Cervical cancer is a disease that occurs in women, usually at the age of 30. Women with HPV may develop the condition but not every woman with HPV develops cervical cancer. HPV or human papillomavirus is a sexually transmitted disease. You can easily prevent HPV before it turns into cervical cancer. Getting tested regularly can help stop HPV, and receiving the HPV vaccine can stop it from developing into cervical cancer. Get tested and vaccinated with AFC Urgent Care Torrington today.
Symptoms of Cervical Cancer
HPV and cervical cancer are slow-moving diseases. This means that there are no direct “early” symptoms. Many of the symptoms can be mistaken for something else, so it is so important to get tested regularly. Some signs of cervical cancer can include:
- Light bleeding or spotting during or in between periods
- Heavier and longer bleeding than usual during menstrual bleeding
- Bleeding after menopause
- Back or pelvic pain without cause or during sex
- Bleeding after a pelvic exam or intercourse
Preventing Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer is easily prevented if you take the proper steps. Similar to preventing other illnesses, routine check-ups and following a regular vaccination schedule can help you maintain your health. Some ways to prevent cervical cancer can include:
Pap Tests
After you are 21 years old, you need to get Pap tests done once in three years. This will help you and the doctor to identify any abnormalities in the early stages. They will do so by looking at the changes in your cervix cells.
Follow-Ups
If your doctor finds any sign of infection, they will treat your condition and repeat the test. If your doctor finds any additional abnormalities, they will run through various tests and solve them.
Vaccination
Cancer vaccines are available to protect you from HPV, such as Gardasil and Cervarix. These vaccines also help to control anal cancers in men.
Protective Sex
Practicing protective sex will reduce the risk of developing cervical cancer. However, HPV can still affect unprotected areas.
Quit Smoking
Smoking cigarettes can damage the cervix cells’ DNA, promoting the development of cervical cancer. So quitting the habit of smoking can help stop the growth of cancer cells and improve your overall health.
Causes of Cervical Cancer
You will develop cervical cancer if your healthy cells mutate in the cervix region. Your DNA includes information about when to grow and multiply, so mutated cells can multiply abnormally, forming a tumor. Furthermore, healthy cells are also dying at the time. Cervical cancer can also travel to different parts of the body by invading other tissues. This starts to affect the quality of life and living if you don’t treat the disease immediately.