Abnormal pap should i be concerned

If you cannot upgrade your browser, you can remain on this site. Back to Healthy Driven Blog Home. View All Healthy Driven Blogs. My Pap test came back abnormal. Should I be worried? June 06, by Matthew Zuckerman, D. Categories: Healthy Driven Cancer Fight. New drug for stroke speeds up treatment, offers improved outcomes Tenecteplase drastically decreases the time it takes to administer the initial dose for stroke patients.

Glandular cells produce mucus and usually grow near the opening of your cervix and within the uterus walls. Glandular cells may appear abnormal, but it does not indicate there is the presence of cancer.

We may need to conduct more tests to determine the cause of the changes and whether these cells can become precancerous over time. Squamous cell cancer or adenocarcinoma cells are severe and may appear abnormal enough to convince a doctor that the changes are due to cervical cancer. If these cells are present, your doctor will conduct colposcopy to determine the cause of these changes in your cervical cells.

During colposcopy, the doctor may apply some iodine or vinegar solution on the wall of your vagina and cervix to enhance the problem areas' visibility, causing abnormal pap smears. Suppose your doctor detects an issue during colposcopy. Colposcopy is very crucial as it enables a doctor to determine the cause of the abnormal pap smear results for appropriate treatment.

Even if you have these risky squamous cell cancer or adenocarcinoma cells at All Women's Care, we will provide you with every type of service you need to halt cervical cancer development. Treatment and management of abnormal pap smears depend on the severity of changes you have on your cervical cells and the cause. Mild abnormal pap smear may not require treatment at all because they can disappear on their own with time.

However, if your cervical cells' abnormality persists after more than two pap smears, your gynecologist will recommend treating the abnormal cervical cells. Treatment of abnormal pap smears may involve removing or destroying the abnormal cervical cells through various treatment procedures.

Here are ways of eliminating and destroying abnormal cervical cells. A gynecologist can conduct multiple surgical procedures to remove the area of your cervix with abnormal cells through the following methods:.

Cone biopsy is a simple surgical procedure that cannot last more than twenty minutes, and usually, you are asleep or unconscious because your gynecologist will put you under anesthesia. During the cone biopsy surgery, your doctor will insert a speculum inside your vagina to open it up slightly for easy screening of your cervix to identify the abnormal areas.

It is normal to experience some bleeding for up to six weeks after a cone biopsy, but if the bleeding persists, it is essential to consult with your gynecologist to treat the issue. After a cone biopsy, most women can naturally conceive, although removing extensive cone biopsy tissue can weaken the cervix, thus increasing miscarriage chances. LLETZ is usually an outpatient medical service that generally takes less than fifteen minutes while the patient is under anesthesia.

After LLETZ, you may experience some discharge or bleeding, but it shouldn't last more than four weeks. If you are experiencing a discharge with odor or continuous bleeding after four weeks, it is essential to contact your gynecologist. Hysterectomy is another surgical treatment procedure for removing abnormal cervical cells, which is ideal for women who have had all the children they need or past menopause.

Hysterectomy involves removing the womb uterus , lymph nodes, and parts of your cervical cells, which are abnormal to halt any chance of cervical cancer development entirely. Destroying abnormal cervical cells can also help treat and manage abnormal pap smears allowing new healthy cells to grow. A gynecologist can destroy abnormal cervical cells in the following ways:.

Cold coagulation involves the use of a heated probe to destroy abnormal cervical cells identified after colposcopy. In contrast to cone biopsy, cold coagulation cannot put you at risk of miscarriage during pregnancy. Freezing treatment typically involves making cold blisters on your cervix to drain out the abnormal cells so that new healthy cells can grow in to replace them.

A gynecologist uses a cold probe to freeze away cervical cells that appear abnormal. Suppose the abnormal cervical cell changes don't seem to disappear after several follow up tests with your doctor. In that case, other more extensive treatment procedures like cone biopsy or hysterectomy might be effective. Laser therapy, also known as laser ablation, burns away abnormal cells in your cervix using intense light beams to grow new healthy cells. You may experience a burning smell during laser therapy, but it's nothing to worry about because that is how a laser works, and you can go home after the procedure.

Suppose you have a vaginal infection like gonorrhea or yeast infection, which causes abnormal pap smears. In that case, your gynecologist focuses on treating the infections to halt abnormal cervical cells' development using antibiotics and antifungals. Most women feel perfectly fine after treating abnormal cervical cells, although every patient is different because some can feel unwell for a few days.

You might experience the following common symptoms after treatment of abnormal cervical cells:. Immediately after treating abnormal cervical cells, you may experience a period type of pain that your doctor will discuss with you before you leave the clinic.

If the pain persists for about a week, you should see your gynecologist examine the cause of persistent pain. You should expect to experience some virginal bleeding or discharge immediately for about four weeks after treating abnormal cervical cells.

Typically, vaginal bleeding or discharge after treatment of abnormal pap smears is normal but how long it should last depends on the treatment method. Treatment of abnormal cervical cells when your periods are due may lead to heavy bleeding. Hence, it is advisable to carry out these treatment procedures in between the periods. If you notice sticky and smelly discharge or bleeding that lasts more than four weeks, you should contact your gynecologist as soon as possible.

Until there is no more bleeding or discharge, you should avoid the following:. Make sure you talk with your gynecologist if you are unsure about anything you should do after treating abnormal cervical cells causing abnormal pap smears.

When your colposcopy is complete and your biopsy results are finalized, your doctor will explain the changes in your tissue sample. Sometimes, those changes are low-grade.

This means you can watch and wait. Low-grade cervical changes are unlikely to become cervical cancer. If the changes are moderate- to high-grade, your doctor will evaluate more options. These changes create a higher risk of cervical cancer. If there are moderate to severe changes in your cervix, your doctor may want to remove the cervical tissue.