2018;97(5):321-329. A swab is just a large cotton bud that is wiped in your vagina to take a sample of cells....usually used to look for infections. What’s a swab? Anyway I have just had a call from the GP to say that I need to go in to talk to the GP about my results...and they can't get me in until Monday so my mind is in overdrive now!
It goes to the lab and they check the material under a microscope (or by machine) and if there are abnormal bacteria there they will grow them and see if they are sensitive to different antibiotics. Wet mounts are not used to diagnose most common STDs such as chlamydia and gonorrhea. Diagnostic Value of Vaginal Discharge, Wet Mount and Vaginal pH - An Update on the Basics of Gynecologic Infectiology. Each test is easy to take but goes to the lab for an entirely different reason.
By using Verywell Health, you accept our, Clarifying the Difference Between Wet Mounts and Pap Smears, How a Self STD Test Can Reduce the Need for Pelvic Exams, What to Expect From a Pelvic Exam at Your OB/GYN, Urine Testing for Sexually Transmitted Diseases, How Squamous Cells Can Be Affected by HPV. 2015;75(4):355–366. She is an assistant professor at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City, where she is also on staff in the Division of Infectious Disease. In the first paragraph, "A woman visits her gynecologist for her annual Pap smear. Obstet Gynecol Surv. I feel silly that I didn't ask the GP what the difference was. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. Will keep my fingers crossed (and I kinda ruling out STI as am happily married...well so I think)!! It is also known as a vaginal smear. Take a cervical smear – using the smear brush, insert the middle of the brush into the os, then rotate the brush through 360’, five times. A smear uses a slightly different bit of kit and she's unlikely to have done that as well unless you are due to have one, @PatrickMerricksGoshawk thank you confirming...no I wouldn't have thought she will have done a smear with me having one last year. Neither test stands on its own for managing a woman's sexual and reproductive health. To answer your question about colposcopy.....it really depends on the abnormality of the cells.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. For a high vaginal swab a speculum isn’t needed. 2015 Jan-Feb;65(1):30-54. Taking swabs – make sure you have explained what the swabs … The other important difference between Pap smears and wet mounts is that Pap smears are swabs of the cervix. Wet mounts are swabs of the vagina. Take the brush out of the vagina, and remove the head, placing it into the transport medium. I'm confused. Add message | Report. We collect some material from either the cervix, or the top of the vagina, by rolling the swab around the area. This has never been confirmed (never done a lap) but I have undergone a few tests as one of my other symptoms is rectal bleeding during menstruation - just got the all clear from the colonoscopy. The cellular changes are much more subtle than the changes that doctors look for on a wet mount. Vaginitis: Diagnosis and Treatment. The purpose of a wet mount is to determine the cause of vaginitis. Wet mounts may also be a standard part of an annual gynecology exam. I'm confused! To use this feature subscribe to Mumsnet Premium - get first access to new features see fewer ads, and support Mumsnet.
Phew.Anyway after intercourse a couple of weeks ago I bled, which have never done previously. I last had a smear in Feb 2018 and am up to date and had clear smears! An erosion (also called an ectropion) is common in women, especially younger women and those on hormonal contraception. They are a test for cancer and pre-cancerous conditions. In addition, although the cervical swabs are taken in the doctor's office, they are read by specially trained pathologists (or computers.) She said to give the swabs a week to come back and if I didn't hear anything don't worry. doi:10.1055/s-0035-1545909, Cervical Cancer Screening. Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd. Reading wet mounts requires training, but it is still relatively easy to perform. I think thats right anyway...and hope it helps. Susan Olender, MD, is board-certified in internal medicine.
Infections we sometimes see are BV, strep B infection, chlamydia, Candida (thrush) and less commonly infections such as gonorrhoea and trichomonas. American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Can anybody shed any light on what the swabs are...are they different to a smear...it certainly felt the same as a smear test when she was taking the swabs! Amanda Watters Division of Cancer Sciences and Molecular Pathology Department of Pathology Western Infirmary Glasgow, Scotland, UK adw10q@clinmed.gla.ac.uk. In the first paragraph, "A woman visits her gynecologist for her annual Pap smear. Am Fam Physician. isnt a pap smear consider of taking swabs from the vagina to test for abnormal cells? PatrickMerricksGoshawk Tue 09-Jul-19 13:55:32. Elizabeth Boskey, PhD, MPH, CHES, is a social worker, adjunct lecturer, and expert writer in the field of sexually transmitted diseases.
