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Key Points
- Women's health is complex and requires different tests and exams at different stages of life. In their 20s, women should start getting pap smears, vital signs checks, and tests for diabetes, high cholesterol, and thyroid disorders. In their 30s, an HPV test is added, and in their 40s, biennial mammograms are recommended.
- Menopause typically happens in a woman's 40s and 50s, and it can cause symptoms like hot flashes, emotional changes, sleep disturbances, and lower energy. It's important to discuss these symptoms with a healthcare provider for appropriate management.
- Telehealth and urgent care can provide immediate care for issues like UTIs, yeast infections, STI treatment, and prescribing contraceptives. They can also refer patients for lab work. However, annual checkups should be done with a primary care provider or OB-GYN who knows the patient's medical history.
- Women should be aware of the symptoms of common chronic conditions like endometriosis and PCOS, which include painful and irregular periods, excessive bleeding, increased acne, and hair growth. If these symptoms are experienced, it's important to consult a healthcare provider.
- The most common problems women seek urgent care for are UTIs. It's crucial to seek treatment for UTIs to prevent them from progressing into a kidney infection. Sexually transmitted infections are also a common issue seen in telehealth and urgent care settings.
Women’s health is complex. Not only are women more at risk for certain health conditions like heart disease and stroke, but they also are at risk for gender-specific conditions like cervical cancer and endometriosis. Recommendations on which exams and testing women should get change every few years, so in honor of Women’s Health Month, we interviewed Kim Silverman, ARNP, Medical Director from Indigo Urgent Care in Washington to help shed light on what is important for women to know about their healthcare—and for her take on hot topics in women’s health.
Solv: Thanks for chatting with us today! I’d love to start off with you just giving us a general overview of what kind of exams women should get as they age. We know it changes quite a bit as we age, so let’s break it down. What should women in their 20s consider for annual exams and routine testing?
Kim Silverman, ARNP: Sure! Thanks for having me! So jumping right into it—in your 20s, anyone with a cervix should start getting pap smears at age 21. That will look for precancerous cells on the cervix that might become cervical cancer. Also, at these appointments, they typically do a lot more—like taking your vital signs, measuring blood pressure, and testing for diabetes, high cholesterol, and thyroid disorders. And maybe some STI testing! They’ll also take a detailed history to figure out what your risk factors are, and what your family history is—that will help decide what testing is best for you.
Solv: That is super helpful! How do things change for women in their 30s?
Kim Silverman, ARNP: Going into your 30s, they may add an additional test called an HPV test. HPV is the human papillomavirus that causes cell changes in the cervix. This is a test you should get every five years, depending on the result.
Solv: How about women in their 40s? What do they need to know about annual exams?
Kim Silverman, ARNP: When you get into your 40s, one of the things that get added is your biennial mammograms. Women in their 40s should still get a yearly annual exam with a primary care provider, as far as lab work and making sure everything is going all right. But they also recommend a mammogram every other year, starting in your 40s.
Solv: On that note, what is the average age women start menopause? And how does that change what kind of annual testing they should get?
Kim Silverman, ARNP: Menopause typically happens in your 40s and 50s. In the US, the average age is 51 years old. Typically, it can cause symptoms like hot flashes, emotional symptoms, maybe you're not sleeping well and have lower energy. These are really important discussions to have with your primary care provider or your gynecologist because there's specific lab work they may do or specific treatments to help manage your symptoms when you're experiencing menopause.
Solv: That’s great! What do you think is the best way a woman can be empowered when it comes to taking care of her health?
Kim Silverman, ARNP: So as a provider, something that women can do to be empowered is establishing care with a primary care provider. Establishing a relationship with an OB-GYN is also a great option.
Solv: Establishing care with a primary provider is super important! But we know that life gets hectic—so what can things like telehealth and urgent care help with in regard to women’s health?
Kim Silverman, ARNP: For telehealth, we treat many things—such as UTIs, yeast infections, STI treatment, and even prescribing certain kinds of contraceptives like oral contraceptives. Some telehealth providers have the ability to refer you to a laboratory to check your thyroid, your blood sugar, or other lab work. Urgent care can do everything telehealth can do, however, they also have the ability to do pelvic exams if needed, a breast exam if you're concerned about a lump, and lab work or imaging as well!
Solv: When should a woman need to seek care in an emergency room?
Kim Silverman, ARNP: Oftentimes, women's health issues can be addressed by their primary care provider, OB-GYN, telehealth, or urgent care. However, there may be times when it is appropriate to seek care in the emergency department—such as in the case of severe pelvic pain, or severe vaginal bleeding. The most important thing to do is to reach out to someone, whether that's calling a nurse hotline, making an appointment with telehealth, or urgent care. They will direct you to a higher level of care if needed.
Solv: How should women decide whether urgent care or telehealth is the correct choice vs. waiting for an appointment with a PCP?
