How To Make Cervical Screening More Comfortable

Last week was Cervical Cancer Prevention Week — a reminder to prioritise your cervical and pelvic health and to talk openly about something many women find difficult: cervical screening.

As pelvic health physiotherapists, we regularly hear from women who delay or avoid screening due to discomfort, anxiety, vaginal dryness, pelvic floor tension, or previous difficult experiences. These concerns are real — and they deserve to be acknowledged and supported.

Cervical screening is preventative care, not a test for cancer. The screening looks for high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause cell changes over time. HPV is very common — most people are exposed at some point in their lives. In most cases HPV clears on its own, but when it doesn’t, screening allows changes to be identified long before cancer develops.

The HPV vaccine protects against the most common high-risk strains, but it doesn’t cover all types of HPV. Many women currently in perimenopause or menopause will not have been vaccinated -which makes cervical screening so important at this stage of life.

ATTENDING SCREENING IS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS TO REDUCE YOUR RISK OF CERVICAL CANCER!!

Here are some practical ways we have put together to help make having your smear easier..

1. Pelvic Floor Relaxation. Practice slow breathing and gentle relaxation exercises before/during the appointment to help minimise pelvic tension.
2. Lubricants. These can help ease insertion and reduce friction — ask your clinician what’s okay to use with your screening speculum/procedure. At LETO we recommend Yes Intimate Water Based Lubricant – a water-based personal lubricant that’s pH matched, gentle, and free from colour/taste — widely recommended for vaginal dryness relief and comfort during examination and Olive & Bee Intimate Cream – a natural intimate cream with extra virgin olive oil & beeswax to soothe dryness and help protect delicate tissues.
3. Vaginal Moisturisers. If your dryness is ongoing, a vaginal moisturiser (different from a sex lubricant) used regularly rather than just before the appointment can help. At LETO we recommend Yes Organic Vaginal Moisturising Gel – a plant-based vaginal moisturiser that provides fast, soothing relief from dryness, burning, itching and irritation.
4. Positioning & Communication – Don’t hesitate to ask for positioning adjustments that feel more comfortable and don’t be afraid to let your clinician know if you prefer a smaller speculum, need extra time, or want to pause at any point.
5. Know Your Rights! You are always entitled to stop the examination at any point if it feels too uncomfortable — your comfort and consent come first.
6. Reduce External Stress. Book your appointment at a time when you know you won’t be rushed or under unnecessary stress.

Your comfort matters and small adjustments can make a huge difference to your experience! 

If you are unsure where to begin, you can always book a complimentary discovery call with one of our pelvic health physiotherapists here.  They can talk you through your options, help you consider whether pelvic health physiotherapy may be right for you, offer insight from supporting other women, and provide you a safe, compassionate space to share your concerns.

PREVENTATIVE CARE DOESN’T ALWAYS FEEL URGENT, BUT IT’S IMPACT IS LONG LASTING!