by Barbara Anne Hessel MD | Mar 18, 2012 | Women's Health
A Pap smear is essential for women of all ages.
When was the last time you saw your doctor for a checkup, and yes, I mean a pap smear and pelvic exam? If you can’t remember – then it’s time to make an appointment. Routine visits to your gynecologist are essential to your health as a woman. Starting at age 21 – or when you become sexually active – you should begin getting pelvic examinations, which include a pap smear, every year. A pap smear is a simple procedure done in your doctor’s office. It is considered the best tool to detect precancerous conditions and tumors that could lead to cervical cancer. (more…)
by Barbara Anne Hessel MD | Jan 30, 2012 | Women's Health
An abnormal pap smear doesn’t have to be scary.
It’s scary to get a phone call telling you that your pap smear results were not normal and you will need to come in for more testing. Thankfully, there are many causes of abnormal pap smear results and the majority do not mean that you have cancer–but instead that the cells located in the cervix have changed for one reason or another. In some cases, whatever has caused them to be abnormal may resolve on its own and others will need to have another pap smear to confirm those changes or additional testing to look more closely at the cells themselves. Abnormal pap smears can be caused by a variety of sources and your doctor will be able to tell you about your own case, but there are a few common causes. (more…)
