Cervical Cancer

An estimated 12,360 new cases of invasive cervical cancer were diagnosed in the United States in 2014. Below are 4 ways to reduce your risk of cervical cancer.

Get an OB/GYN
An OB/GYN serves as a woman’s primary care physician with expertise in both Obstetrics and Gynecology. OB/GYNs provide diagnosis and treatment of disorders and diseases of the female reproductive system, as well as manage pregnancy, labor and the time-period immediately following childbirth.   These physicians provide women with preventative care, prenatal care, detection of sexually transmitted diseases, pap test screening and family planning. Routine gynecological exams are an essential part of a woman’s total health and well-being.  These important yearly exams allow the physician to detect problems, such as cervical cancer, in their early stages when they can be treated more easily.

Get the HPV Vaccine
HPV is short for Human Papillomavirus. In the United States each year, there are about 17,500 women and 9,300 men affected by HPV-related cancers. Many of these cancers (such as cervical cancer) could be prevented with vaccination. The CDC recommends the HPV vaccine for preteen boys and girls at age 11 or 12 so they are protected before ever being exposed to the virus. The HPV vaccine is given in 3 shots. The second shot is given 1 or 2 months after the first shot, then a third shot is given 6 months after the first shot.

If your teen hasn't gotten the vaccine yet, talk to their doctor about getting it for them as soon as possible.

Get Pap Tests Regularly
Cervical cancer can almost always be prevented, and having regular Pap tests is the key. The Pap test looks for cancers and precancers in the cervix. Precancers are cell changes that might become cancer if they are not properly treated.

The US Department of Health recommends that most women ages 21 to 65 get Pap tests as part of routine health care. Even if you are not currently sexually active, you should still have a Pap test. Women who have gone through menopause and are younger than 65 still need regular Pap tests. Keeping recent guideline changes in mind, your OB/GYN will be able to give you a specific screening schedule that you should follow based on your age and medical history.

Get HPV Testing if Recommended
The HPV test checks for the virus that can cause precancerous cell changes on the cervix. It may be used to screen for cervical cancer, along with a Pap test, in women aged 30 years and older. HPV tests also may be used to provide more information when a Pap test has unclear results. Knowing whether you have a type of HPV that puts you at high risk of cervical cancer means that you and your doctor can better decide on the next steps in your health care. Those steps might include follow-up monitoring, further testing, or treatment of abnormal or precancerous cells. The HPV test is available only to women; no HPV test yet exists to detect the virus in men. However, men can be infected with HPV and pass the virus along to their partners.

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, urinary tract infections (UTI’s) are the second most common type of infection in the body, accounting for about 8.1 million visits to health care providers each year. For women, the lifetime risk of having a UTI is greater than 50 percent. A UTI is an infection in any part of your urinary system, including your kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra.

Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of a UTI can include:

  • A strong, persistent urge to urinate
  • A burning sensation when urinating
  • Passing frequent, small amounts of urine
  • Urine that appears cloudy
  • Urine that appears red, bright pink or cola-colored (a sign of blood in the urine)
  • Strong-smelling urine

Symptoms of a more severe UTI can include:

  • Abdominal pain
  • High fever
  • Shaking and chills
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting

Make sure to contact your doctor if you experience any of these signs and symptoms, as they can also indicate other more serious conditions.

Causes/Prevention
Urinary tract infections typically occur when bacteria enter the urinary tract through the urethra and begin to multiply in the bladder. When this happens, bacteria may take hold and grow into a full-blown infection in the urinary tract. Take these steps to reduce your risk of urinary tract infections:

