In the world of medicine, prevention is much better than cure. That is why we all need to get screened and tested for diseases that may cause serious complications if left untreated. Among the many screening tests done at North Hills, is urgent care. This life-saving test allows doctors to look for abnormal cells that may cause cancer in the cervical region. Once you undergo the pap smear, you must understand what North Hills pap smear results mean.
Cervical cancer may develop in any woman, whether you are sexually active or not. That is why it is very important to regularly keep going for pap smear testing. This post will learn about the Pap smear test and its results. We will also tell you how it is done and who should have it. Keep on reading for more enlightening insights about North Hills pap smear results.
What is a Pap Smear Test?
North Hills urgent care clinic also provides preventive health care, besides many other types of diagnosis and treatment health care services. The test to detect and prevent cervical cancer is the Pap smear test or the pap test. This is a gynecological test done on women to check for any abnormal cells that can cause cervical cancer. This is a simple test that gynecologists often do. Early detection of precancerous or cancerous cells in the cervical regions allows doctors to eliminate them before they spread to other body parts. You can count on North Hills urgent care clinic to provide accurate North Hills pap smear results when screening for cervical cancer.
Who Should Have the Pap Smear Test?
The pap smear test is performed at North Hills urgent care clinics to help women get a fighting chance against the dreaded cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is one of the many tests. Gynecologists are the type of doctors who perform pap smears. They recommend that women get tested for cervical cancer once they reach 21 years and above. Since any woman can get cervical cancer, regardless of how sexually active they are, women between 13 to 65 should get a pap smear. Women should have a pap smear after every six years. Women who have had their uterus removed may discontinue the test.
How is a Pap Smear Test Done?
At North Hills urgent care, doctors who perform the pap smear test are called gynecologists. During the procedure, the doctor will insert into the cervical region a soft brush, which is meant to collect fluid samples inside the vagina. When performing the pap smear exam, the doctor will ask the patient questions before the physical exam. You are free to come with your family or friend to the examination if it makes you comfortable and relaxed.
There are special medical instruments used to collect cervical samples. This means you will not feel any pain and discomfort during the procedure. You may feel some pressure building up but only for a few seconds. Within 5 minutes, the ob-gyn will be done with the procedure. The cervical sample will be taken to a lab for further tests, and you will receive North Hills pap smear results after a few hours.
What Test Results Should You Expect After a Pap Smear Exam?
After undergoing the test, you will either get a negative, positive, or inconclusive result. If the test North Hills pap smear results are positive, you are abnormal cells in the cervical region. However, this does not necessarily mean that you have cervical cancer. It may mean you have an infection, an underlying medical condition, or precancerous cells. Further tests will have to be done to rule out the possibility of developing cancerous cells. These extra tests usually take time to produce results.
The test may also turn out to be negative. This means that North Hills urgent care doctors did not detect abnormal cells. Remember, if the abnormal cells are detected, early treatment will help to eliminate them before they spread further to other areas of the body. An inclusive result means that the result is not clear. This often happens when the patient fails to adhere to the doctor’s instructions before getting the pap smear test.
Things to Avoid Before a Pap Smear
Before undergoing the pap smear test at North Hills urgent care, there are several instructions that the doctor will ask to avoid. They include:
- Not having sex for 24 hours before the procedures
- Avoid using spermicides such as creams, jellies, or lubricants
- Not having the procedure when you are menstruating
- You should avoid douching 24 hours before the procedure
All these instructions are meant to ensure that the test produces accurate North Hills pap smear results. Failure to adhere to these instructions may lead to inconclusive or inaccurate pap smear test results.
At North Hills urgent care clinic, we allow our patients to choose a male or female ob-gyn, provided they make them comfortable during the procedure. This is because the test involves the most private part of your body, and you may not be satisfied with just anyone doing the pap smear test on you.
Conclusion
The pap smear is a simple exam that only takes a few minutes and does not hurt. The test plays an important part in saving the lives of patients who may develop cervical cancer if they are not screened. It is, therefore, important for any woman between 21 and 65 years old to go for a pap smear test regularly. Cervical cancer is a deadly disease that claims millions of lives each year. These deaths may be reduced if more women go for the Pap smear test regularly – after every 2.5 to 3 years.
