Important female health examinations and diagnosis

Papanicolaou:

Early detection of cervical cancer will enable your physician to cure this disease –therefore its great importance. The prognosis of patients with cervical cancer depends to a great extent on how extended the disease is at the time the sample is taken.

For that reason, women aged 18 or over and sexually active ones should be Pap-screened at least once a year.


Breast Screening:

These examinations are usually performed along with the Papanicolaou test. The risk of getting breast cancer increases with age. That is why it is very important for women to examine their breasts for any lumps, change in skin color or shape and any other anomaly such as pain, which should be detected by the breast screening. If so, you have to get examined by your gynecologist immediately, and you will probably be instructed to get a mammography.

Women over 35 should get a mammography every other year and women aged 40 or over should do it every year.


Vaginal Infections

Vaginal infections, bacterial vaginosis or simply vaginitis are very frequent in women of all ages, whether sexually active or not. Infections are caused most frequently by fungi, bacteria and trichomonas. There are other types of cervical infections that are produced by gonorrhea or Chlamydia, which are sexually transmitted diseases (STD.) There are other, less frequent ones, each caused by a different pathogen. That’s why they must be diagnosed by your physician so he can prescribe you the most adequate manner to treat them.

Most frequent symptoms include itching or burning of the vulva, smelly or odorless discharge, painful sexual intercourse and burning when urinating.

To prevent vaginal infections do as follows:

• Avoid perfumed soap, douching or scented tampons.
• Wash the area with pH-neuter or odorless glycerin soap. Rinse it thoroughly with water and clean it well.
• Use slack cotton underwear.
• In summer, do not keep wet swimsuits on. Take always a change of clothes with you.
• Avoid unsafe sex. Use prophylactics.