Top tips to make your cervical smear more comfortable | pap smear cervical screening
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2024
- Two women die every day from cervical cancer in England, yet it is one of the most preventable cancers and getting your screening can help stop it before it starts.
Reasons cervical screening (aka cervical/ pap smears) is important:
• Screening helps prevent cervical cancer by checking for certain types of the HPV virus which can cause cell changes to your cervix.
• Cell changes are easily treated and this prevents cervical cancer from developing.
• It’s a few minutes that could save your life.
What happens during a cervical screening appointment?
After having a short discussion about your history, your nurse or doctor will ask you to lie down on an examination couch.
They will gently insert a speculum (which is a smooth, tube-shaped tool) into your vagina. They will open it to see your cervix, and using a soft brush, they will take a small sample of cells from your cervix. Your sample is sent to a lab where it is first tested for the types of HPV (human papillomavirus) that can cause cervical cancer. If this is positive, they look at the cells from your cervix closer under a microscope.
For the majority of women, cervical screening tests are not painful. If you have concerns about your cervical screening, book an appointment to chat them through with your doctor or nurse. Remember you are in control and can ask to stop at any time.
These tips can help make the screening more comfortable:
1. Empty your bladder just before your appointment
2. Talk to your doctor or nurse if you’re nervous. If you feel comfortable, share any history that is relevant, such vaginismus or previous sexual trauma
3. Ask for a smaller speculum or ask to insert the speculum yourself
4. Ask them to let you know just before it’s inserted
5. Breathe out as the speculum is inserted
6. If you are not comfortable ask to try a different position such as shifting your buttocks or placing your hands beneath the small of your back to elevate your pelvis
7. Use headphones to listen to music or meditation tracks, or try some simple breathing techniques to help you relax
Don’t ignore your cervical screening invite - book your appointment now!
For more info visit @NHS www.nhs.uk/cervicalscreening.
I never thought of asking if I can insert the speculum myself! It often pinches things and pokes things when it's inserted. Will be trying this, thank you!
So glad it’s helpful!
@@theobgynmumAlso make sure your patient knows they don't have to take the exam but are recommended to. I feel many doctors manipulate their patients into many different unnecessary exams. I believe unless there is a problem all these exams are unnecessary. All these cancer screenings are pretty much worthless anyway because if something is found the treatment will ruin your quality of life while to cancer might. Great grandfather lived 20 plus years with prostate cancer which is not uncommon to live that long. Also I think modesty is a very important thing as well. Modern medicine needs to find a way to do these exam that to need exposure or requires very little. Men are very much victims to this because in reality most members of the medical community could care less about their patients and only want to milk them for money. So basically telling people to get these unnecessary exams brings a lot of income. I know men that had testicle cancer and prostate cancer and had their organs removed you wanna know what the first thing they said to me? I wish I would have let that cancer eat my bones then have those doctors ruin my life. I am very against any of these exams with genitals if you didn't notice.
@@theobgynmum You mentioned using the smallest speculum possible. What sizes or lengths are available? The one. you used on this video appeared to be on the smaller size.
this was actually a 'medium' sized speculum. there is a small, and an 'extra small' labelled as virgin (horrible term!)
I wish we were allowed to choose whether to do this or not. My PCP wont allow me back in the practice unless I have a pap and pelvic. My last doctor told me that same thing, that it's part of a wellness exam and I have to do it. I think that's wrong.
Omg I don’t know what country you are in but that is awful. No one should be forced into having any tests. I hope you can find another provide who will take the time to listen to your concerns!
I'm in the US. I think it's fairly common here.@@theobgynmum
Oh my gosh! I would be switching doctors, or even clinics very quickly!!!
Or 8 like most women prefer anyway just do it at home in send it in the mail or drop it off at the doctors office. Men get a similar test for STDs and the kit can easily be done at home.
This isn’t available everywhere but home HPV testing is a fantastic option if you can!
For a mom how would obgyn delivery her baby
Still do not want this unnecessary thing
This may not be the place to ask as you posted this so long ago but I’m 21 and in the next week have my first gynecologist visit, I’m worried about getting a pelvic exam, a Pap smear, or a trans vaginal ultrasound (basically any invasive procedure)
Can I refuse these procedures? Can I request a stomach ultrasound only?
Again I’m sorry if this is the wrong place to ask
I don't know what rules are for refusing altogether but I do know you have every right to change the OBGYN giving you the exam if you feel at all uncomfortable in the slightest!! I have had to switch multiple times and I regret not advocating for myself sooner because the 2nd doc I had made me feel as$au1ted. It was awful I cried a lot after. My doctor after that was miles better!! Very gentle, compassionate, calm and patient. The person giving you the exam should do EVERYTHING to make you very comfortable and feel safe. My good doc currently I only had very mild discomfort and it was over fast and went smoothly. Night and day compared to the old doc who made me feel violated. Advocate for yourself! Ask lots of questions, and do NOT keep the doc if they give you ANY inkling of unease. Best wishes
You have every right to say no. You don't have to do it. Most nurses and doctors only carry the XS size speculum. And if you're a virgin, it's gonna be painful. Because it's literally a device holding you open.
If you do plan to do it, you would literally have to ask for a specialist that carries ALL the speculum sizes. Including the pediatric one.
Talk to your Mom and Grandma or any woman who loves you about it. Because a pap smear is not a walk in the park, and everyone has different pelvic floors.
Hi I was just wondering is that ok if a mom is 40 weeks pregnancy
Great question....If you are 40 weeks pregnant, could they accidentally break your water and cause labor by doing a pap smear?
Good ideas, but I will wait until we have self tests. If the government thought it was important, we would receive work off for it and as we don't, I am not going to use annual leave for it.
Yes - this test should not be done during pregnancy
In this day and age, there should be proper pain relief
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gu exam// smear test//pap test ( fem💕 )hope this helps lexi
hi i’m pretty late to this but do you think i could be given anxiety medicine before it? i’m extremely nervous & i don’t think i’ll be calm enough on my own
Yes potentially if there is medication you take that helps to calm you. You could definitely discuss this with your doctor and is a better option than avoiding the smear entirely!
I almost passed out I couldn't finish the test it hurt bad! But I've never has anything down there not even tampons so tell me how this test will happen??
@@ImAshleeSmy friend has anxiety/panic attacks and her doctor let her/advised her to take her panic attack prescription before her papsmear so she wouldn't clench up and be in pain. Also she requests the smallest size for everything and only has her favorite doctor who she trusts do the exam. She has a past of being a victim of SA so this exam is very hard for her and all of these steps she said made it far easier and less painful. I recommend asking your doctor about the aforementioned things to see if you can do similarly. Best wishes
I’m getting a Pap smear tomorrow and I’m scared and these helped
I’m so glad! Hope all went well
Me too! Mines tomorrow. I guess yours has happened by now. I'm not looking forward to mine.
Wow they don't have to treat you like a turkey they're stuffing? They can give you choice? And empowerment?
I bled horribly after they put the mascara looking thing in there. I had to rush to ER. I also went to a well known OBGYN in Henderson NV
I’m getting my Pap smear on Friday. I’m scared and nervous 😰
Aw hope all goes well. Make sure you tell the healthcare provider that you are nervous and I’m sure they will do all they can to help!
how did it go? I’m having one done tomorrow and I’m so nervous):
I went for mine today and I couldn’t do it I tensed up so much I have to go back
I hope that some of these tips can be helpful for your return. Hope all goes smoothly