Important Things You Should Always Discuss with Your Gynecologist

Most women consider the routine appointments with their gynecologists as a chore, feeling a sense of great relief when they are done with it. Reproductive health should never be taken so lightly, and all women should lay a great amount of stress on getting regular checkups with their gynecologists regardless of whether they are having any sort of issues with their reproductive system or not. Along with these routine appointments, women should also consider getting a pap smear done at least once a year. Visiting your gynecologist regularly will help you be in tune with your reproductive health, along with aiding you in getting answers for all of your doubts about whether the things that you are experiencing are normal or not. This will help you a lot in the long run. 

While most women feel extreme levels of nervousness at the thought of visiting a gynecologist, this, however, should not be of that much concern in the first place as gynecologists have a lot of experience in handling cases like you and they have seen it all, and so you do not need to feel anxious when you discuss your problems with them, even while disclosing your most intimate details. Here are some of the things that you should always discuss with your gynecologist, as it will help them assess the treatment method that would benefit you the most in a better way. 

  • Periods that are very painful

Getting periods is a very uncomfortable time of the month for most women. While most experience some sort of discomfort, be it mild cramping, tender breasts, nausea, etc. some women go through a lot like severe cramps, light-headedness, and even passing out. If you are one of those women that have been experiencing painful periods that seem to be getting worse, you need to see a gynecologist immediately as it can be a sign of uterine fibroids or endometriosis. Your doctor can check for the signs and run some tests to ascertain if it is a matter of concern or not. If it is, then they can help you with the proper medical help to treat and manage it.

  • Irregular menstruation

 Women experience irregular periods due to scores of different reasons like being underweight due to low intake of calories, extreme diet changes, hormonal disturbances, having a very active lifestyle, etc. Some women also experience it due to birth control pills that they have been taking along with taking any powerful medications. Everyone goes through phases where their menstrual cycles are out of whack, but if that continues for an extended period of time, you should see a doctor. The gynecologist will be able to tell you what is wrong and will come up with a treatment method to help you with the problem.

  • Vaginal Odor

While it is normal for the vagina to have its own distinct smell, a foul or a fishy smell should never be ignored. A lot of women find it very difficult to discuss this with their doctor, but it is a very common thing that almost every woman has to deal with at some point. Therefore it is a good idea to thoroughly discuss it with your gynecologist to make sure that it is not because of a bacterial or a yeast infection.

  • Abnormal growths and bumps in and around the vagina

Experiencing an abnormal growth in and around your vagina can be very nerve-wracking. Before you jump to conclusions, you need to make sure that it is not an ingrown hair, a cut from shaving or a zit. Although bumps on the vagina are not always a matter of concern but then again, it is important to consult your doctor just to be on the safe side. While most of the time, these are just benign growths, but they can also be signs of herpes, and so you need to see your doctor as soon as possible.

  • Vaginal dryness

 A lot of women experience issues regarding their vagina not being properly lubricated during sexual intercourse, which can make their vagina susceptible to getting irritated, and they also might experience chafing. Vaginal dryness occurs due to a lot of factors, including the age of the woman and other underlying causes. If experienced by younger women, it is most likely to be because of using birth control pills for a very long time due to which they do not have enough estrogen in their bodies. Vaginal dryness could also occur if the woman is not properly aroused due to the lack of foreplay. For women that experience vaginal dryness and are post-menopausal, it could be due to the very low levels of estrogen in their bodies, for which the doctor might recommend some vaginal estrogen.

  • Vaginal itching

Experiencing vaginal itching can be very uncomfortable, it is not always the case, but sometimes itching can be a sign of some other underlying issues like vaginal irritation, vaginal infections, sexually transmitted diseases, etc. In the worst-case scenario, it can also be because of cancer of the vulva. In order to get a proper diagnosis, the matter must be discussed with a gynecologist. Women should not take vaginal itching lightly as it may be due to some serious issue. While consulting the doctor, it is, therefore, necessary to not feel uncomfortable or shy and share everything with them without any hesitation. 

  • Sexual Discomfort

Talking about discomfort experienced during getting intimate with your doctor can feel very uncomfortable, but you need to understand that without disclosing the full details regarding your problem, the doctor will not be able to help you. Therefore it is important to talk to your doctor about the following issues:

  • Pain during sexual intercourse

Sometimes experiencing pain during sexual intercourse might be due to the position that you are having sexual intercourse in, you can try changing positions to see if that helps. If changing positions does not help and along with the pain, you also experience vaginal dryness despite using lubricants and bleeding after sexual intercourse; it gets very important in that case to consult a gynecologist. There are so many reasons as to why a woman experiences painful sexual intercourse.

– if there is an alternation in the sexual activity

– if they are suffering from a Sexually Transmitted Disease or an STD

– due to irritation and injury in the vaginal canal or around it

– due to infections of the vagina

– due to the infections of the urinary tract

– due to vaginal dryness after or during the menopausal phase

– due to a condition known as Vulvodynia in which a woman feels irritation and pain in and around the vagina, this condition causes a woman to experience severe pain during sexual intercourse.

  • Vaginal Discharge

The vagina is self-cleaning, and so it produces a small amount of discharge, which you might notice on your underwear from time to time. This is completely normal and nothing to be worried about. The consistency of vaginal discharge changes during your monthly cycle and is at its thickest at the time of ovulation; around that time, it reaches the consistency of an egg white. However, if you experience foul-smelling vaginal discharge along with irritation, pain, rashes, inflammation of the vagina, you need to see the doctor without any delay. While the color of the normal vaginal discharge is almost always white, abnormal discharge can be of green or yellow color along with being smelly and having the consistency of cottage cheese. 

  • Urinary incontinence

Post-menopausal women mostly experience urinary incontinence. Due to the loss of elasticity in their vaginas, they are not able to contain the leakage. This condition is also seen in women that have given birth, especially if the baby is big in size. Urinary incontinence can be managed well by the varied amount of treatment methods available today, and so it should not be ignored. 

  • Low libido

It is very common for women to experience low libido at some point, but it is important to check with your doctor to find a cure for it. Sometimes women experience low sex drive due to the type of medications that they are on, or it can be because of other underlying issues. Some libido can be affected by the things that they do not have control on, like due to their busy schedules and the high amount of stress that they are experiencing. Being in long-term relationships can also affect the libido of a woman. Whether you are experiencing low libido due to any medications or because of your stressful lifestyle talking with your gynecologist can help you a lot in terms of reaching a decision on what treatment options to go for.

  • If you feel depressed after giving birth

A major chunk of women after giving birth shows signs and symptoms of postpartum depression. This results in them having negative thoughts and being severely depressed. Postpartum depression should never be ignored as it can lead to grave consequences if not treated on time. It is, therefore, of paramount importance to get connected with your gynecologist to look for possible methods of treatment. 

Final Thoughts

Every woman goes through some kind of issue, whether big or small related to their sexual health or reproductive organs at some point. It is very important to share every little detail with the gynecologist so that you receive a better diagnosis of your problems along with treatment. Hiding things might make treating the issue difficult later on, and so women need to be more proactive in this regard.