg cell may be the type that receives the most drastic enhancements from red and near-infrared light therapy. The only problem is getting the light to penetrate down to the ovaries (more on that below).

Both of these light therapy or ‘photobiomodulation’ effects together create a healthy and youthful environment, suitable to support a growing embryo.

It is important to note that not ALL Infrared Light Therapies are equal. At Coeur Cryo, we use the most advanced Whole Body Red Light Therapy (Near & Far) available in combination with the unique Variable Optics™ technology (not currently widely available) which provides the exact specifications in wavelengths for the maximum benefit in promoting fertility.

Our members have unlimited access to our Whole Body Red Light Therapy through their monthly membership but in addition, we offer a single treatment or packages of 6 and 12.

Pay us a visit and see what it can do for you and your growing family!

(Please keep an eye out for our blog on "Male Infertility and the Known Benefits of Red Light Therapy".)

References

  1. Personal Overview of the Application of LLLT in Severely Infertile Japanese Females. Ohshiro. 2012
  2. Treatment Of Female Infertility Incorporating Low-Reactive Laser Therapy (LLLT): An Initial Report. Iwahata et al. 2005
  3. The Proximal Priority Theory: An Updated Technique in Low-Level Laser Therapy with an 830 nm GaAlAs Laser. Ohshiro. 2012
  4. Analysis of the curative effect of GaAlAs diode laser therapy in female infertility. Taniguchi et al. 2010
  5. Proximal Priority Treatment Using The Neck Irradiator For Adjunctive Treatment of Female Infertility. Fujii et al. 2007
  6. A case where low reactive level laser therapy was thought to be extremely effective in the treatment of female infertility. Fujii et al. 2004
  7. PhotoBioModulation for Infertility. EC Gynaecology 8.9. 2019
  8. Why do older women have poor implantation rates? A possible role of the mitochondria. Bartmann et al. 2004

(Article content attributed to Red Light Man)