Cervical Cancer is more commonly found in women between the ages of 21 and 35 but can also affect women older than 35 years of age. It is highly recommended that from the age of 21 women should have yearly tests done via cervical screening or pap smears for any abnormalities. This will assist in detecting any irregularities or pre-cancer cells giving the opportunity for treatment before cancer can develop.
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This does however not guarantee that it will always be found but it can provide you with the best possibility of prevention available in today’s advanced era. Risk factors are only indications thus it does not guarantee you will or won’t be diagnosed with cervical cancer ever but it does assist in decreasing the likeliness of getting it.
There are also a number of things you can do to reduce your risk even more. With the following we will take a closer look at some of these ways recommended by professionals in this field of study.
If you are still under the age of twenty-six there is an injection that protects you against the strains causing 75% of cervical cancer in woman. This shot would most likely not be administered by a doctor if you are older than twenty-six due to the fact that you are more prone to have had some kind of sexual relationship by that age. This vaccine can only help fight the virus if it is new to your system thus if you have already contracted the virus the vaccine will not work.
Your risk of being infected with the virus strains that case cervical cancer climbs significantly as your number of sexual partners rise. With the use of condoms you only offer yourself about a 70% – 80% safety net but you could still be exposed to these virus strains by skin to skin contact.
Current research is being done to determine the risk caused by using the ‘pill’ as woman using this pregnancy prevention method has shown higher numbers of cervical cancer development than women not taking it. This can actually be from the ‘pill’ itself as well as the fact that women using it are less likely to use other protection methods.
Living a healthy life style could also assist in the prevention not only of cervical cancer but many other cancers as well. Adding the correct amount of fruit and vegetables to your daily intake will give your body the needed nutrients, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants so it can fight off any virus strains that try to grow. Cutting out unhealthy food like processed and take-away foods will also offer support in gaining a healthy body.
The chemicals found in your cleaning solutions at work could also assist in the growth of virus strains leading to cervical cancer. Chemicals used for metal degreasing and also commonly found by dry cleaning known as tetrachloroethylene is the culprit here and exposure to this chemical can increase your risk over time.
There are also multiple other sources that would increase your risk such as smoking, poor immune system, the number of children you bared, family generics can also play a part and even the age you were when you had sexual intercourse for the first time. So as you can see there are numerous causes and just as countless number of preventative methods one can have a look at but whether you knowingly increase your risk or decrease it, it is up to you. So if you really want to reduce your risk read up all you can, ask your doctor for more information and start by living a healthy lifestyle.