Did you know that the human papillomavirus (HPV) can lead to cervical cancer? While HPV can go undetected without symptoms, it can result in a lot of different complications. While it’s obvious that if you have HPV you want to know, there are many other reasons to get screened for it. If left untreated, HPV can lead to all kinds of health issues. Luckily, if you get tested and treated immediately, there is little to worry about it. Below are some important reasons as to why you should get a cervical health screening.
Find Out If You Have HPV
The first benefit of getting your cervical health screened is that you will be able to determine whether or not you have HPV and didn’t know it. HPV can be completely asymptomatic, making it years before the woman realizes that she’s been living with the infection. For being commonly asymptomatic, this is actually very pertinent information. Not only is it simply good to know what’s going on with your body, if you don’t know that you have HPV, it can progress into a variety of different health complications, including infertility and cancer.
Determine If You’re Fertile
While you could go to a fertility clinic to find out if you’re fertile without a cervical screening, it is best to do it all at one time to determine whether or not there are other cervical health concerns you should be treating. A cervical screening can provide information about your odds for conceiving a child. While HPV doesn’t necessarily lead to infertility, other STIs definitely can. When combined with an STI test, a cervical health screening can give you a pretty complete picture of how you are doing in this area including if you need to be treated for anything and whether or not you’re fertile.
Screen for Cervical Cancer
Your fertility could also be affected by cervical cancer. This is perhaps the most important reason to get screened in the cervix. Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of death in women. While HPV can lead to cervical cancer, it’s not the only cause. It goes without saying that it is crucial to whether or not you have cancer in the cervix. When you detect the cancer early, it will be easier to treat and there will be less risk of long-term damage and death. Since HPV can go undetected, when the infection progresses, the chances of you getting cervical cancer from it also go up.
Receive Treatment Faster
After you’ve had a cervical screening and have HPV, cervical cancer, or both, you will be able to receive treatment. This is integral. When you catch any infection or disease early on, the chances of effective treatment go up. It is especially pivotal with cervical cancer. Even if you don’t think that you have HPV or cervical cancer, it is never a bad idea to get tested for these things. That way you will know whether or not you need treatment and if you do, you can get it right away.
Stop the Spread
If you do have cervical cancer, detecting it early is so important. Stopping the spread of cancer can literally be the difference between life and death. As you know, cancer spreads to other parts of the body, making it difficult to contain and treat. If you have HPV and cervical cancer that results from it, detecting the cancer early will help you effectively treat it and stop the spread. That’s why it is never a bad idea to get a cervical screening.
The reasons for getting screened in the cervix are pretty obvious, but still not enough women are being tested. Cancer in the cervix is no longer going down. Screening is everything when it comes to detecting cancer and stopping its spread. Whether you think you have HPV or not, it’s absolutely paramount to get screened regularly. Your cervix health is very important, and if you routinely get checked, you will have much less to worry about. Then, if something does come up you will have the ability to treat it immediately and stop the spread of the disease. So, what are you waiting for? Schedule your screening today.