Cryotherapy
Glossary
The terminology around whole body cryotherapy — explained without the jargon. From vasoconstriction to norepinephrine, here's what the words actually mean.
20 terms.
One quick reference.
Whether you're researching cryotherapy for the first time or you've been reading the science and getting tangled in the vocabulary, this glossary is here to help. Use the search to filter terms, or browse the alphabet index to jump to a section.
Adipose Tissue
The technical name for body fat. Cryotherapy research has examined how cold exposure affects different types of adipose tissue — particularly the conversion of white fat (energy storage) into more metabolically active brown fat, which burns calories to generate heat.
Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT)
A specialized type of fat tissue rich in mitochondria that generates heat by burning calories. Cold exposure — like a cryotherapy session — is one of the most reliable ways to activate BAT, which is one reason regular cryo is associated with improved metabolic health and energy expenditure.
Cold Shock Response
The body's coordinated reaction to sudden, intense cold exposure. The response includes rapid vasoconstriction, a surge in norepinephrine and other catecholamines, increased heart rate, and a deep involuntary breath. It's the foundation of nearly every cryotherapy benefit — and it's exactly what your body is doing during those 3 minutes in the chamber.
CryoStar Chamber
The specific whole body cryotherapy chamber used at Altoona Cryo. It uses electrically powered cooling (not liquid nitrogen) to deliver dry cold air down to roughly −256°F. Electric chambers are considered safer than nitrogen-based units because they don't displace ambient oxygen, and they deliver more consistent temperatures throughout the session.
Cryotherapy
Literally "cold therapy" — the use of low temperatures for therapeutic benefit. The term covers everything from a basic ice pack to medical-grade liquid nitrogen treatments. In wellness and recovery contexts, cryotherapy usually refers to whole body cryotherapy: brief, professionally administered exposure to extremely cold air in a specialized chamber.
DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness)
The stiffness and soreness that shows up 24 to 72 hours after a hard workout. It's caused by microscopic muscle damage and the inflammatory repair process that follows. Cryotherapy is one of the most studied tools for reducing DOMS severity and shortening how long it lasts — making it a staple in athletic recovery protocols.
Dry Cold
Cold air with very low humidity, which is what makes whole body cryotherapy tolerable at temperatures that would be dangerous in any wet environment. Because there's no moisture to conduct cold into the skin, your body experiences −256°F dry air far differently than ice water at 32°F. It's why a 3-minute cryo session is comfortable while an ice bath at much warmer temperatures isn't.
Endorphins
The body's natural pain-relieving and mood-enhancing chemicals, released by the central nervous system in response to stress, exercise, and — yes — cold exposure. The endorphin surge during and after a cryotherapy session is a major reason clients describe feeling energized and clear-headed for hours afterward.
Hormesis
A biological principle in which a small, controlled dose of stress triggers adaptive responses that make the body stronger and more resilient. Exercise is hormetic. So is cold exposure. The brief, intense stress of a cryotherapy session is exactly what activates the cascade of recovery and resilience benefits — your body adapting to a manageable challenge.
Inflammation
Your immune system's response to injury, infection, or stress. Acute inflammation is helpful — it's how your body heals. Chronic inflammation, the kind that hangs around long after the trigger is gone, contributes to pain, slow recovery, and a long list of health issues. Cryotherapy reduces both the severity and duration of inflammation through vasoconstriction and modulation of inflammatory cytokines.
Localized Cryotherapy
Cold therapy directed at a specific area of the body — a knee, shoulder, or other problem spot — rather than the whole body. Useful for targeted pain relief, post-injury recovery, or when whole body cryotherapy isn't appropriate. Often used as a complement to whole body sessions for athletes managing a particular injury.
Mitochondria
The structures inside your cells that produce energy in the form of ATP. Brown adipose tissue is packed with them, which is why it's so metabolically active. Cold exposure has been shown to support mitochondrial biogenesis — meaning your cells can become more efficient energy producers over time with regular cryotherapy.
Norepinephrine
A neurotransmitter and hormone that plays a central role in focus, mood, energy, and attention. Cold exposure can dramatically increase norepinephrine levels — research has shown increases of 200–300% during whole body cryotherapy sessions. This is one of the primary mechanisms behind the post-cryo mood lift, sharper focus, and reduced symptoms of mild depression that regular clients often report.
Raynaud's Syndrome
A condition in which small blood vessels — especially in the fingers and toes — overreact to cold by clamping down severely, restricting circulation. Because cryotherapy involves intense vasoconstriction, Raynaud's is one of the contraindications for whole body sessions. If you have it, our screening process will catch it and we'll talk through alternatives.
Recovery
In athletic and wellness contexts, recovery refers to the full process of repair and adaptation that happens between training sessions or stressful events. Sleep, nutrition, hydration, and active modalities like cryotherapy all play a role. Cryo accelerates recovery by reducing inflammation, easing soreness, and supporting the parasympathetic shift your body needs to actually rebuild.
Sympathetic Nervous System
The branch of your autonomic nervous system responsible for the "fight or flight" response. Cold exposure is a potent sympathetic activator — your heart rate increases, vessels constrict, and stress hormones surge. Brief, controlled activation is part of why cryotherapy works; sustained over-activation is what we want to avoid in daily life. The 3-minute dose is intentional.
Thermogenesis
The process of producing heat in the body to maintain core temperature. Cold-induced thermogenesis is the main driver of brown adipose tissue activation — when your body senses cold, it burns calories to produce warmth. This is one of the metabolic mechanisms behind the energy and body composition benefits associated with regular cryotherapy.
Vasoconstriction
The narrowing of blood vessels. During a cryotherapy session, your peripheral blood vessels constrict rapidly, shunting blood toward your core to protect your vital organs. This redirected, oxygen-rich blood is what flushes inflammation from soft tissue and joints — and it's the reason cold exposure is so effective for recovery and pain management.
Vasodilation
The widening of blood vessels — the opposite of vasoconstriction. After a cryotherapy session, as your body warms back up, your blood vessels open and a flood of nutrient-rich blood rushes back to peripheral tissues. This rebound vasodilation is part of why you feel warm and energized within minutes of stepping out of the chamber.
Whole Body Cryotherapy (WBC)
A 2 to 3 minute session in a specialized chamber cooled to between −200°F and −256°F. The cold air covers the entire body (except for protected hands, feet, and head), triggering a coordinated cold shock response that drives the recovery, energy, and inflammation benefits cryotherapy is known for. This is what we offer at Altoona Cryo.
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