Chinanews.com, Beijing, May 18 (Shao Meng) For many women, this step towards the gynecological clinic is not only a physical distance, but also a shadow of gynecological examination that contains fear, pain, shame and other conflicting emotions.
When it comes to the source of shadows, I believe many people will mention the vaginal speculum. It is a commonly used instrument for gynecological examinations, and its shape resembles a duck's bill, also known as duckbill pliers. For a long time, the pain and discomfort caused by it have made many women avoid gynecological examinations.
A blogger posted a video sharing his thoughts on duckbill pliers, sparking discussion. Image source: Video screenshot
Recently, a blogger shared his thoughts on duckbill pliers, which sparked a lot of resonance and discussion. Why hasn't the speculum improved much over the years? Is there a gynecological device that is more friendly to women? In the face of gynecological examinations, how can women no longer be anxious and resistant?
Why are they afraid of gynecological examinations?
Although it was not the first time to have a gynecological examination, when Zhou Yun (pseudonym) lay on the examination table, she was still uncontrollably nervous.
The resistance stemmed from an unpleasant experience when she had a routine vaginal discharge for the first time. "The doctor was very anxious, and his hand was very heavy, and I screamed, and the other party said impatiently and loudly, 'Relax, how can I check if you are like this!' ”
This experience inevitably left a shadow on Zhou Yun, and after that, even if there was inflammation, she tried to self-medicate. "I'm afraid of pain and I'm afraid that the doctor will not be friendly, so it's hard to muster up the courage to step into the examination room."
Zhou Yun's experience is not unique. Xiao Qi recently had a cervical polyp examination, and she was so painful that she almost cried. She had also had a TCT before, but she never found it unbearable. "I also used duckbill pliers, and the doctor before was very professional and gentle, so I didn't feel much of it. This time, I didn't know if it was a problem with the examination technique, but I tried to take a deep breath and expressed discomfort, but it didn't change, and there was a lot of blood. ”
Xiao Qi had TCT examination before, and in her opinion, the doctor was very professional and gentle. Photo courtesy of the interviewee
Searching for gynecological examinations on social media, there will be a lot of "painful" experiences, and Douban even has a group of "Eliminating the Shadow of Gynecological Examination on behalf of the Moon", in which more than 27,000 people share their experiences and confusions about gynecological examinations.
One of the most common of these puzzles is: Why doesn't the speculum seem to have improved much over the years? Is there a more comfortable gynecological examination device?
"This problem is not only for me, but also for my boyfriend. But we are laymen after all, and the improvement may involve many departments and personnel, including costs and training. Xiao Qi said.
Could there be a better alternative?
Gu Zhongyi, attending physician of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the First Affiliated Hospital of the Naval Medical University (Shanghai Changhai Hospital), introduced in an interview with Zhongxin Health that duckbill pliers are the most basic examination tools for gynecological examination, and the device must be used for health examination, leucorrhea routine, HPV examination or various examinations involving the cervix, uterine cavity and vagina.
Talking about why duckbill pliers have been used, Gu Zhongyi believes that today's duckbill pliers are a more mature version after several rounds of improvement, and they are disposable and have high cleanliness. With the help of a speculum constructed with a duckbill, the vagina and cervix can be clearly exposed for examination. In addition, the duckbill pliers will have a thread stuck after being propped up, and the doctor can operate it with one hand and take a sample with a cotton swab with the other hand, which is practical and easy to operate.
"The most important thing is that the cost of duckbill pliers is very low. Gauze, speculum, cotton swabs, etc. are all medical consumables, which belong to the hidden cost of the hospital and cannot be charged. Gu Zhongyi said.
In the recent discussion of duckbill pliers, some people have put forward suggestions for improving the material, shape, etc. In fact, researchers have tried ways to reduce the pain of speculum examination, some have designed soft inflatable devices, and some have adopted designs similar to tampon push tubes...... However, no new tools have been widely used in clinical practice.
Six Floors, a popular science blogger on women's health, also put forward his ideas in a recently released video. It includes multi-leaf opening and closing to improve comfort, shape improvement in combination with physiological curves, and temperature control.
In Gu Zhongyi's view, in fact, many doctors and medical device companies have considered it, however, considering factors such as cost, examination accuracy, operation difficulty, and use risk, there is still no product that can replace traditional speculum on a large scale.
"There must be a reason for the current situation, but that doesn't stop us from imagining a better experience in the future." Said the six-story building.
How do you stop women from resisting?
The degree of discomfort of gynecological examination is not only related to the examination tools, but also related to the patient's personal constitution, whether there is inflammation, the patient's nervousness, the doctor's technique, and the doctor-patient communication.
Gu Zhongyi understands the patient's resistance. In his opinion, the discomfort caused by duckbill pliers is universal, and the patient's tension in the exposed private area can lead to muscle contractions, which can also increase the pain and discomfort of the examination.
If pain is felt at the physical level, then a small number of doctors are rough and rough, which is another major factor that makes patients fall into the shadow of gynecological examination.
Gu Zhongyi mentioned that in the gynecology outpatient clinic of a tertiary hospital, a doctor usually sees 30 to 40 patients in a morning, because of the large number of patients and the limited time allocated to each patient, it is sometimes difficult to take into account the feelings of patients. If you are patient and do a good job of comfort and explanation, the patient experience will be much better.
In the "Removing the Shadow of Gynecology on behalf of the Moon" group, some doctors posted to offer advice and answers. Image source: Screenshot of social media platform
For example, for some nervous patients, they can be given a small speculum. Lubricants can be used to relieve pain when possible. Counseling and reassuring before the operation can also make the patient have a better medical experience.
He also advises patients to take the initiative to communicate their needs and feelings with their doctors. For example, whether you can use a small speculum and whether you can move gently can also attract the attention of doctors.
In the past, women seemed to be silent on the topic of gynecological examination, perhaps because they were confined to the stigma of illness, or because they did not find a suitable channel to speak out.
Gu Zhongyi feels that the problem has always existed, and this extensive discussion on duckbill pliers is a good phenomenon, on the one hand, it may enlighten women who have a shadow of gynecological examination to know that they have the right to demand good service; On the other hand, it can also make doctors understand that the routine examination that "habits become natural" in their eyes is a hidden pain for many women.
"It's a good thing that more and more people are paying attention to this, and I'm looking forward to the emergence of more friendly gynecological tools in the future." Zhou Yun said. (ENDS)