The doctor takes a cervical swab." What's the difference? @Sidge thank you! The other important difference between Pap smears and wet mounts is that Pap smears are swabs of the cervix. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. DH home from deployment and already annoyed me, Find out what Mumsnet testers thought of Crown easyclean paint, Self-employed or own your own business? Diagnosis of Vaginal Discharge by Wet Mount Microscopy: a Simple and Underrated Method. After the swabs and 'shining her light' she said she suspected cervical erosion. Swabs will look for infections like thrush, bacterial vaginosis, probably a few different STIs. Smith RA, Manassaram-Baptiste D, Brooks D, Doroshenk M, Fedewa S, Saslow D, Brawley OW, Wender R. Cancer Screening in the United States, 2015: a Review of Current American Cancer Society Guidelines and Current Issues in Cancer Screening. Even qualified doctors can't diagnose over the internet, so do bear that in mind when seeking or giving advice. I read with interest the article "Quantitative Image Analysis Gives More Power to the Pathologist. Although am 35, so not too young haha! All rights reserved. A cervical smear is the means to gather cells required for cytological analysis. I guess I should have asked my GP what she was 'testing' for when taking the swabs, but I was so worked up and as she had already mentioned cervical erosion as a possibility, my mind was all over the place. To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account. In a women's health exam, a wet mount is a slide made from a vaginal swab. Hi all,Just to give some very brief background info...I've been seeing a gynaecologist for the last 18 months due to suspected endometriosis. The cellular changes are much more subtle than the changes that doctors look for on a wet mount. @mrsprice84 you’re very welcome If a woman has postcoital bleeding we routinely swab for infection, do a smear if they’re due one, and obviously visually inspect the cervix. One thing that both wet mounts and Pap smears have in common, however, is that they're typically done alongside other STD tests.
Functions of the Cervix in Reproductive Health, Get Info on a Vaginal Speculum, an Essential Gynecological Tool. S. Jenkins, "Quantitative image analysis gives more power to the pathologist,". STD testing can be done apart from a Pap smear and pelvic exam through a urine, blood, or swab test. Whereas a smear is when they scrape a sample of cells from your cervix. is too often asked of me.What’s a smear is less often asked because of its connections to finding any cancerous cells. How Much Do You Know About Human Papillomavirus (HPV)?
Share your story - £100 voucher to be won, Share your child’s messiest moments with Farrow & Ball - £100 voucher, virtual colour consultancy and F&B Modern Emulsion paint to be won, Talk widget showing discussions of the day & trending threads, Subscribe to Mumsnet emails direct to your inbox. Now I am worried again as they have obviously found something and STI's would not even be a possibility (I say that...I would hope not anyway).Thanks again though, that's a big help! :-). A pap is actually a small piece of skin & a smear on a glass slide the swabs are from the cervix I think I do think swabs are for stds. You've been a massive help! CA Cancer J Clin. Instead, they're used to detect pre-cancerous cervical changes that are associated with HPV. The doctor takes a cervical swab." No, they are taken for different reasons. ... For those with symptomatic candida vaginitis (n = 12), there was no difference in sensitivity (83%) between the two methods for detecting pseudohyphae.
"1 However, I must draw your attention to an inaccuracy. In terms of the woman’s experience, a smear and a swab are largely similar. Save money on clothes, holidays, days out, pregnancy and baby gear, homeware, garden furniture and more with exclusive deals! Read our, Medically reviewed by Kashif J. Piracha, MD, Verywell Health uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience.
1. They're not only used to diagnose different types of conditions, but they also contain samples of cells from different places. Went to the GP and she took some swabs. After doing some reading though it seems cervical erosion can be diagnosed on visual inspection so am a little worried what may have come back on the swabs - this is where I've started to overthink and wonder if swabs and smears will detect similar. Then your doctor can look at the wet mount under her office microscope to diagnose visible conditions such as bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections, and trichomoniasis.. Paladine HL, Desai UA. They are used to detect 3-4 specific types of infections, such as the ones mentioned above. My question is does anybody know if a swab is the same as a smear? Wet mounts are read in the office setting by the physician. Swabs are like long cotton buds. @Sidge yes the GP did say the erosion/ectropion is common for those on the contraceptive pill (which I am)! To prepare a wet mount, your doctor will swab your vagina—usually during a pelvic exam—and roll the swab onto a slide. 1 decade ago. September 2017. Some doctors may also allow you to do the swab yourself. Or if a smear is the only test to confirm cervical cancer. Can You Get the HPV Virus From a Public Toilet Seat?
Mylonas I, Bergauer F. Diagnosis of Vaginal Discharge by Wet Mount Microscopy: a Simple and Underrated Method. A cervical smear is the means to gather cells required for cytological analysis. However, a swab is used to diagnose infection. Cancer Screening in the United States, 2015: a Review of Current American Cancer Society Guidelines and Current Issues in Cancer Screening. Are they the same then? 3 Wet mounts are swabs of the vagina. This is page 1 of 1 (This thread has 9 messages.). Luis. I went to the clinic for a pap smear cause I was having tingly feelings in my vagina and they said that would be a swab test and not a pap smear. But for the most adequate testing, one should do both a urine, blood, or swab … is the swab the same as a smear?How do they cause cystitis or UTI’s? Lv 4. No problem Might just be something like BV and she wants to discuss antibiotics - try not to worry until you have to! 2011 Jun;66(6):359-68. Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. A smear uses a slightly different bit of kit and she's unlikely to have done that as well unless you are due to have one. © 1986–2020 The Scientist. However, these vaginal smears can give your doctor important insights about your reproductive health.