Practising a healthy lifestyle and quitting smoking are a good start . Sticking to known sexual partner is highly recommended but condom helps to reduce risks of infection when casual sexual activity is unavoidable . Vaccination against HPV is now available to help fight against the infection , best given to sexually naïve girls but still beneficial to sexually active or even affected older women . Screening with smear cytology or HPV DNA , is effective in detecting precancerous changes or presence of infection .
Implication of positive screening .
Screening implies testing asymptomatic noninfected or infected individuals to look for obscure or early disease when medical intervention can be instituted to prevent more sinister outcome . Misunderstanding with lack of correct information on screening and diagnostic procedures ; with unfounded worry on side effects leads one to take the attitude of avoiding screening . This is an ill-informed attitude as when you become symptomatic , it means you already have advanced cancer . Now , you must forgo your embarrassment and be examined by multiple doctors and forced to undergo painful and difficult treatments , like major surgery or chemoradiation , with loss of fertility or even sexual capacity . By then , there is no point in feeling sorry for oneself . In fact , a positive test must not be seen as a death sentence but more like being given a second chance , because simple treatments are available , curative and allows preservation of reproductive function .
Once screened positive , you will be given an appointment for outpatient colposcopy where your cervix is visualised through a microscope . Abnormal area is highlighted with the help of some diagnostic solution . The whole process is not painful , just some discomfort which is usually resolved with simple oral analgesics . Small biopsy may be taken and most of the time , will be reported as pre-cancerous diseases and these are easily treated even as an outpatient . Cancer usually occurs in women who had neglected their health by not coming forward to be screened for many years and the diagnosis cannot be blamed on the screening test itself . Your medical practitioner or gynaecologist may help you with more information when necessary .