The Benefits of Ice Baths For Fibromyalgia, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Chronic Pain

Autoimmune diseases occur when the natural defence can not determine the difference between healthy and foreign cells, which results in the body attacking the normal cells. Autoimmune conditions generally arise from prolonged stressors to the body, caused by poor diet, inflammation, physical and emotional stress and environmental stress.  

Some of the most common autoimmune diseases are:

Rheumatoid Arthritis – which is a form of arthritis that affects the joints and can cause chronic joint pain and inflammation

Lupus – a disease affecting the skin, organs and joints which can cause rashes, hair loss, fever, chest pains, mouth sores, memory issues and chronic fatigue

Psoriasis – which affects the skin and can cause thick, scaly and patchy skin

Thyroid Disease – both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism which occurs when the thyroid produces too much or too little of important hormones regulating overall health

Diabetes – which affects the ability to produce insulin, affecting energy levels and immune system efficiency

There are over 80 types of autoimmune conditions which can range in severity and symptoms. The good news is, research has shown that cold water therapy can help reduce pain and severity of autoimmune disease by reducing inflammation and resetting the nervous system.

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What Is Chronic Pain?

Autoimmune conditions and chronic pain can be linked, however some people can suffer from chronic pain as a result of physical and emotional injury. Pain is the most common symptom reported for all health issues.

“Emotional processes strongly influence emotional states as well as mental, behavioural, and physical health more generally.”

Pain can be described as an alarm system generates by the brain and spinal nerves that make up the nervous system. Chronic pain is described as pain that lasts longer than 3 months in duration and can affect people living with physical injuries as well as autoimmune issues like rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel, lupus, and more.

Cold therapy has been shown to be beneficial in the treatment and management of chronic pain issues. While ice baths have been traditionally used as an effective treatment for rapid recovery from exercise, a regular cold plunge can also help people dealing with chronic pain, through similar mechanisms of reducing inflammation and desensitising nerve endings that contribute to the symptoms of pain.

How Ice Baths May Help With Autoimmune Issues and Chronic Pain

There are a number of scienced backed ways that ice baths may help with autoimmune conditions and compliment existing treatments.

Ice baths have long been known to be a pain reliever or analgesic, and these pain relief benefits of cold plunge also extend to helping with chronic pain. Ice baths help chronic pain and autoimmune issues by: 

1. Reducing inflammation – Through the process of vasoconstriction, cold exposure can help to reduce inflammation and swelling that can be associated and linked to both autoimmunity and chronic pain.

2. Norepinephrine release – The norepinephrine release of up to 500% from an ice bath can cause huge shifts in the state of the nervous system. This can help to place the body into a restful state that better allows for healing, and also produces similar effects to antidepressants.

3. Improving immunity – Cold water exposure has been shown to increase the amount of white blood cells which are immune cells that can aid in healing. Another study indicates that people who cold plunge have relatively higher levels of glutathiuone which is a powerful antioxidant that can improve immune function.

4. Reducing stress – Pain is generally accepted to have links with emotions and stress. Cold water exposure has the ability to reduce baseline stress levels through the stress adaption achieved by extreme cold exposure as well as through the release of dopamine. Dopamine systems in the brain are responsible for the regulation of pain and can have a pain-inhibiting pathway to help reduce pain perception.

5. Nervous system reset – A nervous system in constant fight or flight mode reduces the ability to heal and can be a long-term indicator of disease and illness. By shifting the body in a more relaxed state and activating the parasympathetic nervous system, cold plunge can improve symptoms of autoimmune disease and chronic pain.

What is a good ice bath protocol?

There are a number of methods for achieving a cold therapy practice for helping with autoimmunity or chronic pain, including cold showers, cryotherapy chambers, ice baths, cold water swimming and local icing or use of ice packs.

For a protocol on ice baths, the latest science suggests that 11 minutes per week is enough to get the benefits of cold therapy for positive metabolic effects.

