The answer to this question depends on you. The main determinant is WHY you are coming in. Do you have general aches and 
pains? An Injury? Need to improve your athletic performance and recovery? Are you preparing, or recovering from surgery? Do you need to improve your systemic health? Do you have anxiety, or depression? Skin conditions? Need help focusing, or have trouble sleeping?
Another huge factor is your lifestyle. Do you have a lot of stress? Do you get regular, quality sleep? Do you eat a clean/healthy diet (at least most of the time)? Are you well hydrated? What is your exercise routine like (too much or too little)?Examining your lifestyle can determine what may be causing the reason you are coming in. For example, if you have an acute injury, you shouldn’t need to continue using cryo; however,if you lead a high stress, low sleep, low movement lifestyle, a regular visit is going to be necessary. Cryotherapy is not a cure-all, but can be used in conjunction with healthy lifestyle changes to improve overall health.
If the reason you are coming in is chronic, or continuing, more sessionswill generally be needed.
Acute injuries, such as a twisted ankle, are usually resolved within 4-10 sessions. Cryotherapy not only reduces inflammation, but it also promotes the healing process. It does this by flooding the area with oxygen and nutrient-rich blood, therefore promoting collagen production.We usually suggest a combination of whole-body cryotherapy, and a local spot treatment to target the injured area.
A chronic injury, such as tennis elbow, which seems to surface towards the end of the season, or achy knees when running, may require more frequent sessions. During the off-season, treatment may not be necessary, but as your season ramps up you may need a maintenance protocol. This will allow you to feel better longer and beable to recover quicker.
Training and Performance
Cryo can be used for both recovery and performance, which tend to go hand in hand. The faster you recover, the better you perform. Our athletes (from high school to pro to weekend warriors) come in after a long run, or intense workout, to recover. For instance, we have a cross fit athlete that comes in before competitions and has never performed better!
Are you getting ready for a race, such as the Broad Street Run? Use cryo to help with injuries you may acquire as your training intensifies, or to recover from long runs. Come do a cryo session immediately after your race to minimize the soreness you experience.Whether you cryo before, and/or after, it will be worth it in the long-RUN!
Surgeries
We recommend as many as a few days, to a week of whole-body cryotherapy, prior to surgery to reduce inflammation in the body. This will make for an easier surgery. As soon as you can get in, we recommend doing a week to a month of cryo, post-surgery, depending on the intensity of the surgery.
Skin Conditions(Eczema, Psoriasis, Rosacea)
The protocol for skin conditions can vary. Some issues will resolve in less than 10 visits, but if the condition is autoimmune related, a regular treatment protocol may be more appropriate.
Anxiety and Depression
We have many clients that benefit tremendously from using cryo to help with depression, and anxiety. Most people don’t realize this, but research shows that these conditions arerelated to systemic inflammation. For anxiety and depression we typically suggest an intensive protocol for the first few weeks. From there, most of our clientsareable to feel when they need to get back in for a session. Some come in weekly, and others only need to come in monthly.
Systemic Health and Wellbeing?
Inflammation is a major contributor to diseases like cancer and heart disease. I have seen what inflammation does to the body, which is why I do cryo 2-3 times per week. No one in my family has lived past the age of 76, so I’m fighting like hell and doing everything I can, to proactively live a longer, healthier life than my grandparents.
What About Cost?
It is hard to put a price on your health. I tell my clients that paying for it now will save you from having to pay for it later. Consider what medication costs, or the price of a reduced quality of life. Only you can place a value on your health and choose whether to be proactive or reactive. Get ahead of your health now, and you will thank yourself later.
If you still have questions about the right protocol for your health goals,I am always available for questions. Please feel free to email me at drgray@restorecryosauna.com, or call 610-341-9300.
