Colposcopy is done to find out the cancerous cells in the cervix. The test helps in finding out any abnormal cells that contains the sign of developing into a cancer in the future. We can now have access to things which will help us in knowing about our hidden diseases way before it came to full blown action.
Colposcopy can help in providing information about abnormal cells. The doctors at private colposcopy clinic in london will help you in performing colposcopies.
Your doctor will use a special instrument to get access to your cervix. This instrument is known as colposcope which is light in weight and gives a highly magnified view of your tissues.
What is the difference between a pap smear and colposcopy
Pap smear test is one of the life saving tests that has helped a lot of women to cope up with their unwanted growth in their cervix. What pap smear does is, it looks for changes in the cells of your cervix.
The pap smear test doesn’t mean you have cancer. It can detect any abnormalities that lurks in your body. Such abnormalities can lead to further investigation which would confirm if you have signs of cervical cancer. But the abnormal cells won’t affirm that you are suffering from cancer or have pre cancer. In order to be sure of the fact, you need to go with a lot of tests. Abnormal cells need to be defined by its kinds. Such kinds will tell you if you pose any threat.
Colposcopy is a test done at private colposcopy treatment in London, is just similar to pap smear but it is more advanced than pap smear. Pap smear can test for any irregular signs that might build up in cancerous cells. If your result shows positive for HPV, you will then need to do colposcopy to affirm the potential problems.
What happens at times of Colposcopy?
First, your doctor will perform a colposcopy in the office. You are told to lie on the examination table. You have to then spread your legs apart in order to let the doctor take the sample from your vagina just like you would do in your routine pelvic exam. The doctor will insert a metal speculum into your vagina.
The next step is to look closely at your cervix, vulva, and vagina, for that a medical provider will use a medical device known as a colposcope. The colposcope can examine the changes in your vaginal or cervical tissue which might be a hint for something unusual in your body. Such abnormal cells will further be sent for some more examination.
After the doctor has taken sample from your vagina, he will then brush the cervix with a vinegar-like solution known as acetic acid. If there have been any kind of abnormal cells, it will turn white.
Furthermore, the doctor uses a filter which will enable the tissue to change its color. Such highlight changes in the blood vessels will mark the precancerous changes in your tissue.
If your doctor sees an abnormal area
During the colposcopy, your doctor will perform a biopsy on those areas that he finds weird or different. In the biopsy, the doctor will remove a small amount of tissue for further examination. This examination will be done by a pathologist. The pathologist will look for any abnormal cells under a microscope.
If the doctor finds the abnormal area as small enough to remove, he might get you on operation bed. The colposcopy will take 15 minutes and not more than that. Talking about the most common question of women, if it hurts! To be honest, the test might feel a little uncomfortable as the speculum is inserted inside the vagina.
If at any point, you feel hurt, tell this to your doctor. Your doctor will slow down the process for you. Minor spotting after the test is quite common. The spotting should not last more than 3 days.
Any precautions before colposcopy?
Prior to colposcopy, you are advised to avoid any vaginal medications or creams. Your doctor will also advice you to abstain from sex, using tampoons or using any kind of product that goes straight inside your vagina. If you have your periods, you won’t be having the test. Your doctor will also ask if you are about to get pregnant.
All these information will help the test to proceed smoothly. You can also ask the doctor if you should be taking any kind of medications at the time of colposcopy from over the counter.
Don’t wait for the disease to attack you. Contact immediately with private gynaecologist London who will help you in finding any abnormalities in your body functioning.