Although this amount of time has not specifically been linked to pain management, based on a pool of collective subjective evidence, taking a single ice bath of just a few minutes can help with reducing the pain associated with injury and exercise as well as reducing the pain related to autoimmune diseases and chronic pain.

A simple ice bath protocol for managing pain is 2 minutes fully submerged up to the neck at 10-15 degrees Celsius, resting for 2 minutes and repeating 3-4 rounds. Many people are now also combining cold water exposure with heat exposure in a sauna, known as contrast therapy.

This practice has also been shown to reduce pain and inflammation. A simple contrast therapy protocol is 3 minutes cold water exposure followed by 15 minutes sauna at 70-90 degrees C, repeated 2-3 rounds. 

Ice baths vs sauna for treatment

Both ice baths and saunas may be an effective tool for helping with pain associated with autoimmunity and chronic conditions. While ice baths cause vasoconstriction and reduce blood flow and inflammation, saunas cause vasodilation and an increased blood flow which can be beneficial for rapid healing.

Cold water exposure in an ice bath, cold plunge tub or cold water swimming provides benefits for autoimmune conditions and chronic pain in the way in reduces inflammation and shifts the nervous system into a rest and digest state, allowing for healing and boosting the immune response. Cold therapy also provides relief from pain by desensitising nerve endings that signal pain and reduce pain perception.

Sauna can also provide benefits for autoimmune conditions and chronic pain by increasing blood flow to affected areas to promote rapid healing. Heat therapy also produces heat shock proteins which are a “Stress-induced cell protecting heat shock proteins (HSP) have been considered as a potential treatment targets for autoimmune diseases”, according to a study. This type of heat stress from a sauna, has the ability to improve mitochondrial function, which in turn improves immune function to promote healing of autoimmune issues like Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Crohn’s Disease as well as chronic pain.

Is ice bathing safe for autoimmune conditions and chronic pain?

Practising ice baths or cold plunge in a controlled environment is generally safe for most people, although anyone with pre-existing health conditions should consult a medical health professional to advise of ice bath contraindications. Specific autoimmune conditions like cold triggered urticaria and others may cause cold therapy to be unsuitable, so it extremely important to consult a physician before using cold therapy.

Specific autoimmune conditions, such as cold-triggered urticaria (cold-induced hives) or Raynaud’s disease, can be exacerbated by exposure to cold temperatures. Cold therapy may trigger symptomatic flare-ups or adverse reactions in individuals with these conditions. Consulting with a physician allows for a thorough assessment of the risks and benefits of cold therapy and helps determine whether alternative recovery modalities may be more suitable.

For individuals cleared to use ice baths, it’s important to practice them safely and responsibly. Start with shorter immersion times and gradually increase exposure as tolerated. Use a thermometer to monitor water temperature and maintain it within the recommended range (10°C to 15°C or 50°F to 59°F). Pay attention to your body’s response throughout the immersion period and discontinue if you experience discomfort, prolonged shivering, or any unusual symptoms.

Creating a controlled environment around the ice bath area, such as ensuring adequate lighting, minimizing distractions, and having warm clothing and towels readily available, enhances safety and comfort during and after the immersion. This preparation supports a positive experience and encourages relaxation, which is beneficial for maximizing the therapeutic effects of cold water immersion.

By taking these precautions and consulting with healthcare professionals as needed, individuals can safely integrate ice baths or cold plunges into their recovery routine to support muscle recovery, reduce soreness, and enhance overall physical well-being. Maintaining open communication with healthcare providers ensures personalized guidance and promotes safe and effective use of cold therapy as part of a comprehensive approach to fitness and recovery.

Conclusion

With so many people suffering from auto-immune conditions and chronic pain, it is important to explore both natural and prescribed treatments and how they can compliment each other. The benefits of cold water exposure may be linked to providing relief from chronic pain and to help people with autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, fibromyalgia and many others.

While there is science behind the benefits of cold therapy for things like fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and chronic pain, we are not providing medical advice and are not suggesting to replace any treatments with cold water therapy. For medical advice, please remember to see a professional as this content is purely for informational and educational purposes only.