Do you need to see a gynecologist or can your family doctor help you? A family doctor or nurse practitioner can help most women with all of the general questions and concerns that they have about their reproductive health. Whether it is birth control, premenstrual syndrome, questions about pregnancy or menopause, the doctor you see for your general medical needs can assist and treat you as required. However, there may be times when the specialized skills and training of a gynecologist is needed. If you are experiencing pains that are out of the ordinary or you have symptoms that go beyond the scope of your primary doctor's training, you may be referred to a specialist for a closer examination. A family doctor is equipped to deal with most everyday concerns regarding your sexual health and well-being. Your primary care physician can perform your internal examination and can offer screenings for sexually transmitted diseases as well as breast exams. They can also provide counseling about birth control. If you want to discuss PMS or irregular periods you have been experiencing, a nurse practitioner or primary health care provider is the one to do that with. You do not require a gynecologist for these concerns. You should see your doctor for regular Pap tests once a year. Start having them within three years of becoming sexually active or by the time you reach 18 years of age. The Pap test is generally part of a routine pelvic examination performed by the doctor. It is done to look for any changes in the cells found in the cervix. A gynecologist is a physician who has received specialized training with regards to the reproductive system of females. These health care specialists have the skills necessary to diagnosis and treat any number of female-oriented diseases and disorders. Your primary care doctor may decide after seeing you that you should be referred to a gynecologist. For example, if a patient has received an abnormal result on a Pap test she may be referred for a colposcopy, which identifies abnormalities. From there, she will be sent to a woman's specialist for the treatment that is needed to remove the abnormal tissue. A general practitioner may also refer a patient to a woman's doctor for other conditions that require a higher level of specialization. Fibroids, pelvic pain, ovarian or uterine cysts, or possible endometriosis are all reasons why going to see a specialist in the field would be very wise. While most general practitioners and nurses can do what is necessary to maintain the good sexual health of their female patients, a gynecologist is a physician with his or her own scope of practice. Sometimes seeing your doctor is enough but sometimes for the sake of your health, you need to go one step further. Do you need a Cincinnati gynecologist to help evaluate your health? For more information, visit the following: http://www.trihealth.com/hospitals-and-practices/samaritan-obstetrics-and-gynecology/.
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