Sunday, December 19, 2010

Give Me 5 Minutes and I'll Tell You How to Lower Your Risk of Getting Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is a very dangerous disease. Some of the woman who had will not be able to have children and it is life threatening. That is why many women do their best to reduce their chance of getting it. Simple things can be done to significantly lower the chance of having to deal with this disease:
1. Stop smoking - if you smoke, than you should be aware that if you stop smoking you are significantly reducing your chance to suffer from many types of cancer, including this one. But what if you don't smoke, and never did? Then, you might think that you've got this part "checked off the list". Well, if you are around smokers, and you are constantly inhaling their cigarette smoke, then the chance of getting cervical cancer due to smoking exists.
2. Get a regular pap smear test - a couple of decades ago, pap smears tests were introduced and promoted early detection of cervical cancer. It has been proven as a most effective way to prevent cervical cancer. But unfortunately, many women don't regularly perform the test. Make sure you have a pap smear every 6 months.
3. Practice safe sex - women who began having sex at a young age (younger than 18), women who have multiple sex partners, and women who don't use a condom, have an increased chance of suffering from the cervical cancer disease. That is because many HPV viruses that you partners might have will be transmitted to you once you have unprotected sex. That is why multiple partners multiply the risk. One other risk factor that not many women are aware of is having sex with male partners who haven't been circumcised.
4. Get vaccinated - If you are not 26 yet, you can lower your chances of contracting HPV, which is responsible for many cervical cancer cases, by 3 shots. This vaccine will prevent the pre-cancer changes that certain HPV types cause.
The most important thing to remember is that knowledge is power. Keeping these steps in mind and following them can save your life.

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