What is a well-woman exam?
A well-woman exam is an annual checkup that your provider at Northern Virginia Internal Medicine and Pediatrics carries out to make sure you’re healthy and well in all respects, but with a particular focus on your reproductive organs and sexual health.
A well-woman exam is an opportunity for you to raise any issues you need advice on, for example, birth control, testing for STDs (sexually transmitted diseases), or symptoms that might indicate a hormonal imbalance.
You can combine your well-woman exam with your regular Pap smear as well. The Pap smear is a vital routine test in which your provider takes a sample of cells from your cervix.
The laboratory analyses the sample to identify any cell changes that could be a sign of cervical cancer, enabling you to start treatment in good time if there’s any cause for concern.
Why is a well-women exam important?
A well-women exam is one of the most valuable tools for preventing women’s health problems and spotting the early signs of infection or disease. It also focuses on conditions that wholly or mainly affect women, such as menstrual pain, menopause, and the female reproductive organs.
What are some common women’s health conditions?
Many conditions come under women’s health problems, some of the most common being:
- Yeast infections
- Endometriosis
- Uterine fibroids
- Ovarian cysts
- Bacterial vaginosis
- Vaginal atrophy
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Pelvic organ prolapse (POP)
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
Although many women don’t experience any significant problems with their menstrual cycle or during menopause, many others suffer chronic pain, emotional distress, mood disorders, and other unpleasant symptoms.
The team at Northern Virginia Internal Medicine and Pediatrics can check for any underlying causes of your symptoms during your well-woman exam, and prescribe effective treatments if necessary.
They can also advise and support you in making lifestyle changes that can play a major part in alleviating many of these symptoms and improving your overall health.
To book your well-woman exam or discuss any women’s health issues, call Northern Virginia Internal Medicine and Pediatrics today or book an appointment online.
