Local Urgent Care Encourages Education About Cervical Cancer Prevention and Detection

(Newswire.net — January 26, 2016) Cromwell, CT — Every year, around 12,000 women in the U.S. are diagnosed with cervical cancer. Though this is an increasingly common type of cancer, education about prevention and early detection is still needed.

Throughout the month of January, Connecticut Urgent Care Centers is echoing the National Cervical Cancer Coalition’s (NCCC) campaign to improve cervical health awareness through increased education, testing, and early detection services. Many cases of cervical cancer can be prevented through testing and early detection, as well as treatment of abnormal cell changes that occur long before cervical cancer typically develops.

After years of study, doctors now know that these cell changes are often caused by human papillomavirus, more commonly known as HPV. The traditional test for early detection of cervical cancer has long been the Pap test, however improvements in testing have been made, and an HPV test is now also available; this test may be used to find many of the high-risk types of HPV commonly found in cervical cancer.

Connecticut Urgent Care Centers would like to point out the following:

1. Prevention is possible. By taking preventative steps, like regular Pap testing, early detection of any cervical abnormalities is more likely.

2. Vaccination is vital. HPV has been proven to cause 97% of all cervical cancer in women, according to the National Coalition for Cervical Cancer (NCCC). The HPV vaccine has also been proven as a highly-effective means of cervical cancer prevention.

Because HPV is typically transmitted through sexual skin-to-skin contact, limiting any sexual activity, and/ or practicing safe sex are ways to decrease the risk of cervical cancer and prevent the spread of HPV.

3. Maintaining overall health is key to a healthy cervix. Leading a healthy lifestyle and keeping proper diet, exercise, and sleep habits, as well restricting or avoiding the use of harmful items like tobacco, alcohol, and drugs all lend to better overall well-being, and potentially limit health issues, like cervical cancer.

For more information about Connecticut Urgent Care Centers, including details about their affordable women’s health services, please visit http://www.cturgentcarecenters.com or call today at 860-378-8585.