Everything You Need to Know About Cervical Health Awareness Month!
The United States Congress has dedicated January as Cervical Health Awareness Month. Acknowledging and promoting cervical health is important because each year, around 14,000 new cases of invasive cervical cancer are diagnosed in the US, and about 4,300 people die from it each year. We wrote this blog to answer commonly asked questions about cervical cancer and tell you what Bridgercare can do to help you protect yourself from being part of this statistic!
What causes cervical cancer?
Almost all cervical cancers are caused by a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) called HPV (Human Papilloma Virus). Nearly every person who is sexually active will get HPV at some point in their life (there were around 43 million cases in the US alone in 2018 and an estimated 5.5 million new cases occur per year) making HPV the most common STI in the U.S. Not every strain of HPV will cause cervical cancer, so if you get a positive HPV test, don’t panic!
What are the symptoms of cervical cancer?
More often than not, early-stage cervical cancer has no symptoms, but try not to stress. If you are getting pap smears at the appropriate frequency for your age, any cervical cell abnormalities will be found and treated at the pre-cancerous stage before it has a chance to progress to cancer! But if you have cervical cancer and it has progressed to the later stages, it may cause symptoms such as:
Vaginal bleeding after intercourse, between periods or after menopause
Watery, bloody vaginal discharge that may be heavy and have a foul odor
Pelvic pain or pain during intercourse
Keep an eye out for these symptoms and talk to your doctor if you have any concerns!
What can I do to protect myself from cervical cancer?
First and foremost, you can get vaccinated against HPV, since it causes almost all cervical cancers. The Gardasil (HPV preventing) vaccine protects against many strains of HPV, but like any vaccination, it is not 100% effective. It is recommended by the CDC that all people ages 11-12 get the Gardasil vaccination to protect them against getting HPV in the future. There are many guidelines for Gardasil that you can read here if you would like to learn more.
Wear condoms! Condoms can greatly reduce your risk of getting any STI, including HPV. Although HPV can be spread through skin-to-skin contact in the parts of the groin that are not covered by a condom, it is still important to use condoms to protect yourself as much as possible.
Brush used during a pap smear!
Another fantastic way to protect yourself against HPV is by getting pap smears at the recommended frequency for your age. A pap smear is a VERY minor procedure used to test people with cervixes for cervical cancer. During the procedure, your doctor will use a speculum to open up the vaginal canal and view the cervix then use a small brush to collect a sample from your cervix. This sample is tested for irregular cells (which could indicate HPV or cervical cancer). It is recommended that you start getting pap smears when you turn 21.
Schedule a Pap Smear or a Gardasil vaccine at Bridgercare today!
Can my HPV be treated to prevent me from getting cervical cancer?
Yes! HPV can be treated in many ways. While it is technically incurable, around 90% of HPV will clear on its own after about 2 years without leading to cervical cancer. If your HPV doesn’t clear, it may cause precancerous lesions. Your doctor will talk to you about your options for treatment including freezing (cryosurgery), laser, surgical removal, loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) and cold knife conization.
Cancer is always a big, scary word, but another level of fear is added when it happens in a place like your cervix that you can’t even see. That fear is exactly the reason that Cervical Health Awareness Month was invented. Cervixes are an important part of our body, and they do a lot for us, so we should do everything we can to keep them healthy! The good news is, due to the invention of the Gardasil vaccine and the increase in pap smear frequency, cervical cancer rates have decreased drastically. Stay healthy and know that Bridgercare is here for you (and your cervix’s) needs!