How Ultrasounds Can Help Diagnose Female Problems
If you are a woman and are experiencing pain in your lower abdomen and problems with your periods or pain with sexual intercourse, your doctor might recommend getting two types of ultrasounds completed. Both can be done at the same appointment, and you will not need anesthesia for either of them. Here are several things to know about these ultrasounds and what they can reveal.
Pelvic Ultrasound
The first type of ultrasound you may need to get is called a pelvic ultrasound, and this type is most commonly used with pregnancies. To have this done, you will need to arrive at your appointment with a full bladder. The technician will take a device and move it around your abdomen, and this device will send images to a computer screen. This does not hurt; however, it can be very uncomfortable due to having a full bladder while it is done.
Having a full bladder is vital for this test. A full bladder helps enlarge the bladder itself, and this makes it easier for a technician to see the organs around it. Through this test, your doctor will be able to see images of your ovaries, cervix, uterus, and fallopian tubes, and this will help him or her know if there is a problem with these organs.
Transvaginal Ultrasound
The other type of ultrasound you may need is called a transvaginal ultrasound, and this is usually completed after the pelvic ultrasound. You will be able to empty your bladder before this test is completed, and this test is also painless. When this test is done, the technician will insert a probe into your vagina, and this probe contains a camera. The purpose is to get clearer images of your internal organs.
With a transvaginal ultrasound, your doctor may be able to locate cysts within your female organs, and he or she will be able to see if you have scar tissue or other strange occurrences. This test is also useful for finding inflammation and other types of problems with female organs that can cause pain and irregularities with periods.
After having these tests completed, your doctor might be able to determine what is causing the problems you are having. If not, there are other tests that can be completed to examine the problems more thoroughly. If you are having any types of female problems and want to find out what is going on, you may want to talk to your doctor about getting an ultrasound completed, such as at EVDI Medical Imaging.