A visit to the gynaecologist can be a daunting thing. Though they’re experienced professionals who will do everything possible to put you at ease and to make the process as comfortable as they can, it’s easy to feel worried when your appointment is due.
There are however a variety of things that you can do to help things. Here are three tips that will help you to make sure your next appointment is easy, comfortable, and stress-free.
Avoid hair removal
It’s a difficult thing to bare the most private part of yourself, and if you’re going to have to you might well think that you should make sure that it looks its best. Though it’s totally understandable why you would want to do this, in reality, it’s not the best thing to do.
Certain hair removal techniques can cause a degree of minor swelling, which has the potential to interrupt the results of certain procedures you may need to have – this is also why it’s advisable not to have sexual intercourse for at least two days prior to your appointment.
Don’t schedule during your period
If you know that your visit is going to involve a pelvic exam, then it’s generally best not to schedule the appointment for when you’re on your period. The reason is that the presence of blood could possibly interrupt the result of any tests you may need, for example, a pap smear.
There are exceptions to this though. If you’re experiencing an unusually heavy, irregular, or even painful period then getting it checked out is the right thing to do. Remember, if at any point you’re unsure of anything, just give your gynaecologist’s office a call and they will advise you.
Plan your questions
On the day of your appointment, you’ll have multiple distractions. Whether it’s work, family, pets, neighbours, traffic, difficulty parking; the list goes on. It’s easy for these things to make you forget any questions you were going to ask.
Think ahead about what you’d like to know and write them down, make the most of the opportunity to get yourself complete peace of mind.