Annual women's exam
Posted on Sunday, May 01 @ 17:47:47 EDT by vetta |
|
Getting an Annual Women's Exam
Before Your Appointment
Tools of the Trade
What Should I Expect?
Different Kinds of Pap Smears
Things to Think About
GETTING AN ANNUAL
WOMEN'S EXAM
Do I have to?
You may have heard some horror stories about getting an annual exam. Your
friends may have told you about the awkward table and the scary metal
instruments. But the truth is -- it really isn’t that bad! All throughout
puberty, your body has gone through some major changes, and your health care
provider can help you learn how to take care of your reproductive system. By
taking care of your body with preventative screenings now, you can avoid some
major complications later.
What's involved?
The visit will include lab tests (blood and urine), a breast exam and the pelvic
exam. A pelvic exam is a relatively quick procedure consisting of two major
parts: a pap smear, in which your clinician visually examines your cervix and
takes a small cell sample, and a bimanual exam, where your clinician will feel
the position of your internal organs with his/her fingers. The visit will take
about 1 hour, but the actual pelvic exam normally takes about 15 minutes.
When should I go?
Annual routine checkups are the best way to screen for potential problems. You
should make an appointment with your health care provider once a year…
… if you are over the age of 18,
… if you are sexually active, or
… if you are interested in obtaining birth control.
It’s best to make your appointment around day 14 of your menstrual cycle, or
about 2 weeks after the starting date of your period. You can also make an
appointment anytime you experience a change in vaginal discharge, burning,
redness, or swelling.
If you’d like to make an appointment at the Women’s Clinic in the University
Health Center, you can call 706-542-8691.
BEFORE YOUR
APPOINTMENT
Great, you’ve taken the first step! There are
a few things you should keep in mind before your appointment:
Do not douche, have sex, or use tampons 48 hours before your exam. These may
change the cells of the cervix, which must be left undisturbed in order to get
an accurate Pap smear.
Make a list of questions to take with you to the exam. Your health care provider
is a wealth of information and should be able to answer your questions on your
body, birth control, risks associated with different sexual behaviors, and
sexually transmitted infection symptoms and prevention.
WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT?
- At the University Health Center, you will check into the lab for a urine
and blood test. Don’t worry, it’s only a finger stick test for the blood.
Then you’ll head to the Women’s Clinic on the second floor.
- When you come into the office, you will be asked to fill out a form of
your medical history, date of your last period, and previous sexual activity,
such as number of partners and history of condom use. It’s important to be
completely honest on this form, even if it’s embarrassing. Your health care
provider is there to help you, and the only way s/he can help you is if you
provide truthful information. You can also obtain a copy of the form online
and complete it before your visit.
- A staff member will lead you to a room where she will record some basic
health information, such as your height, weight, pulse, blood pressure, and
general health.
- Next the staff member will lead you to the exam room, where you will be
instructed to undress and wait for the clinician. You will be given a
hospital gown with a slit in the front, as well as a sheet to cover yourself.
- The health care provider and an assistant will come into the room and
begin the exam. Most exams start with a thorough breast exam. Your clinician
will feel in circles around your breast tissue for any lumps or
abnormalities. S/he should also check your glands and abdomen for swelling.
- The health care provider is now ready to begin the actual pelvic exam.
S/he will position herself at the bottom of the exam table and will visually
examine your vulva, looking for any bumps, sores, or other abnormalities.
The clinician will then gently insert a heated speculum and open it just
enough to get a good look at your cervix. Swabs will be taken of the vaginal
walls, as well as a Pap smear, which checks for changes in the cells of the
cervix. This is the part that most women dread the most, but it only takes
about 2 minutes and your clinician should be able to explain everything done
during the exam. The important part is to relax!
- Now it’s time for the bimanual exam. Your clinician will insert two
gloved, lubricated fingers into your vagina, and feel around your abdomen
with their other hand. During this, s/he is checking for the size, shape,
and position of your uterus.
- Your clinician may insert a finger into your rectum to test the
condition of your muscles and check for tumors in this area. Again, it's
normal to feel a bit of discomfort and pressure, but this should only last a
few seconds.
- Now comes the final and most important part of the exam – questions and
answers. In addition to explaining what they’re doing, your health care
provider should spend some time talking with you about ways to stay healthy,
avoid infection, and, if you are sexually active, practice safer sex. This
is a good time to bring up that list of questions you prepared earlier!
Whether you visit the UGA University Health Center or another provider, your
experience should be similar to that listed above.
SOME THINGS TO
THINK ABOUT
Relax! It sounds cliché, and it may seem impossible to relax
while lying down with your feet in stirrups, but it makes for a much more
comfortable exam. Nervousness leads to tense muscles, which leads to discomfort,
which leads to more nervousness – which is quite a vicious cycle! If you relax
your pelvic muscles, there will be far less discomfort and the exam will go
smoother.
Find a health care provider whom you trust and can easily talk to. A clinician
who makes you feel at ease will help you to relax. The important thing is that
YOU feel comfortable. At the UHC, you can request a specific clinician.
Remember, you only have to do it once a year, and with regular checkups now you
can avoid some major problems down the road. It’s your body – take care of it!
|
| |
 |
Related Links |
 |
|
|
Article Rating |
|
|
|
Options |
|
|
|
