One of the principles of modern medicine is that the disease should be treated by doctors who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of pathologies of those organs in which problems occur. Thus, disorders that occur in the female reproductive system are of professional interest to gynecologists. They are often called “female doctors”, and this is true, because they know perfectly the features of the anatomy and physiology of the body of the beautiful half of humanity.
Every girl and woman needs to find a gynecologist whom she can trust and who will “guide” her, help her conceive, bear a child, maintain the health of the reproductive organs, prepare for menopause and survive it, and so on. In case of any disease, when there are signs of gynecological disorders, it is necessary to make an appointment as soon as possible to:
- detect the disease at an early stage;
- receive qualified medical care;
- do not face problems due to poor self-medication;
- avoid turning the form of the disease into a chronic one.
Reasons to see a gynecologist
It is often said on TV and on the Internet about the importance of preventive examinations, as well as the need to visit a gynecologist from an early age, and this is true. It is statistically proven that in 5-10% of cases it is during such examinations that deviations from the norm can be detected and adequate measures can be taken in time. Regular visits to the gynecologist are especially important for cancer prevention. Every woman should visit her doctor at least twice a year to be sure of her health and not to miss dangerous changes.
It is believed that the first visit to the doctor should be after the woman began to have sex, but this is not true. Naturally, after the first sexual intercourse, visits to the gynecologist should be regular, but even before that you need to monitor women’s health. Already at the age of 14-16 girls should come for examination. If the patient is a virgin, the doctor will be extremely careful not to violate the integrity of the hymen, and will assess the condition of the genitals by palpation, will make a laboratory test of the vaginal microflora.
In addition to a scheduled visit to the gynecological office, you should immediately make an appointment with a doctor if:
- menstruation in adolescent girls does not begin for a long time;
- there is an irregular cycle or menstruation is extremely painful;
- there are abnormal secretions and an unpleasant odor;
- there is discomfort during sexual intercourse;
- it is impossible to get pregnant for a long time;
- had unprotected contact with an unfamiliar partner;
- disturbs itching in the area of the external genitalia, etc.
The first visit to the gynecologist: what to expect
The physiology of women of different ages has its own characteristics, so there are doctors who specialize in pediatric and adult gynecology. Most of those who go to gynecologists are girls aged 20 to 60 who have sex, and we will tell you in detail about how the initial admission of such a patient:
- At the very beginning of the gynecologist’s appointment it is necessary to make a history, ie to learn as much information about you as possible.
- The next stage is an examination of the mammary glands. The doctor visually examines the breast, carefully feels its structure, assesses the size of the axillary lymph nodes. The examination is performed standing and lying on the couch.
- Only then is it time for a vaginal examination in a gynecological chair. The doctor’s task is to assess the condition of the external genitalia, vagina, uterus, etc., to identify abnormalities (size abnormalities, tumors, etc.).
- During the examination, doctors take biomaterials for microscopy and cytology – special laboratory tests that can detect pathological changes in the microflora, signs of oncology and inflammatory processes.
- On the basis of the received information the gynecologist makes the conclusion of the expert and gives recommendations, for example, appoints medicines (for example, Canesten Vaginal Cream for a vaginal thrush or Cleocin for bacterial infections) or physiotherapy.