JACKSON, WY— Would you freeze your body for three minutes if it promised to heal your aches and ailments?
That’s exactly the promise Healing Waters Therapeutic Float Center’s new therapy makes. The cryotherapy tank is officially open for business.
The healing practice has amassed praise among elite athletes, who use it to relieve sore muscles and stay in peak physical condition. But it was originally designed in Japan in 1978 to treat rheumatoid arthritis.
The premise is simple: cryotherapy chambers deliver liquid nitrogen (think dry ice) as cold as -230 degrees Fahrenheit to the body for three minutes. Such extreme cold pushes your blood to your core, where it fills with oxygen, enzymes and nutrients. When the three minutes are over, all that hyper-oxygenated blood will flow back to your body. The result? Reduced inflammation, muscle repair, pain reduction, and overall improved mental and physical function.
Freezing your body for three minutes is a hard experience to describe. It’s not painful, like getting into an ice bath. It takes a little longer for your skin and body to register the extreme cold when it’s delivered by liquid nitrogen. And really, for anyone who’s survived a long Jackson winter, it doesn’t feel too unlike going outside on a cold winter day. According to Healing Waters owner Gina Hoogendoorn, first-time patients tend to shiver (Buckrail can confirm), but that impulse goes away the more frequently you do it.
And it’s the feeling you get when you’re done that keeps people coming back. It’s easy to imagine why professional athletes would want to subject themselves to this treatment as often as possible. This Buckrail reporter left feeling clear-headed, energized, and ready to tackle the day—all before drinking any coffee. I noticed reduced pain in my usually stiff back, improved digestion, and an overall enhanced mood throughout the morning.
Hoogendoorn recommends doing Cryotherapy up to twice a day, and sells packages to accommodate. It’s more intense than float therapy, she says, so it’s not necessarily for everyone. It’s not recommended for kids or people with heart problems, recent infections, open wounds, or new rashes. But it IS recommended for “people who want to work out day after day,” people in chronic pain, and anyone who wants an extra recovery and wellness boost.
Visit Healing Waters’ website to learn more about cryotherapy and to schedule an appointment.
