Can you use a speculum at home?

This can be the floor or your couch, wherever you can feel comfortable. Lie back. Bend your knees, with your feet wide apart. Lubricate the speculum, and insert it into your vagina in the closed position.

Can I use a speculum on myself?

You can put your finger in your vagina to feel where your cervix is and how to direct the speculum. Once the speculum is inserted, grasp the handle and squeeze the lever toward the handle to open the bills. Placing the speculum and finding the cervix may take some effort; that's OK.

How can I check my cervix at home without speculum?

If you want to actually see your cervix, place a mirror on the floor underneath your pelvis. You may have to use your nondominant hand to separate your labia for easier visualization.

How do you perform a vaginal exam at home?

To do a more complete self-exam, gently spread the labia apart and angle the mirror and light so you can see into the vagina. The walls should be pinkish in color. If you're comfortable, place your finger inside your vagina and feel along the vaginal wall. You may notice it feels a little like the roof of your mouth.

What can I use instead of a speculum?

The Callascope has the potential to offer an alternative to the standard duckbill speculum for clinical exams, which like the self-breast exam, will allow individuals with cervices to perform basic cervical exams in their own homes.

Pelvic Examination

Why do gynecologists finger you?

The rectovaginal exam — Your doctor or nurse may also put a gloved finger into your rectum. This checks the muscles between your vagina and your anus. This also checks for tumors behind your uterus, on the lower wall of your vagina, or in your rectum.

How wide does a speculum open you?

Despite how exposed you may feel with your legs in the stirrups, you might be surprised to learn that no matter which speculum you get, it is not holding your vagina open several inches wide. In fact, the opening is only about 2 centimeters wide during a Pap, says Dr. Shirazian.

Can you self examine your cervix?

Use one hand to separate your labia and your dominant hand to insert one finger into the vagina. Your middle finger or pointer finger are typically the best fingers to check your cervix with, according to Dr. Evans. “You can use water-based lubricant or coconut oil if needed,” she adds.

Why does the speculum hurt so much?

Sometimes a pap test is excruciatingly painful not because the speculum is the wrong size, but because your vaginal issue is thin and dry or the muscles that surround the vagina are tense and painful.

Is it normal to get wet during a pelvic exam?

There is nothing wrong with you. Your body's natural response of lubrication in this particular case has nothing to do with whether you are aroused by your doctor or the examination itself. Also, some women lubricate more than others and that is normal too.

How is a speculum inserted into a vagina?

Does your cervix feel like a lump?

Most people will find at the tip of their finger what feels like a bump of tissue protruding into the vagina. It may not be exactly where you expect it. Gently explore around the “top” and sides of the vaginal canal until you find some firmer tissue (it will feel like puckered lips or the cartilage of the nose).

How far in is your cervix?

When the average woman is unaroused, it's 3 to 4 inches deep. For someone who has a high cervix, it's 4 to 5 inches deep. For someone with a lower one, it's less than 3 inches deep.

Why is my cervix bumpy?

What to know about bumps on the cervix. In most cases, bumps on the cervix are benign, or noncancerous, growths, such as polyps or cysts. In some cases, however, they may indicate the presence of cervical cancer. A doctor might discover a bump on the cervix during a routine pelvic examination or a Pap smear test.

Is a speculum uncomfortable?

While it may be uncomfortable, a speculum should never be painful. If you start to feel pain, tell your doctor. They may be able to switch to a smaller speculum.

How many fingers does a gynecologist use?

The doctor or nurse will put lubricant on two fingers (still wearing the gloves) and slide them inside your vagina. Using the other hand, he or she will press on the outside of your lower abdomen (the area between your vagina and your stomach). You may feel a little pressure or discomfort.

How can I make my speculum more comfortable?

"Slow your breathing down, put your hands by your side, and think about dropping your bottom into the couch. "We might ask you to put your hands underneath your bottom, or we might ask you to cough." That can help the speculum be inserted easier.

Does a speculum feel good?

Putting in and opening the speculum shouldn't hurt. But some women say that it can cause a bit of pressure and discomfort. Because the vagina is surrounded by muscles that can contract or relax, the exam can be more comfortable if you relax the muscles in that area.

Can you request a small speculum?

Ask for a smaller speculum

"If you can tolerate sex or a sex toy, most people will be able to tolerate a speculum," explains Dr Kaye. But if it is painful, then your doctor or nurse can use a smaller one.

How big is a large speculum?

LARGE SIZE SPECULUM: The gynecological instrument measures 4-inch by 1-inch used by doctors to open the walls of the vagina and examine the vagina and cervix.

Can a gynecologist tell if you're turned on?

First, we want to reassure you that your gynecologist can NOT tell whether you've had sex, even during a pelvic (sometimes called gynecological) exam.

Can you reach cervix with finger?

Reach your finger inside of your vagina.

Use the index or middle finger and slowly slide your finger in as far as you can reach, in sort of an upward motion. If you think of your vagina as a hallway, your cervix is the door at the end.

What is finger test in pregnancy?

How to check your cervix. It's possible to check the position and firmness of your cervix at home. You can do this by inserting a finger into your vagina to feel for the cervix. Your middle finger may be the most effective finger to use because it's the longest, but use whichever finger is easiest for you.

Why can I feel my cervix with my finger?

The tip of the cervix can be seen from inside of the vagina during exams and can be reached and felt by a fingertip. During menstruation, the cervix opens a small amount to allow the shedding of the endometrium (mucous membrane lining the uterus) to pass through – menstrual flow.

How do I know if I'm touching my cervix?

With your palm facing up, guide your longest finger carefully into your vagina (lube can come in handy here). Feel for a round, raised circle with a dimple in the middle — it's most likely to be at the top of the front vaginal wall (closer to your belly button than to your back) (1, 5).