It’s important to stay physically and mentally fit so you can live a long and healthy life. For women, annual wellness exams can help prevent the risk of health problems such as cervical cancer or osteoporosis in the future. At Crown Clinic PA in Charlotte, the Historic South End of North Carolina, Obinna Oriaku, MD, strives to help all women understand and listen to their body so they can tell when they’re not feeling well and get the necessary care. For questions regarding your health, call the office today or schedule your appointment online.
It’s important to always take preventative measures and have an annual physical exam to detect any potential medical complications. Your exam differs from a male’s physical exam because it includes a Pap smear, pelvic exam, and breast exam. These exams can make all the difference in the early detection of cervical or breast cancer.
The National Osteoporosis Foundation estimates that out of 10 million Americans with osteoporosis, eight million of them are women. Osteoporosis causes your bones to become fragile to the point where even a slight fall can cause a fracture.
While there are typically no symptoms in the beginning stages of osteoporosis, once your bones become weak enough, you’ll begin to experience the following symptoms:
Naturally, your bones become thinner as you get older, so it’s important you do what you can to build strong bones and prevent osteoporosis from occurring.
A Pap smear is an exam where Dr. Oriaku collects cells from your cervix to test for cervical cancer.
Dr. Oriaku recommends women be tested for cervical cancer every three years beginning at age 21. However, if you’re over 30, you can get a Pap smear every five years in combination with your human papillomavirus test, known as HPV.
If your Pap smear results come back normal, you won’t need any further testing or treatment until your next paper smear. But if your results come back abnormal, it’s important to keep in mind that abnormal results don’t necessarily mean you have cancer.
An abnormal Pap smear may indicate one of the following:
Depending on the classification of your abnormal results, Dr. Oriaku may recommend you have another Pap smear in a year or even have a colposcopy, a procedure that closely examines your cervix, vagina, and vulva for signs of disease.
It’s crucial to stay up to date with your health by seeing Dr. Oriaku for regular examinations. If you’re concerned about your health, call Crown Clinic PA today or book your appointment online.
