Are smear tests genuinely meant to be just uncomfortable or are they painful?

[Badum]

I've only had 2 in my life and both were outright painful. Not shout out loud pain but past what I would describe as discomfort.

I keep seeing posts about people not finding them painful, some talking about discomfort etc. Is that genuinely how they feel for others or are they just being stoic?

I generally consider myself to have a good pain tolerance but am worried about the ivf process if Im finding something that's not meant to be painful painful. Its made me wonder if I have a tilted uterus or endo issues that actually i should be thinking about rather than just thinking it's normal

Ive had around 7 or 8 of them and have had cells burnt off. I find them extremely painful I return as I know the importance. I have had ivf and a baby but this pain is different,they struggle to find the cervix i am on my fists,ive had different people have to come.in and try. We are all different.

IVF was nothing like a.smear,a lot easier and end of the day they provide pain relief, also had the womb dye test (it has slipped my mind the term) and that was easier than a smear. Good luck with your ivf dont let smears put you off

First one pre kids was not pleasant but fine. Second, after my first, was uncomfortable. Third, after my second was out right painful. I was close to tears and told her to hurry up.

When I had ny waters broken with my first, that was the most painful thing I have ever experienced. Nearly blacked out. I've never met anyone except my mum who experienced any
pain at all. I wouldn't mind but at 5months pregnant I broke my wrist and had it put back in place with no pain relief, I've had two c sections. Worst pain ever- getting my waters broken.

Never had a painful one and I do have a retroverted uterus. Would much rather have a smear than a blood test for example.

i think I’d rather have a smear than a mammogram - find them really painful. Smear can be ok but it depends who does it.

Awful!! I must have been very unlucky or I'm a total wimp (although I don't think that's true!). Apparently I only get one more but I won't be bothering with that. Felt like they were trying to biopsy the back of my eyebrows last time.

My current GP surgery has a specific smear test health care practitioner. It’s literally all she does all day and I’ve never had any pain or discomfort from her doing it.
Previously it’s been a range from slight discomfort to nearly punching the nurse due to the pain! it definitely depends on the person doing it

Lucky you

My last smear test I laid on my side with my knees open. She was in and out quick as a flash no pain or discomfort whatsoever! All my others have been fist clenchingly painful. So it is possible with a skilled nurse.

Yes, painful for me too. Mainly the scraping, wow that hurts.

The same for me. Shocking isn’t it how medical professionals can say such things.

I have been through some pretty major operations and procedures and have a high pain threshold and am generally pretty stoic, but I have always found them really really painful. I am very small so the smallest speculum possible helps, and I think that's on my notes now. As pp has said, I suspect it does also depend on the practitioner!

I tend to find them tickly or uncomfortable. I haven't found them painful.

Anatomy and the practitioner matter.

My first one was quite painful but it was 3 months after giving birth and I obviously hadn't fully healed.

The following ones were all OK...I hate the sensation of the scraping and was a bit sore for a day after the last one (where scraped), but getting it done was only mildly uncomfortable.

I've never found them painful. Also don't find coil insertion painful, and I've never had painful periods. I've never found childbirth painful but then I opted for epidurals so didn't feel a thing.

I had ivf in the late 90s - we paid privately for two cycles. It wasn’t much more for the general.

In my 20s and 30s they didn't faze me in the slightest.

Had babies (enjoyed giving birth, just gas and air).

Hit 40s and now they're painful. Like really painful. Im another with a tilted uterus. I'm now overdue a smear by about 5 years but they won't even prescribe me a diazepam so I can attempt one.

Varies. I think it depends on how good the nurse is at this part of their job tbh.

Experienced empathetic nurse, smaller ( not cold) speculum make a massive difference

ive had 2. the first was fine. the second really painful and there was still bleeding the next day. so i guess it depends on the person doing it.

I've never found them uncomfortable or painful. But I'm sure there are myriad reasons why some women might. My doctor has a gentle manner, maybe that helps. 🤷‍♀️

I’ve never found a smear test any more uncomfortable than a blood test for example. IVF was totally fine maybe because the doctors doing that are extremely delicate because their success rate is dependent on total precision. Hysterosalpingagram was the only painful test, done by a real w*nker of a dr who told me it didn’t hurt and to toughen up. Like a previous poster, I insisted he stop and inserted the speculum myself. Bedside manner and respect makes a massive difference to pain level I think. Like sex, if you’re tense it’s going to be painful.

Definitely insist on sedation for egg collection though. I had this so don’t remember the procedure itself but do remember coming round demanding they “give me the good drugs!” and had painful cramps for a few hours after. DP was worried they would note me down as a drug addict and refuse to continue with the IVF 🫣

I have endo and a tilted uterus and I’d describe a smear as mildly uncomfortable.

I fainted after my coil was inserted though and I’m dreading my hysteroscopy in a few weeks.

We are all different shapes and sizes and ages and experiences. Speculum (specula?) come in far more limited range of sizes. Plus some medical professionals are good, and others... aren't.

I've had loads of smears (currently on annual recall) and I don't find them or mammograms more than mildly uncomfortable- I'd rather have either of those than the optician or dentist, and some of you reading this will be thinking I'm mad to think that.

But that's the thing - we're all different, so whether I find a smear uncomfortable or not isn't going to tell you much about whether you will find it uncomfortable or not. It just tells you I'm not usually bothered by them.

I’ve personally never found either cervical sweeps or mammograms uncomfortable but my doctor does say I have a very high pain threshold.

I used to think that meant people who feel pain but can just grit their teeth through it but actually I think it means people who just don’t have sensitive nerve endings.

ive always found them excrutiatingly painful. Like razor blades My last one was in 2014