7 Alarming Signs That It’s High Time to Visit a Gynecologist
If you want to stay healthy, it is essential to visit a doctor on a regular basis. However, many women forget that gynecological check-ups are also important. Moreover, many women don’t rush to the doctor even if they have some symptoms. In this article, we have gathered seven alarming signs that it’s high time to visit a gynecologist.
1. You have severe periods
If you can’t get up and maintain your normal activities during periods because of heavy blood flow and severe pain, it is better to make an appointment with a gynecologist. There are a lot of conditions that can affect your menstrual cycle and make periods extremely painful. The most common of them are endometriosis, uterine fibroids, adenomyosis, and pelvic inflammatory disease.
2. You experience pelvic pain
It is important to understand that pelvic pain that is not linked to periods can be caused by certain gynecological disordered like:
- Endometriosis
- Uterine fibroids and polyps
- Sexually transmitted infections
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- Ovarian cysts
- Ovarian torsion
- Salpingitis
- Uterine tract infection
- Pelvic organ prolapse
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Cancers of the female reproductive system
All these conditions require timely and proper treatment. So if you experience pelvic pain, contact your gynecologist as soon as possible.
3. You have abnormal vaginal discharge
Even though vaginal discharge is a normal part of the menstrual cycle, an unpleasant smell or unusual color of discharge can be a sign of infection or disease. For example, bacterial vaginosis can make your vaginal discharge green and smelly. Yeast infection, sexually transmitted infection, pelvic inflammatory disease, and cervical cancer can also cause abnormal vaginal discharge.
4. You experience pain during sex
Many women who experience pain during sex think that it is normal. Indeed, sex can cause discomfort if a woman is not aroused enough or the position is uncomfortable. But you should know that there are a lot of conditions that can make sex hurt. The most common of them include:
- Vaginal dryness
- Cervicitis
- Vaginismus
- Vaginal infections (STIs, bacteria vaginosis, and yeast infection)
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- Cancers of the female reproductive system
- Endometriosis
- Uterine fibroids
- Uterine and cervical polyps
So if you experience pain during sex on a regular basis, it is better to contact your gynecologist and undergo a thorough examination.
5. You have problems with fertility
If you have unprotected sex regularly and can’t get pregnant, you may have problems with fertility. However, you should understand that both men and women can be infertile so you and your partner can be tested simultaneously. Female infertility can be caused by stress, weight changes, hormonal imbalance, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, PCOS, and many other health issues. Some of these conditions can’t be cured while others can be successfully treated.
6. You have missed periods
There is a common misconception that missed periods mean that a woman is pregnant. But the reality is that there are a lot of factors except for pregnancy that can affect your menstrual cycle and make you skip periods. They include stress, excessive exercising, sudden weight gain or loss, hormonal contraception, PCOS, and hormonal fluctuations. Additionally, ectopic pregnancy (that requires surgical treatment) can also manifest itself through missed periods. If you have skipped a few periods in a row, it is better to visit your gynecologist.
7. You experience vaginal bleeding between periods
Vagional bleeding between periods, also known as spotting, can be caused by various factors. Some women can have spotting during ovulation, implantation of the fertilized egg, or hormonal contraception intake. However, there are certain health issues like cervical cancer, endometriosis, STDs, pelvic inflammatory disease, uterine fibroids, and PCOS that can also cause vaginal bleeding between periods.
