Prostate cancer has become the most common cancer among men, other than skin cancer, in the last 30 years. The disease is especially common in older men and can have a significant impact on their quality of life during and after treatment.
Unlike many other cancers, there is no known primary cause of prostate cancer; however, some risk factors are known to increase the likelihood of developing this disease.
These risk factors include age, race, ethnicity, family history of prostate cancer and diet. There are also certain lifestyle factors that may increase your risk, such as stress or unhealthy habits like smoking or drinking too much alcohol. We spoke with the experts at Coolidge Corner CrossFit about the role cryotherapy plays in managing prostate cancer.
What is Cryotherapy?
Cryotherapy is the term used to describe any technique that uses cold to achieve therapeutic results. While the word cryotherapy is most often used to describe the use of cold for therapy, it can also describe the use of ice packs or even cold water immersion. Cryotherapy is not just restricted to treating cancer, it is also used for pain management, wound care, and even athletic recovery. Some of the health benefits of cryotherapy include improving circulation, reducing inflammation, decreasing muscle spasms and aiding in muscle recovery. Cryotherapy has been shown to be effective in treating chronic pain and can even help those with fibromyalgia, who are often prescribed opioids for pain management. However, cryotherapy can be a safe and effective alternative that does not have the same addictive qualities as opioids.
How Does Cryotherapy Help Men With Prostate Cancer?
Prostate cancer is a disease that occurs in the prostate gland, a small gland in the pelvic area, usually in men over the age of 50. It is known as a “tissue-based” cancer because it develops from the cells that make up the prostate gland, the stroma. The stroma produces a thick, sticky fluid that helps the prostate gland to make seminal fluid. Prostate cancer usually grows slowly, although it may also grow quickly in rare cases. It is also important to note that not all prostate cancer is a serious disease. In fact, prostate cancer is most often not serious and does not cause death. Over 80% of men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer do not die from it. Prostate cancer is often treated with hormone therapy, external beam radiation therapy and surgery. Because the prostate gland is responsible for making fluid for semen, removing the entire prostate gland can reduce the amount of fluid released during orgasm. This can make sexual intercourse less pleasurable and affect fertility, however, many men can still have children with the help of special drugs that help to make up the difference.
Muscles and the Importance of Strength Training
Losing muscle mass is a common side effect of chemotherapy. Muscle loss may be due to the effect of chemotherapy on muscle cells, a decline in the ability to exercise during chemotherapy or a combination of the two. The loss of muscle mass is usually gradual and most often starts during the second or third week of treatment. The loss of muscle mass is a normal side effect of the treatment, but it can be prevented in some cases. Men undergoing prostate cancer treatment may be able to minimize the loss of muscle mass and prevent or delay the onset of wasting through exercise. Some researchers have found that even light exercise can reduce muscle loss during chemotherapy. This has been shown in several studies. Weight lifting may even be more effective at preventing muscle loss than light exercise.
How Cold Therapy Helps Manage Pain During Prostate Cancer Treatments
Many men experience pain during prostate cancer treatments, particularly during external beam radiation. Pain can be caused by muscle spasms, inflammation or other factors. Cold therapy has been shown to be effective for managing pain on a short-term basis, but it is not the most effective way to manage pain in the long term. Other pain management techniques include topical creams, pain medications and changes to the treatment method itself. Some researchers have also suggested that certain exercises, such as weight lifting, can help to reduce pain during prostate cancer treatments. Light exercise has been shown to reduce pain during treatment, and weight lifting has been shown to be more effective than light exercise at reducing pain.
Managing Hot Flashes During Prostate Cancer Treatment
Many men who are undergoing cryotherapy for prostate cancer can experience a drop in their core body temperature. This can result in hot flashes or night sweats, particularly during external beam radiation therapy. Cold therapy has been shown to be effective at managing hot flashes during prostate cancer treatment. It may also be more effective than other methods of managing hot flashes, such as hormone therapy. Many researchers have suggested that wearing layers instead of an excessive amount of clothing can help to decrease a rise in core body temperature during treatment. Others have suggested that taking a hot shower between treatments may also help to reduce the number of hot flashes experienced during treatment.
Conclusion
Obviously, this is only a short list of the health benefits of cryotherapy. The real takeaway from this article is that cryotherapy is not only beneficial for cancer patients, it can also be beneficial to men who are otherwise healthy. If you are concerned that you may be at risk for prostate cancer, you should discuss your risk factors with your doctor and make sure to get screened regularly.
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