THERAPY
Nitrogen gas temperatures can reach -160˚C in cryotherapy (left); Gas injections in the Czech Republic (below)
stimulates the sex hormones. Increased blood flow is also felt most strongly in the pelvic region where there are a large number of smaller blood vessels. Mofetta is also a term used to describe
the many natural pools, bubbling with carbon dioxide, that are free for use in the Transylvanian countryside. Families and friends spend summer days picnicking around them and swimming in them.
Cryotherapy Cryotherapy is the medical use of nitrogen gas at very low temperatures – selected because it has the ability to reach -160˚C. There are several types of cryotherapy.
Whole body cryotherapy is known for treat- ing a range of ailments – professional tennis players have cryotherapy on-site at grand slams to help muscle function, for example, while in central and eastern Europe, it’s used for general health purposes. The other method of using cryotherapy
is to treat benign and malignant tumours. Whole body cryotherapy involves
standing in a chamber filled with nitrogen gas for up to three minutes. Cooling the body to such an extreme for short periods of time subsequently boosts blood circulation, which speeds up metabolic processes. This, in turn, helps with the elimination of toxins. As a reaction to the cold, the body also
starts to produce more endorphins and corticosteroids which have an analgesic and regenerative effect, easing pain and inflam- mation and boosting both the immune system and mood. As a result, whole body cryotherapy has beneficial effects on many conditions: rheumatic, neurological, inflammatory, metabolic and degenerative.
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FIRST PERSON EXPERIENCE: SOPHIE BENGE
After many years in the spa arena my ‘gas experiences’ have certainly been the most unusual.
In the Czech spa down of Mariánské Lázne
ˇ, naturally-occurring carbon dioxide is captured for therapeutic use. At the luxury Hotel Nové Lázne
ˇ, I was
treated for stiff upper back pain with two injections, each pumping 20ml of CO2 into the muscle tissue beneath the shoulder blades. The syringe was con- nected to a machine that monitored gas levels and pressure. It looked more scary than it felt and the immediate warming sensation that melted the tension in my upper back easily outweighed the initial prick. My back instantly felt more mobile. Gas injections are confined to the back area and can be administered daily over a seven-day stay to treat degenerative joint and spine disorders.
My second gas experience at the hotel
was the ‘dry gas bath’. Lying on a table in my underwear I wriggled into a thick blue plastic sack which was tightly bound to my chest and pumped full of carbon dioxide. Slowly I felt a warm tingling sensation in my pelvis, as blood flowed more freely in that area of the body. This treatment is used to treat disorders caused by insufficient blood flow to the lower limbs, including gynaeco- logical, urinary and sexual disfunction. It should be given every day for two weeks for optimum effect, but even in my one-off 15-minute session, I felt relaxed in my head and tingly in my pelvis. Gas therapies are always prescribed by
doctors. In my case, Dr Pavel Knarra has been a specialist in kidney, respiratory, gastro-intestinal and metabolic disorders for 36 years. This gives you some idea of the levels of experience to be found in this field throughout the region. Such profound expertise is a prime reason for having the treatments and I certainly felt I was in very capable hands.
Spa Business 2 2014 ©Cybertrek 2014
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