  • Drink plenty of liquids, especially water. Drinking water helps dilute your urine and ensures that you'll urinate more frequently — allowing bacteria to be flushed from your urinary tract before an infection can begin.
  • Avoid long intervals between urinating. Try to empty the bladder at least every 4 hours during the day while awake, even if the need or urge to void is absent. When feeling the need to empty the bladder, do not try to “hold it”.
  • Use good hygiene. This includes always wiping from the front to the back after using the bathroom, taking showers and avoiding prolonged baths.
  • Do not wear tight-fitting undergarments made of non-breathable materials. Such fabrics can cause moisture build up and lead to bacterial overgrowth. Cotton underwear for general use is suggested.
  • In some cases, drinking cranberry juice or taking cranberry tablets has been shown to prevent UTIs, especially in young women who are at risk for these infections. However, cranberries don't prevent bacteria from growing in the urinary tract; they just make it harder for the bacteria to take hold. Cranberry juice also does not treat urinary tract infections once they have started.

Treatment
Doctors typically use antibiotics to treat urinary tract infections. Which drugs are prescribed and for how long depends on your health condition and the type of bacteria found in your urine. Usually, symptoms clear up within a few days of treatment, but in some cases you may need to continue antibiotics for a week or more. It’s important to take the entire course of antibiotics prescribed by your doctor to ensure that the infection is completely gone. A severe UTI may require treatment with intravenous antibiotics in a hospital.

HIV Awareness

The CDC estimates that more than 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV infection, and almost 1 in 7 (14%) are unaware of their infection.

Getting an HIV test is the only way to know if you have HIV. The CDC recommends that health care providers test everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 at least once as part of routine health care. You should get tested for HIV at least every year if you share needles/syringes or other equipment for injecting drugs, have a history of sexually transmitted diseases, or have had unprotected sex with multiple or anonymous partners. Some healthcare providers may recommend testing every 3-6 months if you have certain risk factors, including injection drug use and/or unprotected sex with others who engage in high-risk behaviors.

You should consult your healthcare provider to see how often you should be tested.

There are several types of HIV tests used in the United States:

• Antibody Tests
The most common HIV tests look for HIV antibodies in your body, rather than looking for HIV itself. Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) tests use blood, oral fluid, or urine to detect HIV antibodies. Results for these tests can take up to two weeks. Rapid HIV antibody tests also use blood, oral fluid, or urine to detect HIV antibodies. Results for these tests can take 10–20 minutes. If you get a positive result from either of these tests, you will need to take another test, called a Western blot test, to confirm that result. It can take up to two weeks to confirm a positive result.

• Antigen Tests
These tests are not as common as antibody tests, but they can be used to diagnose HIV infection earlier—from 1-3 weeks after you are first infected with HIV. Antigen tests require a blood sample.

• PCR Test (Polymerase chain reaction test)
This test detects the genetic material of HIV itself, and can identify HIV in the blood within 2-3 weeks of infection.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

STDs are infections passed from person to person through sexual contact. Sometimes the term Sexual Transmitted Infection (STI) may also be used.  There are many types of STDs and many of them do not cause symptoms.  Becoming infected with an STD is common, therefore protection and testing are very important.  You can help protect yourself from many STDs by practicing safer sex, such as using a condom.  If you think you may have been exposed to an STD or are experiencing symptoms of an STD it is important to get tested.  Early diagnosis will allow you to begin treatment sooner.  If left untreated, some STDs can increase your risk of contracting HIV or lead to infertility.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV):

HIV can be transmitted through anal, oral or vaginal sex.  It can be transmitted to a child during childbirth and through breast milk.  Contact with blood infected by HIV can also transmit the disease.  It cannot be transmitted through casual contact such as hugging or sharing utensils.  If left untreated, HIV can lead to AIDs.  It is possible to go for years without showing any symptoms of HIV.

You should get tested if:  You have had unprotected sex, you have injected drugs with a needle or shared drug equipment with others, or you have a new sexual partner.  A blood or urine test is used to detect HIV.  If you have recently been exposed to HIV and your test result is negative, you may need to be tested again in 3 months to get a more accurate result.  HIV is treated with medicine called anti-retroviral, this medicine can prevent the virus from worsening and extend the life of a person with HIV for decades.  It is important to start treatment for HIV as early as possible.  There is no cure for this virus.

