To think smears hurt less the more you exercise?

[ThatPoisedFinch]

I’ve noticed that the more I exercise, the less uncomfortable my smear tests seem to be. Could it be that being more active helps with muscle relaxation, circulation, or flexibility? Maybe doing things like yoga or Pilates makes it easier to stay relaxed during the procedure?

Has anyone else experienced this or am I imagining it? Curious to hear if there’s anything to this or if it’s just a coincidence!

i think that's nonsense. I don't exercise and I don't think smears are painful uncomfortable at all

I don't find that smears hurt, they are unpleasant but it's more the breach of personal space. I haven't exercised regularly for 8 years so I see no link to that.

I exercise more than I ever did but my smears have become increasingly uncomfortable as I age

I disagree. I’ve been exercising regularly for decades. To me, it depends on who’s doing it- I’ve had people do it and I barely feel anything; and some when they do it hurts for days after.

No not at all.

I was super fit as a young woman and it still hurt then and now

I think it depends on the practitioner. One was lovely and gentle and then the next time I had one a different woman seemed to be in a bad mood and was really rough with me.

OP I think you are getting the picture. No. Exercise has no impact on the discomfort of a smear

Now it’s routine in Canada- you’re asked when you’re due whether you want a home one or go get it done in doctors office.

I have a tilted cervix; had a traumatic birth where I had a PPH following a poorly executed manual placenta removal and a history of violent sexual assault which means that I naturally tense up with utter fear when having something cold and unwanted inserted into my vagina.

Doubt yoga would deal with alot of that, tbh.

They were slightly unpleasant until I got to my late fifties, then they were excruciating. An age thing, not an exercise thing, at least for me.

Coincidence, theyve never hurt me, and i dont really exercise beyond walking the dog.

I have a tilted uterus too, and every smear test is a living nightmare. Once they gave p and I had to go back 6 weeks later, and the last one I was in there over an hour with 3 different nurses trying to find my cervix 😭. Was in agony the whole time, and I'm really not a wimp. One of them even had the audacity to comment on "how the hell I managed to conceive two children" because I clearly "wasn't normal", which added to the stress of it all. Ive been getting reminders for a year now, and I know it's stupid, but I just keep putting it off, because with me, it's never the pain free, 5 minute experience others have.

Mine have never hurt so far and I don't really exercise. I always want to say that on these threads because there will be people reading who've never had a smear test, and I do worry they could be scared off. Everyone's experience matters but there will be a strong bias of replies on any thread like this. It matters MUCH more to people who have had painful smears.

I just can't get over the fact that people are experiencing this and yet the NHS will bin the vast majority of our samples without looking at the cells. My smear is due and I am very inclined to get a mail order HPV test instead. Does anyone have any data on the benefit of the visual check part of the procedure for HPV negative women?

Me neither. Then again I found giving birth not that bad either!

@Gothamcity that's horrendous, I'm so sorry that happened.

I think it mostly depends on who is doing it.

I've got a tilted cervix and the nurse has always got me to prop the small of my back up on my fists and it's been fine. The only smear I ever had that hurt was done by a doctor, not a nurse, and I swore never again.

It's a theory that logically would make sense, but, despite not doing any exercise for most of my adult life, I've never had a smear test that hurt, so it doesn't seem to pan out in my experience.

I hate going to the gym and organized sport and my smears are uncomfortable and don’t require painkillers.

Unless exercising moves my cervix so it's easier to access I don't believe it makes any difference. I won't be having another one unless they use the colposcopy chair.

It all seems odd that they don't just do an HPV kit. Unless the positive rate is so high it's not worth it. I don't have HPV and am unlikely to have contracted it recently so I asked the receptionist if it was worth a smear. She said they do need to look at the cervix. But I do know the details of why. I guess if you have to see the cervix you may as well take a sample while you're up there.

And to your point. I've had painful and not painful ones, but they've never been distressing or traumatic.

I think it has a huge amount to do with the skill of the nurse/doc, some people are just more cack handed than others unfortunately. Also agree with those who say ageing, I'm trying to ward this off with vaginal oestrogen which seems to help.

@Ponoka7 , please have your smears, I'm 49 and have just had to have a colposcopy and biopsy, now waiting for results, after a very dodgy smear after years of normal ones. I am the biggest coward and terrified, but it's still better to have the smear and the treatment that may follow than the alternative risks of developing something that can't be treated.

I’ve always found then excruciating, and at times have been really fit and doing a huge amount of exercise including Pilates. So no, don’t really think so.

Nope, makes no difference for me. Only thing that makes a difference to me is the angle of my hips and the size of the speculum.

Me too. Which I tried to explain to the nurse at my last one. Before I could finish she interrupted to helpfully tell me that endometriosis is on the inside and she's only going on the outside so it won't hurt. I guess I must have imagined the pain, which as an endometriosis sufferer I'm used to doing obviously . I won't be having any more, I'll buy an HPV test instead.