- Joined
- Oct 8, 2018
Insensate? Then why does it hurt so bad when it gets poked?
The vagina is normally in a flattened state by pelvic floor muscles.
To reach the cervix for a pap smear, the speculum has to essentially winch the end part of the vagina as wide as the opening, putting stress on the vaginal walls to tilt the cervix into an accessible position.
This is the source of the pain.
Thankfully, newer kits should make the pap smear obsolete.