A speculum exam is the procedure that is used to look inside the vagina.
This is a significant cause of anxiety for many patients and often a reason why people avoid going to the gynecologist or having a pap smear.
Patients with a history of trauma or abuse can understandably struggle with pap smears. Open, clear communication with your provider is imperative.
What a Speculum Exam Should Feel Like
A speculum exam should not be painful. It is weird and uncomfortable — not something you want to sign up to do every day. It should not be painful.
If you are having a speculum exam completed that is painful, you should feel empowered to tell the clinician to stop.
It is the job of the provider to make changes to prevent pain, not the patient’s job to grin and bear the pain.
Lubrication should always be used on a speculum when it is placed in a vagina.
What to Expect During the Exam
A speculum exam feels like lots of pressure in the vagina and near the butt. Sometimes speculums make noise when the provider is using them but that is nothing worrisome.
Once the speculum is in place, the provider is able to see the vagina and cervix, collect swabs for testing or pap smears, and evaluate any concerns you may have.
Removal of a speculum should also be pressure, not pain.
Options for Anxiety and Pain Management
Some patients still have significant anxiety or pain with a speculum exam. This is a time to consider numbing or sedation options. If you are unable to tolerate a speculum exam comfortably, talk to your provider about which options for numbing or sedation are available to you.
Gentle Gynecologic Care in Greensboro and Across North Carolina
Haven Health understands that speculum exams can be a major source of anxiety and past trauma for many patients. We provide compassionate, patient-centered gynecologic care in Greensboro, North Carolina and by telehealth coordination across the state.
Patients from Greensboro, High Point, Jamestown, Oak Ridge, Summerfield, Kernersville, and surrounding Guilford County communities trust Haven Health for respectful, trauma-informed reproductive care.
If you live anywhere in Winston-Salem, Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, Asheville, Wilmington, or anywhere in NC, Haven Health can help coordinate testing and care in a way that prioritizes your comfort, including sending lab orders to a facility near you when appropriate.
Haven Health believes you should feel safe, heard, and comfortable during every part of your healthcare experience.