Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy is used to treat a problem of the cervix. Your doctor may do a cryo if your pap tests show abnormal cells on the cervix. A Cryo is done during the first week of your menstrual cycle. It takes only a few minutes, so you should be out of the office and back to your normal routine in less than a day. During a Cryo, the abnormal tissue is frozen (Cryo means cold or frozen). This tissue dies, and the tissue that grows back is most often normal. There is no cutting or bleeding.
The Procedure- You will lie on the exam table, just as you would for a pap test. The doctor places a speculum into the vagina to hold the vaginal walls open. A thin probe is held on the cervix, creating a ball of ice that freezes and kills the tissue. You may feel some cramping as the ice touches the cervix, but this goes away when the treatment is over.
Recovery- You should be able to return to your normal routine that day or the next. You'll have a thin, watery discharge for 2-3 weeks after your treatment. There may also be some light bleeding or spotting. Then you'll have a thick, yellowish discharge for another 2-4 weeks while your body sheds the dead tissue. Use Maxi Pads for the first month after treatment. You should not have sexual intercourse or douche for 3-4 weeks. The tissue can bleed easily until it heals. Healing takes 4-6 weeks.
These are examples of the tips that the provider uses during the Cryotherapy procedure, (Not actual size).
**The material provided on this website is for informative purposes only. If you need specific medical advice, please contact the office for an appointment**