Staying at the prime of your health at all times is quite difficult. However, staying away from certain health problems is not completely impossible. All we need to do is take care of ourselves and ensure that we undertake necessary preventive measures before it gets too late. Cervical cancer is one such health problem. While the disease has the potential to spread to different parts of the body and become fatal, there are several ways in which it can be diagnosed and cured at the early stages. Having said that, the best way out is, however, to be aware of your body and prevent the disease from occurring in the first place.
What Is Cervical Cancer?
Cervical Cancer is a type of cancer that grows at the lower end of the uterus, connecting to the vagina. It occurs when the cervical cells mutate as a result of the cervix coming in contact with Human Papillomavirus, commonly known as HPV. It is treatable and there are numerous preventive measures that you can take to stay safe. Also, there are a series of changes that may take place in your body at the onset of this disease, and if these changes are identified and treated the right way, cervical cancers can be prevented from causing us too much trouble.
What Leads To Cervical Cancer?
When our body comes in contact with HPV, it usually fights it off on its own, and therefore most of us don’t even have to be concerned about it. However, those whose bodies cannot fight the virus, end up developing cervical cancer. It is quite common to contract the virus at least once in a lifetime because it usually has no detectable symptoms. But having said that, the possible causes for the increase in the risk of developing cervical cancer are known and quite familiar to most of us. Smoking, having multiple sexual partners, not practicing safe sex, being HIV positive, or having more than 2 to 3 children can often increase the chances of these women contracting HPV, and it gradually mutating into cervical cancer.
Be On The Safe Side, Always!
In most cases, the symptoms of this disease are quite subtle and therefore, tend to go unnoticed. What you need to keep in mind is that ignoring the strange occurrences in your body can be dangerous. We might think it isn’t a big deal, but the truth is that sometimes, we tend to go into a state of denial and convince ourselves that the symptoms are quite silly and people might mistake us for health freaks if we express our concerns out loud. While most women do not show any symptoms during the early stages of cervical cancer, the advanced stage includes pain during and after intercourse, bleeding after intercourse, and foul-smelling, bloody discharge. If you find yourself experiencing any discomfort of this sort, it is advisable that you consult a doctor at the earliest. Remember, it’s better to be safe than sorry!
Any Help Is Good Help
Small preventive measures taken during our adult life can keep us safe from contracting HPV. There are HPV vaccines that you could get if advised by health professionals. All the necessary precautions and safety measures along with regular cervical screening to detect any trace of cancer at its early stages can make way for a long and healthy life. And even if that is not the case, the advancement of medical sciences has increased the life span of cancer survivors remarkably. There are multiple treatment options namely, chemotherapy and radiotherapy which are available and are crowned to be highly effective to treat cancers.
Make Your Health, Your Priority
Our body is our right as well as our responsibility. When it comes to health, even small measures may make all the difference. For instance, maintaining a proper diet, staying away from unhealthy practices, seeking help at the right time etc. can bring in peace of mind and wipe off most of your worries concerning health. Having said that, yes, sometimes situations might strike without a reason and without proper notice. Even during those times, it is important to stay hopeful and do the best we can to support ourselves!