You’ll Be Scared to See What Made Her Look Pregnant (Photo Inside)

You’ll Be Scared to See What Made Her Look Pregnant (Photo Inside)

Women can get so bloated from their periods or even bagels that they feel three months pregnant. In the U.K, a woman had an extreme case of bloating that lasted three whole years and made her look pregnant. With a distended abdomen and pains similar to those of pregnancy, the 48-year-old mother of two paid her doctors a visit. The doctors, however, chalked it up to a small plum-sized uterine fibroid and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). According to Pari Ghodsi, a gynecologist, uterine fibroids are non-cancerous growths developing from muscle tissue in the uterus. The doctors advised Margaret to simply lose weight seeing as her fibroid had not grown at all despite the unrelenting pain.

In desperation, Margaret paid for a personal CAT scan, results of which showed a huge mass inside her uterus. As it turned out, that huge melon-sized mass was actually the fibroid, as confirmed after a few more tests. For treatment, the removal of her uterus through a surgical procedure known as hysterectomy was necessary. According to Ghodsi, although growths of such a size are exceedingly rare, fibroids are rather common in women 30-45 years old.

The location, size, and shape of fibroids often vary. Fibroids can stay small for long and then grow rapidly without warning, or grow slowly over several years. Even though fibroids can vary in severity, they often cause pain while getting it on, bleeding, cramps, and pressure on the bladder. Pressure on your bladder often leads to urinary issues. However, sometimes fibroids do not cause any symptoms.

Causes
Specific human papilloma virus (HPV) types are known to be the primary cause of cervical cancer. As a common $exually transmitted viral disease, HPV affects approximately 80% of physically affectionate women at some point during their lives. Although many HPV infections clear by themselves, some extreme cases cause cervix cell alterations. Such changes can result in the development of cervical cancer 10-20 years after infection. Although more than 100 different types of HPV infections exist, only around 40 of them are linked to cervical cancer. Many women fail to notice they have contracted the virus since HPV infections usually cause no symptoms.

Getting it on, smoking and use of diethylstilbestrol are a few of the factors that can increase the risk of cervical cancer.

RELATED ARTICLE: This Brave Woman Is Sharing Her Cervical Cancer Story to Help Other Women

Symptoms
When it comes to cervical cancer, there are usually no symptoms during the early stages. However, abnormal bleeding of the honeypot is the most common symptom experienced. The bleeding often occurs between periods, after getting down, or after menopause. The menstrual flow might also get significantly heavier.

Additional symptoms that can occur include:
• Unusual honeypot discharge
• Lower back pain
• Fatigue
• Pain in the pelvic area
• Inflammation of the legs

Diagnosis
Several different tests can be employed to diagnose cervical cancer, starting with a pelvic examination. With the results of a pelvic examination, gynecologists can then perform additional tests including cone biopsies and colposcopy.

Pelvic examination
This test involves a visual inspection that includes taking a cervical smear as well as a bimanual examination. Doctors gently insert a speculum into the honeypot and visually inspect the cervix for the cervical smear test. They then use a small spatula to scrape off some cells from the cervix’s surface. The cells will be sent to a laboratory on a glass slide for testing. Doctors insert two fingers into the honeypot with one hand placed on a woman’s lower abdomen for the bimanual exam. The aim is to feel the size and shape of the uterus and ovaries while also identifying any potential abnormalities.

Colposcopy
With the aid of special instruments known as colposcopies, this procedure enables examination of the cervix. Same as the cervical smear, doctors use a speculum to hold the honeypot walls apart before applying a vinegar-like solution onto the cervix. The solution turns any areas that have abnormal tissue white.

Cone biopsy
Doctors usually recommend cone biopsies when cervical biopsies indicate the presence of abnormal cells. This procedure involves removing a cone-shaped tissue from the cervix while the patient is under local or general anesthetic. The removed tissues go to a lab for analysis so as to determine whether or not all abnormal tissues were removed. Results take approximately a week.

Conclusion
A gynecologist can easily diagnose cervical cancer as part of a routine pelvic exam. It is, therefore, imperative that all women maintain regular examinations. For an effective prevention, two vaccines, marketed as Cervarix and Gardasil, offer protection against the more common strains of HPV.

Womenshealthmag.com   Southerncross.co.nz