Pelvic Inflammatory disease (PID):

PID is a condition that only effects women.  It is an infection in the womb, ovaries and fallopian tubes.  STDs such as Chlamydia and Gonorrhea, if left untreated can cause PID.  Symptoms of PID include: pain during intercourse, pain in the lower abdomen, fever, vaginal discharge with odor, or irregular bleeding.  Some women may not experience any symptoms.  PID is diagnosed with a vaginal exam, pap test, and pelvic ultrasound.  The infections that cause PID are treated with antibiotics. PID is curable, however damage done by PID may not be reversible.

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)

HPV is transmitted through anal, oral or vaginal sex with an infected person.  Some types of HPV cause cancer.  The vaccines Gardasil and Cervarix can protect against genital warts and from certain types of HPV.  The vaccine is recommended for males and females from age 9 to 26 years.  Symptoms of HPV can include genital warts which are bumps in the genital area that could be small or large, raised or flat, or they may be shaped like cauliflower.  Some individuals with HPV may not show any symptoms.  HPV is detected using a pap test which allows the physician to determine if you have abnormal cervical cells that might indicate HPV.  HPV is not curable.  The genital warts that accompany the virus can be treated or removed.  Abnormal cervical cells may be treated to help prevent cancer from developing.

Gonorrhea:

Gonorrhea is transmitted through anal, oral and vaginal sex.  Gonorrhea is a bacterial infection that can affect the genital tract, mouth, and anus.  Symptoms include painful urination, a pus-like discharge from the vagina or penis, anal irritation or painful bowel movements.  Some individual may have no symptoms.  Testing for Gonorrhea is done through a urine sample or a sample from the infected body part.  This condition is treated and cured with antibiotics.

Syphilis:

Syphilis is transmitted through anal, oral, and vaginal sex with an infected person.  The bacteria is passed to another person through syphilis sores.  Symptoms of Syphilis are categorized into 3 stages: primary, secondary, late or latent stage.  The primary stage is characterized by a single sore, the second stage involves a skin rash and lesions on the palm of the hands and both feet, the late stage begins when the other symptoms disappear but the disease is still present.  Untreated Syphilis can lead to blindness and death.  The test for Syphilis includes a blood test and microscopic exam of a syphilis sore.  The disease is treated with a single antibiotic injection for persons infected for less than 1 year.  Additional doses may be needed for those infected for more than 1 year.

Trichomoniasis:

Trichomoniasis or Trich is transmitted through vaginal sex or genital to genital contact with an infected person.  This condition is caused by a tiny parasite.  Trich can be dangerous in pregnant women potentially causing premature birth or low birth weight.  Symptoms of Trich include unusual discharge, strong odor, and pain when urinating or having sex.  Many people don’t experience any symptoms. Trichomoniasis is detected by testing a sample of the discharge from the vagina or penis.  It may also be tested using a urine sample.  Trich can be cured with antibiotics.

Chlamydia:

Chlamydia is a bacterial infection that is transmitted through anal, oral or vaginal sex.  The symptoms of Chlamydia are pain during intercourse, abdominal and lower back pain, burning during urination, and abnormal discharge.  Some people infected with Chlamydia do not experience any symptoms.  A urine test or specimen from the penis or cervix is used to test for Chlamydia.  Antibiotics are used to treat and cure Chlamydia.

Herpes:

Herpes is a viral infection caused by herpes simplex.  The virus is transmitted through anal, oral, and vaginal sex with an infected person even if no symptoms are present.  Symptoms of herpes include cold sores around the mouth; sores or blisters around genitals, buttocks, or anal area; flu-like symptoms such as fever and swollen glands.  Some infected individuals have no symptoms.  Herpes is detected with a blood test.  There is no cure for this infection but antiviral medications are used to treat outbreaks.

 

 

 

 

 


 


 


 

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