Kim Silverman, ARNP: For yearly annual checkups, the best place is going to be your primary care provider or OB-GYN—they're going to already know you, your medical history, and your family history. And they'll have all the testing and diagnostic resources that are needed, for example, pap smears or orders for mammography. For anything else that comes up along the way, urgent care or telehealth are great options! These are great if you get a UTI or a yeast infection, or maybe were exposed to an STI. That way you're not waiting a really long time but for anything routine go to your regular primary care provider OB-GYN if you can.
Solv: Can we talk about some of the common chronic conditions women face? Like, what are the differences between endometriosis and PCOS?
Kim Silverman, ARNP: Endometriosis is a condition where tissue that resembles the lining of the uterus grows outside of the uterine cavity—typically growing on the ovaries, bowels, and other structures in the pelvis. PCOS is a condition that affects the female hormone levels. Typically there's a higher level of androgens, otherwise known as male hormones, and this can interfere with ovulation and can cause excess hair growth, acne, insulin resistance, and weight gain. There are certain lab tests that may be done with certain imaging to be able to diagnose these and to properly treat you.
Solv: What symptoms should women look out for in PCOS and endometriosis?
Kim Silverman, ARNP: These are both common among females of reproductive age, and they can cause a host of symptoms—such as painful and irregular periods, excessive bleeding, increased acne, increased hair growth where you don't want it, and thinning of the hair. So it's really important if you start experiencing anything to follow up with your healthcare provider and have these discussions with them.
Solv: So, as a medical director for busy urgent care—what are the most common problems that women come to urgent care for?
Kim Silverman, ARNP: UTIs are one of the most common! It's our bread and butter at urgent care. We see that everyday—all day. If you have ever had a UTI before you know that they can be quite painful, and if left untreated, they can also progress into a kidney infection, so it’s really important for you to come on in and be seen. Usually, when we see people for UTIs we can also assess if there is anything else going on. Should we just check you for sexually transmitted infections? Do you have a yeast infection? We all know how common that is! Those are questions we would ask you during your visit, so we can take care of you.
Solv: What is a hot topic when it comes to women’s health?
Kim Silverman, ARNP: It's sexually transmitted infections! They are a very common reason that we see patients in telehealth and in the urgent care setting. Whether you are exposed, or you think you could have been exposed, or you just want to go ahead and get checked—that is something that is super common and relatively easy to do. We can do urine testing, vaginal swabs, or blood testing. We'll also have a discussion to figure out what you need to be tested for and if you need treatment. It’s a super easy visit.
Solv: Last question—What is the big takeaway here for women’s health?
Kim Silverman, ARNP: So as a provider, one of the most important things for all age groups would be eating a balanced diet, getting good sleep, and regular exercise. Another thing is to establish care with a primary care provider because they will be able to guide you through everything you need every year.
Need care now? Solv can help you find and book visits with top-rated urgent care clinics near you.
Source:
- Five Conditions That Affect Women More Than Men. (May 18, 2023)
https://www.bannerhealth.com/healthcareblog/teach-me/medical-conditions-that-impact-women-more-than-men
Frequently asked questions
What are the recommended annual exams and routine testing for women in their 20s?
Women in their 20s should start getting pap smears at age 21 to look for precancerous cells on the cervix. They should also have their vital signs measured, blood pressure checked, and be tested for diabetes, high cholesterol, thyroid disorders, and possibly STIs. A detailed history should also be taken to determine risk factors and appropriate testing.How do the recommended tests change for women in their 30s?
In addition to the tests recommended for women in their 20s, women in their 30s should also get an HPV test every five years, depending on the result.What additional tests are recommended for women in their 40s?
Women in their 40s should continue with the tests recommended for their 20s and 30s, but they should also start getting biennial mammograms.What is the average age women start menopause and how does it affect the recommended testing?
Menopause typically occurs in a woman's 40s and 50s, with the average age in the US being 51. It can cause symptoms like hot flashes, emotional symptoms, sleep disturbances, and lower energy. There may be specific lab work or treatments to help manage these symptoms.How can telehealth and urgent care assist with women's health?
Telehealth can treat many conditions such as UTIs, yeast infections, STI treatment, and can prescribe certain contraceptives. Some telehealth providers can also refer patients to a laboratory for further testing. Urgent care can do everything telehealth can, but also has the ability to do pelvic exams, breast exams, and lab work or imaging.When should a woman seek care in an emergency room?
While many women's health issues can be addressed by a primary care provider, OB-GYN, telehealth, or urgent care, there may be times when it is appropriate to seek care in the emergency department, such as in the case of severe pelvic pain or severe vaginal bleeding.How should women decide between urgent care or telehealth and waiting for an appointment with a primary care provider?
For yearly annual checkups, a primary care provider or OB-GYN is the best choice as they know the patient's medical and family history and have all the necessary testing and diagnostic resources. For anything else that comes up, urgent care or telehealth are great options.What are the differences between endometriosis and PCOS?
Endometriosis is a condition where tissue resembling the lining of the uterus grows outside of the uterine cavity, typically on the ovaries, bowels, and other structures in the pelvis. PCOS is a condition that affects female hormone levels and can interfere with ovulation and cause excess hair growth, acne, insulin resistance, and weight gain.
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