For most women, routine pelvic examinations are extremely uncomfortable on more than one level. Yes, they can be a bit painful but that isn’t usually the source of a woman’s discomfort.
Even though you know that this is what a gynaecology specialist does day after day, it can be one of life’s most embarrassing moments.
But even that isn’t the ultimate reason why women avoid the gynaecologist if at all possible. No matter what the reason, there are ways to overcome the angst that takes hold the very moment an appointment is scheduled.
So then, let’s look at some of the excuses you might be making and how to overcome them. More importantly, let’s look at why you should overcome them.
“I am not experiencing any symptoms.”
This is truly the most common reason why so many women try to avoid annual pelvic exams. They are not experiencing any pain other than the usual cramping during menstruation so they erroneously believe nothing could be wrong.
This is where the real issue arises and why a gynaecology hospital from the Circle Health Group often treats women with advanced stages of ovarian cancer. With 54 hospitals across the UK and more than 4,000 consultants, the expert gynaecology consultants at Circle Health Group understand a woman’s reluctance, but they also know the dangers of putting off an annual exam.
This particular female cancer doesn’t spread like other forms of cancer. There is rarely a mass on the ovary which makes it extremely difficult to detect early on. What happens is that cancer cells begin dropping off the ovaries and into the lining of the stomach where a mass will eventually form. Unfortunately, that is a later stage and one that is far more difficult to treat successfully.
The thing women need to overcome is the belief that nothing can be wrong because they feel nothing out of the ordinary. Even though ovarian cancer is difficult to detect in early stages, there are two tests which are extremely accurate. The first is transvaginal ultrasound and the second is a CA-125 blood test. Just because you don’t feel anything doesn’t mean it isn’t there!
“I don’t plan on getting pregnant any time soon.”
Oddly, many women think that the only reason they need to ‘suffer’ through those uncomfortable pelvic exams is to determine fertility. Some women believe that the main reason a gynaecologist even tests for sexually transmitted diseases, STDs, is because they can render a woman infertile.
Actually, determining infertility issues as a result of the human papillomavirus, HPV, is only part of what doctors are looking for! What a gynaecologist is actually looking for are precancerous cells and lesions that can later mutate to cancer cells. If they can be treated/removed early on, cancer can be often avoided altogether.
Lesions on the uterus can result in infertility but, more importantly, they are precancerous and need to be removed before cancer cells are formed.
“No one in my family ever suffered uterine or ovarian cancer.”
How many times have you consulted with a new doctor who collects a complete family history? You will be asked if any member of your family suffered from heart disease, cancer, and a realm of other diseases that ‘could’ be genetic. Sometimes that sends a mixed message to patients, especially women who are reluctant to get routinely screened for cancer.
Just because certain cancers ‘can’ be genetic doesn’t mean that they always are. Also, there are other forms of ‘female’ cancers besides the two leading cancers of ovarian and uterine cancers. There are also:
- Endometrial
- Cervical
- Vulvar
- Vaginal
Some of which are easier to diagnose than others. Regular exams can indicate early changes often not pronounced enough in the previous year to detect. Those early changes can be the difference between life and death. Not all female cancers are the result of genetic predisposition, so that excuse is no excuse at all!
Overcoming Reluctance Is Easier Than You Think
No one ever likes to face something that can be a bit uncomfortable and certainly more than a little embarrassing. However, submitting to routine pelvic exams is the lesser of all ‘evils.’ Even though the survival rate of many female cancers caught early on is better than ever before thanks to modern medicine, it isn’t 100% now and may never be.
The only way to overcome reluctance is to face it head on. Approach these issues with a fierce determination that you can and will be able to get through a few minutes today that can give you years in the future. Furthermore, know that your chances of recovery beyond five years are greater when cancer is diagnosed early enough to keep those cancer cells from spreading to other parts of the body. Stage one is localised cancer and if you need to face it at all, keep it confined to an area small enough to reduce the danger of spreading.
