Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40186347›Full record

Trial reportEuropean journal of pain (London, England)2025

Cryo-Induced Hypoalgesia: The Effects of an Acute Cryochamber Exposure on Pain Perception-A Randomised Controlled Cross-Over Trial.

Fabian Tomschi, Alexander Schmidt, Thomas Cegla, Thomas Hilberg

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in European journal of pain (London, England), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Fabian TomschiDepartment of Sports Medicine, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1738-4891
Alexander SchmidtDepartment of Sports Medicine, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany.
Thomas CeglaDepartment of Pain Medicine, Helios University Hospital Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany.
Thomas HilbergDepartment of Sports Medicine, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0935-2526

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWhole-body cryotherapy (WBC) is a treatment that involves exposing the entire body to extremely cold temperatures and is used in therapeutic and sports scientific settings. Here, cryotherapy is often used to alleviate pain, but its underlying pain physiological effects are under-researched. This study aims to explore whether a 3-min cryochamber application results in cryo-induced hypoalgesia.

methods24 healthy male participants successfully conducted this randomised controlled crossover study consisting of a 3-min WBC (cryochamber at -87°C) and a 3-min control (ambient temperature) session. Pressure pain thresholds (PPT [Newton/cm

resultsResults revealed a significant 'condition' × 'time' interaction (p < 0.001, η

conclusionsThis study demonstrates that a three-minute cryochamber exposure induces robust hypoalgesia in healthy participants, as indicated by increased PPT, lasting up to 30 min but gradually declining over time. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Whole-body cryotherapy significantly induces short-term hypoalgesia, with increased mechanical pain thresholds lasting up to 30 minutes. Compared to ambient temperature, cryotherapy provided greater pain relief across multiple body landmarks, with 82.6% of participants experiencing hypoalgesia. These findings highlight the potential of cryotherapy for pain management and support further research on its long-term efficacy and clinical applications.

Indexed as

CryotherapyPain ManagementPain PerceptionPain ThresholdAdultCross-Over StudiesHumansMalePain MeasurementYoung Adultcryochamberpain sensitivitypressure pain thresholdswhole‐body cryotherapy

Identifiers

PMID40186347
PMCPMC11971597

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.