The rate in which cervical cancer is increasing, women are getting more health conscious every minute. Cervical cancer can be detected earlier if a regular screening test is done. Such tests have helped many women to detect the problem way before it has actually started to grow. Preventing Cervical Cancer is not a hard job but if you take care of your regular smear test, you can easily handle it. Women of ages 21-69 have the higher chances of having the disease, irrespective of having sexual intercourse. It is an ultimate step to lead a happy life without worrying for potential health risks.
A pap test looks for the cells in your cervix. The cervix is that part of a female reproductive system which abides the opening between the vagina and the uterus. When you go through a regular Pap test, it will monitor any abnormal cell growth in your cervix which might cause cervical cancer later on. That’s why screening has become so important nowadays. It is only through health checkups that help an individual to have a better understanding about their body. A regular health checkup can identify the unwanted cancerous growth in your body which will be cured if its being identified early! The pap smear test is done by a best gynaecologist in London in the most friendly environment.
Women who are at the age group of 21-69, need to strictly adhere to the pap test. Medical science doesn’t recommend girls of teenage age group or those who are very older to have a pap test. The reason behind this is:
- Pap tests won’t work in a woman who has a very low rate of cervical cancer. It is found that cervical cancer is very rare in women of 21 or younger. If a woman aged 21 or below is having sexual contact then also she is quite safe from this disease as certain abnormal cells get back into its normality during such ages.
- Women aged more than 69 have rare cases of cervical cancer.
- Pap tests won’t work in a woman who has had their cervix removed at times of hysterectomy.
What is Cervical Cancer?
When abnormal cells start to build up in the lining of the cervix, that uncontrolled growth is referred to as cervical cancer. The cervix is located at the lower part of the uterus within the human female genital system. Cervix is that part of the uterus where when mother has babies, it dilates which allow the baby to travel through the cervix to be delivered.
When you see your OBGYN, pap smear only tests for pre cancer cells of the cervix. In the United States, 14000 was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2019. Of course, there are many ways to reduce the chances of having cervical cancer and it can be eradicated too early. Unfortunately this is a disease that affects women both in the US and internationally on a large scale. The growing number of cervical cancer patients are warning women all across the world to take their health seriously and follow up a basic healthy lifestyle to get rid of any potential health hazards. Till date more than 2,600 women have been the sad prey for cervical cancer and have been suffering throughout their life. The worst part about it is, around 700 women have already lost their lives. To avoid such a harsh situation, the only way is to get checkup for the unwanted growth in your cervix. The process is pretty fast and does not involve anything that will spoil your regular working hours. It’s just a matter of a few hours and you will be ready to take up other tasks after that!
What is Cervical Screening?
Cervical screening is helpful in identifying any abnormal growth in the cervix. These abnormal growth first takes the shape of a tumour and then it forms the cancerous cells which is when your body becomes totally inefficient in fighting off with the disease and hence you will be put on a strict observation so that your doctor can monitor the cell growth.
A lot of people think that the pap test can actually detect cancer but the procedure is not what they think. A pap smear test can not detect cancer at all. While you will be going through many tests, during the process you may notice something weird or abnormal in the lining of your cervix which will be an indication to something “wrong”. You will then be put to some other tests to be sure of the fact that you are a victim of cervical cancer. Through the screening, the doctors will be able to identify some signs or symptoms that will be a straight cut hint on the cancer growth. Once the doctors can detect that you are one of those unlucky women, they can simply start the treatment early so that you can get rid of it as soon as possible. That’s why screening becomes so important! It is through screening that you will be notified of any early symptoms that can still have the chances of eradicating.
In fact studies have shown that women who have had their pap test early and have been able to find out their cervical cancer at an early stage, they had diminished their risks successfully. Those who are at the age group of 25-64 are invited for the private smear test at any GP service. It is recommended for women of aged 25-49 to get their screening done in every 3 years and for those who are at 50-64 must have their screening done in every 5 years.
The process involved in cervical screening
The entire process for cervical screening is not that long though. You will be hardly spending around 12-15 minutes in the process. This is the time including when the patient will be with her nurse.
You will be told to undress from the waist down and will be given a paper sheet to cover. You may have to wait a little for the procedure to start. The doctor or nurse will not start the process if you are anxious or have some kind of tension. It is only when you are comfortable on the chair that the process can be started. Next, the nurse will insert a speculum in your vagina which might cause a pinching effect or may be a kind of discomfort. But keep this in mind that such discomfort is only for a short while. This speculum allows the nurse to see your cervix and have a better view of it. Then the doctor or nurse will collect a small sample by scrubbing from the area of your cervix and this way the sample will later be sent to a lab where further information will be restored. Once the speculum is able to collect the sample, it will be removed carefully. You will get your results within 2 weeks.
Working on your fear during pap test
It’s obvious to get afraid just before the cervical screening test. And why not! A woman never goes through these things on a regular basis. The thought of inserting speculum inside the vagina and scrubbing samples from your cervix seem to horrify a lot of women. But a thorough knowledge and understanding of the entire process will help in executing the process much better. Other than this, you are free to take a known person with you so that you will be relieved from the tension.
What else can a woman do to stop the tension from her mind?
- Wear something which would be easier for you to open up. A tight fittings might create discomfort in your mind and especially when the nurse will be waiting right in front of you.
- Take a long deep breath to calm down your mind. If you are amongst the super anxious patients, you can also carry a set of wireless bluetooth headset so that you can listen to music and let the process be done in its own way. Before doing this, you must talk to the nurse or the doctor about your condition so that they can allow you to do that at the clinic.
Conclusion, cervical cancer is on the rise and every woman should start taking it much more seriously than before. The Pap test will help in catching the signs that will notify you about the hidden potential threat to your cervix that leads to cervical cancer.
