Whole body cryotherapy in cryo-chamber for treating pain-dependent secondary insomnia

In principle, this sleep disorder is characterized according to the same criteria as primary insomnia, and it resembles this form in it symptomatology, but the causes lie in the chronic pain event that the patient suffers. The condition appears as a result of an organic disease. Inadequate pain treatment and wrong or lacking treatment of the onsetting sleep disorder are often unfortunately the components that lead to the condition becoming chronic and have negative effects on the pain event (figure 4.10). The pain-relieving effect of whole body cold is the major aspect of the treatment. Often sleep improves already after a few treatments, coinciding with a fall in pain. “I can now sleep properly again for the first time in months” is a typical response to the simple and liberating effect of the therapy.

It has also proven useful to conduct the second of the daily cold treatments in the evening hours, or when conditions are available to treat the painful body parts with cold air (-30°C) before going to sleep. The resulting freedom from pain allows the individual to rapidly fall asleep and renounce on the intake of analgesic medications.