The idea of stepping into a large metal chamber, with temperatures emitting nitrous gas at around -200 to -300 degrees, wearing nothing but socks and gloves might seem to some outlandish and or even a little terrifying. But it’s one of the latest health trends, and people at Oxford Cryotherapy are doing just that.
In its most basic form, according to the Oxford Cryotherapy website, Cryotherapy is “an extreme cooling process” where a person’s full body is exposed to temperatures as cold as -300 degrees for a three-minute session which purportedly offers a range of health benefits.
Pat and Suanne Messer own the recently opened Cryotherapy Oxford, located on West Oxford Loop. The mother-daughter duo became passionate about the concept after trying it themselves in Dallas.
“I have rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia,” Pat, a former nurse of 38 years, said. “After trying cryotherapy I had no pain and slept like a baby for the first time in 20 years.”
The treatment has been described as a “reset of your circulatory system” due to exposure to the extreme temperatures which causes blood to rush to the body’s core.
The effects Pat experienced are only a few of the advertised benefits of the treatment, which include burning up to 800 calories a session, improved skin conditions (including the improvement of wounds, acne and cellulite), improved sleep patterns, relieved anxiety and a faster metabolism; resulting in an overall boost of well-being.
The Oxford Cryotherapy clinic has been open for more than a month. The clinic’s door reads, “come chill with us.” Which becomes a reality once you step inside the chamber.
The clinic looks something like a spa, which is fitting because according to an article on “The Fix,” Cryotherapy is “still not approved or regulated by the (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) for the treatment of any medical issues. You do it at your own risk.”
In fact, also according to “The Fix,” Cryotherapy Centers were first regulated in the U.S. this October after a 24-year-old woman died while unsupervised at a cryotherapy clinic in Nevada.
“We cannot consider the clinic as medical because insurance doesn’t pay for it and it has to be FDA approved for medical reasons,” Pat said. “It has been FDA ‘okayed’ for us to open, but we can’t say it cures anything.”
Upon agreeing to try the therapy, clients are asked to sign waivers agreeing to the risks involved.
The waiver lists “fluctuations in blood pressure, allergic reaction to extreme cold, claustrophobia, anxiety, skin sensitivity and skin irritation” as possible risks.
The waiver also strongly suggest that those who are pregnant, have heart conditions and lung disorders, among other health issues, stay away from the chambers.
“You wear an inside pair of gloves and an outside pair of gloves and socks and booties,” Suanne said.
Women don’t wear anything else inside the chamber unless they choose to and men just wear briefs or boxers.
“It is so much easier to tell people about it when you have done it,” Suanne said. “When you are telling someone about your experience that is when you are able to get others interested as well.”
Tate Adams, a student at Ole Miss who heard about the treatment on social media, returned to receive another cryotherapy treatment.
“It just feels like freezing cold air,” Adams said about bracing for the freeze. “You can really do anything for three minutes.”
After signing the waiver, clients’ blood pressure is taken, then they can get undressed and put on the suggested gear- the two pairs of gloves, socks and slippers- in a separate room.
After opening the door to the large metal chamber, clients step inside and wait for a worker to come and turn on the machine to start the 180 seconds of near-hypothermia. With a push of a button, the machine emits nitrous gas that fills the chamber.
Clients have said while in the chamber they expected to feel unbearably cold, but they said the gas felt more like a tingling sensation that was not painful but sensitive. They said the cold on their legs was the most uncomfortable part- which felt like little pins touching their skin.
After stepping out of the chamber, clients said they can feel the blood rushing back to their limbs.
Clients say hours later they still felt the immediate effects- something similar to the energy after a great nap or a great run, just a little colder than usual.
The shock of the extreme cold sends the body into a survival mode that attempts to keep itself warm. The energy the body uses to keep warm is what results in the burning of so many calories and the release of endorphins following.
The owners and employees of Cryotherapy Oxford went through a four-hour training period prior to opening and received additional training once the machine was put together.
Cryotherapy Oxford currently has one chamber with anywhere from three to 38 people coming in “to chill” on a given day.
Cryotherapy businesses must have a steady 30 people a day before they are able buy a second chamber for a location.
The clinic has seen a successful first month, bringing in new clients with a rate of $25 for their first session.
The Messers already have regular customers, both male and female, who come multiple times each week.
“It’s addicting,” Pat said. “You’ll see.”
This article was submitted to The Daily Mississippian from an advanced reporting class.
