Cold Water Therapy and Its Benefits for Health

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Therapeutic benefits cold water decreases with time. Cold water therapy or cryotherapy consists of cold water immersion, ice massage, ice application, or cold gel packs, or cold local application for medicinal purposes. This treatment method is used to speed up recovery from conditions, such as stress, muscle sprains, inflammation and pain, since no standard guidelines have yet been established.

Therapy it is used as an immediate treatment method in some cases, such as swelling and pain while in other cases, it is used as postoperative management, especially in conditions related to orthopedic procedures. Here are some of the amazing health benefits of cold therapy Boldsky.

Recovery from high-intensity exercise High-intensity exercise can cause metabolic, mechanical, or both types of stress in the body causing decreased skeletal muscle performance, inflammation, heat, and pain. Cold water therapy can help speed recovery by increasing blood flow, reducing swelling, normalizing temperature, and other endocrine changes.

Reduces edema
A study shows that compared to hot water therapy, cold water therapy is more effective in treating edema associated with episiotomy, tears or surgical wounds performed in the vaginal area during childbirth. Cryotherapy can also help reduce stress, an itching sensation or pain in the area.

Also read: Is it good to use warm or cold water?

Improve heart conditions
According to one study, exposure to cold weather or cold water can lower the risk of heart disease, such as coronary artery disease, heart failure, and high blood pressure in healthy adults. This therapy can help increase coronary blood flow effectively if it is supported by regular exercise.

Relieves pain
Soaking in cold water can help relieve chest pain in people with heart disease. For pain associated with an injury or sprain, applying an instant cold compress to the area can help relieve pain by reducing blood flow in the area. On the other hand, cold therapy increases the production of beta-endorphins which reduce pain perception.

Reduces muscle spasms
This therapy can cause a variety of physiological reactions, including reducing seizures muscle. Ice massage or use of an ice pack reduces sensory conduction or motor nerve conduction and blocks pain receptors, thereby reducing muscle spasms.

Reducing ankle sprains Application of ice or cold gel can help reduce acute musculoskeletal injuries, such as ankle sprains. A study shows when an ice pack is applied directly to an injured ankle for 20-30 minutes at least once a day can help reduce sprains and repair cells early

Improve respiratory function
Soaking in cold water improves respiratory function, especially in people with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and improves their quality of life. This therapy helps increase metabolic rate, oxygen consumption and respiratory muscle function thereby improving asthma symptoms. Some studies suggest that swimming in winter can help relieve asthma in swimmers.

Lose weight
A study shows exposure to cold can help activate brown adipose tissue which is the main thermogenic organ for rapidly increasing heat production in the body. The activation of brown fat thus helps increase the metabolic rate and thereafter lose weight. Exposure to cold water can be done for 1-8 hours three times a week.

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