Before going to start the discussion it’s important to have an idea about what is cervix. Cervix is slim looking and it’s the bottom part of uterus connected with the topmost area of vagina. Cervical cancer is the malignant cancer of cervix. Cervical cancer happens when unusual cells of the cervix region develop out of control. Human Papillomavirus or HPV is basically responsible for causing this deadly disease in a female body. This virus mainly spreads due to sexual intercourse and studies shown that women with multiple sexual partners are more likely to get affected by Cervical cancer. Women who smoke are also in high risk of getting affected quickly by cervical cancer.
Basic symptoms of cervical cancer
- Bleeding from vagina
- Vaginal discharge
- Feeling pain during sexual intercourse
- Pain in pelvic region
- Loss of appetite
- Fatigue
- Bone fractures
Can vaccination help prevent cervical cancer?
Vaccination, though not a permanent cure, can definitely diminish the impact of cervical cancer in women. Gardasil and Cervarix are the vaccines that have been accepted by all the gynecologists worldwide for preventing cervical cancer. These vaccines are quite effective and can prevent cervical cancer, if applied to any girl or woman before getting attacked by HPV. It is very important to take the vaccination in the right time because they become ineffective after the virus attack. For a girl the ideal time to take them is between 11 and 12 years of age. However a 9 years old girl can also take it. In most situation vaccination might not be recommended to a lady who is more than 26 years of age. A pregnant woman or a woman who is having any physical disorder is never considered suitable to take such vaccines. If you’re under 26 years of age but having any physical problem and would like to take the vaccination against cervical cancer, it’s always recommended to talk to your doctor before taking. Women with certain allergies are also recommended to talk to their doctors before going for Gardasil and Cervarix vaccines.
You need to go for a series of injections over a period of six months. After you finish the first one, the secon one is followed after a month or two. The third injection is given after a six months period of the first dose. Gardasil and Cervarix are quite effective vaccines that can prevent you from specific strains of HPV. But you know that there are already several types of HPV present and a women over 26 years of age with many sex partners are more susceptible to get attacked by cervical cancer. So it’s quite important for you to complete vaccination course when you’re under 26 and not sexually active.
Side effects of vaccination
Most of the vaccinations have some or the other side effects. Gardasil and Cervarix vaccines are no exception. However, few symptoms may persist but they generally do not stay for long time:
- Mild headache
- Discomfort and mild pain at the injection spot
- Low fever
- Dizziness may happen sometimes in adolescent (not so serious). It can be prevented sitting back for about 15 minutes after taking the injection.
- Nausea
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
Steps to prevent cervical cancer for those not recommended to take the Gardasil and Cervarix vaccines
Precaution is better than cure. Women must take steps to prevent cervical cancer:
1. Always ensure that your male partners use condoms at the time of sexual intercourse. Condoms are one of the best ways to prevent any sexually transmitted disease.
2. Avoid sex with multiple partners.
3. Try to avoid smoking. Smoking doubles the risk of cervical cancer.
Regular check up is indeed an essential requirement for all women. You should visit your gynecologist for a regular pelvic health check up. You should undergo Pap smear test to get confirmed for your safety. Once you notice symptoms like bleeding from vagina after sexual intercourse or between your periods or even after menopause, do not hesitate to consult your doctor. Don’t ignore symptoms like pelvic pain or any pain you feel while doing sex. Those symptoms could be the indications of cervical cancer. Self awareness, maintaining healthy lifestyle, taking vaccines at proper age can surely help you a lot to stay ahead from this deadly disease. Tell your friends, colleagues, relatives and other known people about the effectiveness of the vaccination to prevent cervical cancer. Social awareness can really help us to save millions of lives.
