Cryogenic Therapy
Hi all -- I recently tried a 2.5 minute cryotherapy session (-160 degrees F) on a whim while visiting my daughter. Well. I walked out of there feeling better than I have in years! I've always responded well to cold therapy like ice packs but this was whole body immersion... granted I did not have a migraine before I went in, but I felt really good afterwards and migraine activity was really low for days following. I didn't even get a migraine during the 10 hour drive home in horrible rain storms. I am thinking this could be a nice addition to the treatment pie. Anyone else ever try it?
That's terrific! Thank you for sharing and I agree it may be a nice addition. I've not tried this and I can't wait to hear from others in our community who have!
Have the results lasted a while? Nancy Harris Bonk, Patient Leader/Moderator Migraine.com TeamI felt really great for a good 3 days -- now having a pretty average week with a mild headache yesterday but I made an appointment for more cryo on Saturday so I'll see how that goes! It could have been a fluke! I do wonder if anyone else has tried it. It seems so migraine-friendly, with cold therapy like ice packs being effective for so many. 
This is amazing to hear that it had somewhat lasting results! Please do share where you found/find this kind of therapy and hope the appointment tomorrow gives you just as much relief as the first session! Thinking of you! Warmly- Holly -migraine.com team. Did you have your appointment today? Was it this Saturday? If so, how'd it go? Hoping you've found some relief like last time! We're thinking of you- Holly (migraine.com team).
Thank you so much for remembering and asking! I wish I could say it was just as good, but alas -- it was not. The place I went to in NY was not the same as in Ohio -- the chamber was much bigger so it felt more like a meat locker. The therapy was basically the same and felt good at the time, so it was worth it. But I went in with the beginnings of a migraine, ended up having to take my triptan later in the day and the following day (yesterday) ended up with a real killer, the kind you can't leave the house with. So... I would say it did not stave off the migraine but did feel good, but I need to find another facility with the same "feel" as the one in Ohio which for some reason was a better atmosphere. Less clinical, or something. But thank you so much for asking. I haven't given up on it yet!
Thank you for the update! I hope this migraine has subsided by now. Good to hear you'll be continuing your search. I look forward to your updates!
Nancy Harris Bonk, Patient Leader/Moderator Migraine.com Team
I wonder if it has to do with how severe your migraine is when you go in, just like any other method of treating migraine, where so many factors determine how much it'll help from day to day. Regardless, this is super interesting and I'm glad it does feel good in the moment! If you're feeling up for it, I think it would be neat to hear more about how you learned about cryotherapy, what the process is like and how it felt for you. If you post it in the Stories section, more people will see it if they're looking for information in the future. 😀 The link is www.migraine.com/stories. No pressure, okay? All the best in your search. Keep us posted! -Melissa, migraine.com team
