# Getting excited - got some really good thoughts about why going to a snowy resort could be a great holiday!

**URL:** <https://discussion.livingwithpsoriaticarthritis.org/t/getting-excited-got-some-really-good-thoughts-about-why-going-to-a-snowy-resort-could-be-a-great-holiday/5062>\
**Category:** Blog\
**Created:** [October 25, 2012, 2:03pm UTC](https://discussion.livingwithpsoriaticarthritis.org/t/getting-excited-got-some-really-good-thoughts-about-why-going-to-a-snowy-resort-could-be-a-great-holiday/5062 "2012-10-25T14:03:54Z")\
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**Author:** ![melaniej](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussion.livingwithpsoriaticarthritis.org/melaniej/32/420_2.png) [@melaniej](https://discussion.livingwithpsoriaticarthritis.org/u/melaniej)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2012, 2:03pm UTC](https://discussion.livingwithpsoriaticarthritis.org/t/getting-excited-got-some-really-good-thoughts-about-why-going-to-a-snowy-resort-could-be-a-great-holiday/5062/1 "2012-10-25T14:03:54Z")

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all this stuff about benefits of cold therapy has got me thinking - why not just do some snow bathing ! My husband and teenagers can pursue their love of skiing while I indulge in some cold therapy, beautiful snow cold ! The evidence is stacking up that it really helps x

Serial whole-body cryotherapy in the criostream for inflammatory rheumatic diseases. A pilot study].

[Article in German]

[Lange U](https://discussion.livingwithpsoriaticarthritis.org/pubmed?term=Lange%20U%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=18548207), [Uhlemann C](https://discussion.livingwithpsoriaticarthritis.org/pubmed?term=Uhlemann%20C%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=18548207), [Müller-Ladner U](https://discussion.livingwithpsoriaticarthritis.org/pubmed?term=M%C3%BCller-Ladner%20U%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=18548207).

### Source

Abteilung Rheumatologie, Klinische Immunologie, Physikalische Medizin und Osteologie (Innere Medizin mit Schwerpunkt Rheumatologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen), Kerckhoff-Klinik, Bad Nauheim. ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

### Abstract

#### BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:

Local as well as whole-body cryotherapy is used to relieve pain and inflammation in rheumatic diseases. In comparison with a chamber-based whole-body cryotherapy, the novel criostream whole-body therapy (single-person cabin with cold air cooled by liquid nitrogen) as an innovative technique offers not only a rapid therapeutic effect but also a considerable reduction in costs. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of whole-body cryotherapy in the criostream on pain reduction, disease activity and pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-[TNF-]alpha and interleukin-[IL-]1), and improvement in functional scores.

#### PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Ten patients with different active inflammatory rheumatic diseases (four patients with rheumatoid arthritis, three patients with ankylosing spondylitis, and three patients with psoriatic arthritis/spondylitis) underwent nine sessions of whole-body cryotherapy in 5 days for a short time period (at first 90 s, with step-up in each application to 2.5 min total time).

#### RESULTS:

Pain and disease activity scores decreased significantly, and, subsequently, also the functional scores showed a significant amelioration. Furthermore, there was a significant reduction in TNF-alpha (p \< 0.01) and IL-1 (p \< 0.05). Side effects were reported only after the first application in two cases (headache and sensation of cold).

#### CONCLUSION:

The criostream offers an elegant and, from the patient's point of view, attractive therapeutic agent in the multimodal treatment concept for inflammatory rheumatic diseases.