Why is Cryotherapy Important during Flu Season?

November is upon us and you know what it means: Sweater weather and the flu season have arrived! According to the latest Influenza Surveillance Report by the Houston Health Department, influenza-like illness visits reached a peak of 85,000 in the ‘22/’23 flu season. So, as November greets us, we find ourselves investing in shots, decongestants, cough medicine, and countless tissue packets. Fortunately, cryotherapy can help boost the body’s natural defenses to fight off influenza during the flu season. Find out how!

The Flu Season in Texas

The flu season in Houston starts in October and lasts through May, with a peak in January and February. Like other seasonal diseases such as measles, it is highly contagious and it is spread by one human to another via droplets discharged when we cough, sneeze or talk. Flu symptoms vary from mild to severe. However, the most common include:

Headaches
Body soreness
Fever
Runny nose
Fatigue / tiredness
Sore throat

In addition to getting flu shots, you can protect yourself and others by:

Washing your hands often
Covering your coughs and sneezes
Staying home from school or work if you are feeling ill
Cleaning common surfaces like doorknobs, handles, and keyboards

So, as sweater weather sets in and we also protect ourselves cozying up with a good book and our favorite latte, we can also help boost our own immune system. Enter: cryotherapy.

Cryotherapy’s Power to Boost the Immune System

Cryotherapy is an innovative therapy that leverages cold temperatures to produce cold-shock proteins that are beneficial for us. It involves exposing the body to temperatures below zero in a special chamber for a brief period of time. As it receives the cold shock, brain activity is boosted and therefore, so is the body’s response to stimuli.

Cryotherapy and the Flu Season

During flu season, cryotherapy can bring on multiple benefits because of the process detailed above. To boost energy levels and increase our body’s natural defenses, you should try this innovative treatment at our Clinic 59 (Humble) and Clinic 290 (Houston) branches. So, how can cryotherapy help during the flu season?

Cryotherapy Is a Mood Booster

The application of whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) has been proved to reduce mental health deterioration. Especially in the case of mood disorders, such as depression, this procedure can greatly help. And, as it has been established by multiple health organizations, good mental health can greatly help develop our body’s defenses. So, as you start feeling the winter blues, boost your mood to fight off the flu!

Antioxidant Benefits

Cold exposure stimulates oxidative stress and therefore increases the antioxidative buffering capacity. This means that your body strengthens your defenses against potentially harmful cells. Therefore, your immune system gets a twofold boost: on the one hand, by raising its antioxidants, and on the other, by strengthening mental health.

Inflammation Reduction during Flu Season

Specialists recommend WBC for athletes and exercise lovers to speed up recovery after exercise. This is because it reduces the period and magnitude of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). The cold shock against the skin makes blood vessels, capillaries, and lymphatics constrict. As a consequence, they minimize inflammation, pain, edema, and muscular spasms and rinse out inflammation and toxins from your body. This way, your defenses are up and ready to fight off the flu.

Cryotherapy at Our Centers in Texas

Get ready for flu season at our cryotherapy centers. We are delighted to welcome you and answer all of your questions. At our facilities in Humble and Houston, Clinic 59 and Clinic 290, respectively, trained and certified professionals are there to guide you through your cryotherapy experience.

Click here to schedule an appointment online or contact us at 832 777 6650 for our Clinic 59 location or at (281) 888 2626 for our Clinic 290 location.