Now, because they deal with such personal and sensitive topics, the thought of visiting an OBGYN may make you feel nervous, embarrassed, and reluctant to discuss your most intimate issues with someone who is essentially a stranger.
We get it, it may feel a little uncomfortable. College should not be your first rodeo with a gynecologist. We highly recommend that between the ages of 13 and 15 you touch base with a gynecologist, find out what we do, and tell us a little about your medical history if you feel so inclined.
Avoid having sex or douching within 24 hours of your pending appointment as this can irritate your vagina and impact the results of your Pap test. Before you even enter the office, you should be clear on the purpose of the visit.
The answer to that question used to be a resounding yes. Mostly because you wanted to make sure that you received regular Pap tests to check for cervical cancer. However, there are new guidelines for cervical cancer screenings that suggest less frequent Pap tests for younger women, as well as no Pap tests for many older women.
This might mean that many women out there no longer have to get a check-up every year. Are you interested in learning more? Two of the most common things that will happen when you visit your gynecologist are your pelvic exam and Pap smear. The Pap smear test is done to check for cancer cells in the cervix. And the pelvic exam is performed to look for anything out of the ordinary. A Pap smear is extremely important.
Testing can help your doctor detect cancer in its early stages. They can then initiate life-saving early intervention treatment. Our main concern is always the safety of our patients and staff and we will do our best to keep everyone healthy, happy, and comfortable while in our office.
We will continue to exercise caution and encourage best practices for the safety of our patients and staff. There will be hand sanitizer readily available in all areas and frequent and proper hand washing. We will also continue to clean and sanitize our waiting room, exam rooms, checkout area, and other patient care areas.
Essential PPE and masks will still be available for our patients upon request. Please do not hesitate to call our office at with any additional questions or concerns. We truly appreciate you and your patience with us during this time. The Appointment And Exam Most doctors do a general physical exam of your height, weight, and blood pressure.
Breast Exam Young women are at a low risk for breast cancer. Pap Test A Pap test or Pap smear is when the doctor swabs the lower portion of your uterus that connects to your vagina, the cervix, to collect a small sample of cervical cells. Pelvic Exam A pelvic exam consists of three parts. Submit a Comment Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Search for:. Please make arrangements before your appointment this includes walk in visits for any blood work being done for your children who are under If we do it after her period and find a cyst, it could signal a more significant problem.
The average age of menopause is 50 to At this stage in life, many women are having irregular or heavy periods. Their hormones may be fluctuating, leading to typical menopause symptoms , such as night sweats, mood swings, and hot flashes. There are many options to treat these symptoms, including:. This is also the age when most women should be having regular screenings for a number of other potential issues.
Tests like mammograms, bone density screenings and colonoscopies can help women keep a clean bill of health as they get older. The American Cancer Society ACS guidelines suggest that women start getting annual mammograms at age 45 instead of age For example, if your mother had breast cancer at age 45, the recommendation for you would be to start annual mammograms at age The other issue at this age is bone health.
While a woman is still having her period and producing hormones, estrogen protects the bones. Once a woman stops having her period, the ovaries decrease the amount of estrogen being produced and there is some bone loss, which can lead to osteoporosis, which can put you at risk of fracture.
Many women will do a baseline bone density test at this age to see where they stand, especially if they have a strong family history of osteoporosis.
0コメント