There are five gynaecological cancers: womb, ovarian, cervical, vulval and vaginal. Together, they affect 22,050 women and people with gynae organs each year in the UK.
This Gynae Cancer Awareness Month we talked all about pain and discomfort, so that everyone can get to know their normal, spot when their pain might be a symptom that needs checking with a doctor, and so that everyone has the tools they need to advocate for themselves.
The first step in knowing what is normal for you is getting familiar with your anatomy and the knowing the five gynae cancers and the symptoms to look out for.
We all get pain from time to time, but some types of unexplained pain can be a symptom of a gynaecological cancer, including:
- Abdominal or pelvic pain
- Lower back pain
- Periods that are more painful than is normal for you
- Pain during sex
- Vulval or vaginal pain or discomfort.
Pain is not considered normal and needs to get checked by a doctor when it is so bad it affects your daily life and stops you doing normal activities, if the pain is new and unusual for you, if it severe, or isn’t helped by medication.
If you have been having unexplained pain for three weeks or more it’s important to go and get checked by a doctor.
Tracking your symptoms
We know that it can sometimes be difficult to get your pain taken seriously and to get the tests and investigations you need. When speaking to a doctor about your pain, they will want to get a picture of your symptoms, and they will try pick up on any patterns.
Keeping a pain diary can help you and your doctor understand more about your pain, spot any patterns and decide what tests you might need. It will help find out what is causing your pain and the best way to manage it.
More information
We have lots more information on the five gynaecological cancers. You can also contact our Ask Eve nurses for free to chat about any worries or questions.
