How to Fight Back Against Autoimmune Disease
For some of us, pain, fatigue, or memory issues can be a temporary, albeit, frustrating inconvenience. For others, it is a part of daily life. This is the case for millions of people who suffer from autoimmune diseases. The problem is it can be hard to find the right treatment because symptoms can be so similar to other diseases, presenting a challenge to receive the appropriate diagnosis from doctors. Cryotherapy, however, is a treatment that has been shown to relieve many symptoms associated with these disorders.
The Inflammation Relation
Autoimmune disorders affect more than 23.5 million Americans. They occur when the body mistakenly attacks its healthy cells instead of foreign ones from an infection or virus. Under normal circumstances, inflammation is the body’s way of protecting itself against these foreign invaders. Sometimes the inflammation response goes a little haywire and doesn’t know when to stop, becoming chronic. Unchecked, chronic inflammation starts to wreak havoc on the body’s tissues and organs, leading to many autoimmune diseases. You may have heard of some of these disorders like Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriasis, Lupus, and type 1 Diabetes. However, there are over 100 other diseases that fall into this category. It is not known why the body accidentally harms itself this way, but researchers are working hard to find an answer.
Who is Affected
There is no answer yet as to why people are affected by autoimmune disorders. For some, it may be genetic and passed down through the family. For others, it may be due to infections or already having another autoimmune disease. Studies have shown that environmental factors may be to blame for an increase in the cases of autoimmune disorders. Other factors include obesity, smoking, and exposure to toxins. What researchers do know, however, is that it disproportionately affects women, making them 78% of those with an autoimmune disorder.
Common Types of diseases
Common autoimmune diseases include:
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Osteoarthritis
- Lupus
- Crohn’s disease
- Celiac disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- MS
- Psoriasis
- Hashimoto’s disease
- Graves
Symptoms
Symptoms are general and widespread, affecting numerous parts of the body, thus resembling symptoms for lots of other diseases. They include:
- Fatigue
- Pain
- Muscle and joint pain
- Inflammation
- Nausea
- Bloating
- Constipation
- Food sensitivities
- Rashes
- Hair Loss
- Dry Skin
- Headaches
- Memory issues
- Weight gain or loss
Because these symptoms are similar to other diseases, it makes it very difficult for doctors to identify and diagnose. Doctors may need to review family health history and blood work to properly diagnose.
Treatments
Currently, there aren’t any cures for these disorders and researchers still don’t know what exactly causes them, but what they do know is that it is associated with chronic inflammation. Luckily there are treatments available to help reduce pain and swelling caused by these disorders and while it may not be possible to entirely prevent them, there are actions you can take to manage the symptoms. One such treatment is Cryotherapy.
How Cryotherapy can Help
Cryotherapy is a safe, effective, non-invasive treatment that uses cold air to relieve pain by reducing swelling and inflammation caused by these disorders. It also increases positive antioxidants in the body that help protect immune cells from harmful oxidative stress, which is a cause of chronic inflammation. And it is not only great for physical symptoms but cognitive ones too! Cryotherapy has been shown to improve mental clarity and focus, relieve anxiety, and uplift overall mood.
In a Cryotherapy session, the user is exposed to very cold temperatures (-200 to -300º F) for 3 minutes in an icebox. The cold air constricts and then dilates blood vessels to temporarily numb the nerve endings that send pain signals to the brain while also enriching the blood with positive nutrients and oxygen. This reduces swelling and relieves pain. It’s like using an ice pack to relieve pain but with greater effects in a shorter amount of time. Less inflammation means less pain and a stronger immune system so that your body can get back to protecting itself.
Consider cryotherapy as a treatment for managing symptoms. It is a quick and effective option for reducing pain and other symptoms associated with autoimmune disorders. Book a session at Icebox Therapy to start seeing results today.