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A new study found that cold therapy protects breast cancer patients from nerve pain caused by chemotherapy. Researchers found that cryotherapy, a treatment that involves exposing the body or specific areas of the body to extremely cold temperatures for therapeutic purposes, helped prevent nerve damage in breast cancer patients who are being treated with the chemotherapy drugs paclitaxel and nab-paclitaxel. These chemotherapy drugs are notorious for causing long-lasting pain or tingling in your hands, feet or legs. Cryotherapy reduced the incidence of peripheral neuropathy from chemotherapy by 55% in this meta-analysis.

Whole body cryostimulation is a useful "add-on" treatment for obesity, research suggests. Levels of cholesterol and other blood fats improved twice as much in individuals, compared with individuals given a sham treatment. Those who had whole body cryostimulation (WBC) also experienced a greater reduction in waist circumference and in blood sugar levels. 29 participants (12 men and 17 women, BMI >30 kg/m2) were non-randomly allocated either to a group receiving 10 2-min WBC sessions at minus 110°C in a cryochamber over two weeks (WBC) or a control group receiving the same intervention at non-cryostimulating temperatures of minus 55°C (SHAM). Triglycerides,...

Credit: University of Central Lancashire ========================================================================== Whilst ice baths are popular with many athletes to aid recovery, new research published in the scientific journal Sports Sciences for Health suggests that many people might not see the expected benefits because they're not doing it correctly. The study, led by researchers from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), invited athletes, coaches and support practitioners to provide anonymous feedback about their current cold-water immersion (CWI) protocols. Out of the 111 respondents, most were involved in elite sport at international, national and club level, with many having used CWI previously and 78 percent finding...

A 24-year-old salon manager 'froze to death' inside a cryochamber after she accidentally got locked inside the machine and temperatures plummeted to minus 240 degrees Fahrenheit. Chelsea Ake, the manager of Rejuvenice in Henderson, Nevada, was found dead inside the salon's cryochamber earlier this week by distraught employees, NBC reported. Investigators have ruled her death 'operator error.' And preliminary findings suggest that Ake may have used the machine without any assistance and may have suffocated while inside. Authorities with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration told KSNV that they believed Ake was in the chamber for at least 10 hours...

Josh Gauntt explains how cryotherapy works.

It's minus 120 degrees and all I'm wearing is a hat and socks. Cryotherapy is the latest treatment for a range of illnesses including arthritis, osteoporosis, and even MS. New Age madness or a genuine medical breakthrough? The airlock door to the cryo-chamber slides open before me. A powerful whoosh of cold air escapes and a few curls of frozen smoke snake out around my legs. It’s like standing in front of a giant refrigerator, but instead of taking out a pint of cold milk I’m about to step inside. The temperature is minus 120 degrees and all I’m wearing...