What is a Gram stain of the cervix?
Date: October 9th, 2019
Understanding Gram Stain for Cervix
If a doctor suggests a lab test to check for strange bacteria in the cervix, the patient will need to undergo a gram stain test of the cervix.
Gram stain for cervix involves cutting off a small sample of the infected tissue, placing it on a lab slide, and adding dyes to stain the specimen. It is this stain that a lab expert uses to spot any traces of bacteria and try to identify and disease.
If a physician recommends this diagnosis procedure, they take a sample of tissue from the cervical tube. This sample sent to a laboratory, and the lab expert adds a gram stain and other chemical stains.
From these stains, the bacteria in the tissues can be detected. The lab expert looks for things like color, shape, and size to tell if the bacteria is normal.
An endocervical gram stain is a common way to check for sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhea and chlamydia.
It is important to understand what happens during any medical procedure before you visit the doctor. This article will discuss the details of the gram stain of the cervix, explain why you may need this test and what the results may mean.
Why You May Need a Gram Stain Test
An EGS diagnoses the presence of strange bacteria in the cervix or around it. A physician may also request you to take this test if they need to check for sexually transmitted infections. Angram stain for cervix can identify sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhea, chlamydia, gonococcal arthritis, and bacterial vaginosis.
What the EGS Procedure Involves
It is more like a swab test. The process should be simple and painless.
Do not clean your genitals with special washes a day before the gram stain of the. Cleaning with toiletries or using douches may lead to inaccurate readings.
A standard gram stain of the cervix test should take only a few procedures:
- You’ll wear a surgical robe and lie facing up on a bed.
- The physician will use a clinical apparatus known to stretch the vagina gently so that they can have access to the cervix.
- The physician will clean the cervix to ensure no discharge.
- After cleaning, they’ll place sterile cotton on the cervical tube. Sometimes the doctor may turn the swab and wait for some seconds for bacteria to patch up on it.
- After the swab has been taken out, you can wear your apparel
- The rest of the stages happen in a laboratory. A lab expert will smear the cotton on a slide and add a gram stain to it. The lab tech will analyze the stain to check for strange bacteria.
After you have taken this test, your specialist will get back to you with feedback. Make sure to ask when to expect the results of the test.
Are there any risks linked with an EGS?
There are no known complications linked to a gram stain test of the cervix. The only known side effect is slight bleeding in the case of a swollen cervix.
Your doctor should use sterilized equipment, and a clean piece of cotton to collect the sample.
Interpreting the Results
If your test results is normal, it means you do not have abnormal or strange bacteria. The definition of normal may vary from lab to lab.
If the test results is abnormal, do as the doctor says. Sometimes they may recommend further tests. If you find it is a sexually transmitted disease, your doctor will most likely recommend antibiotics.
Final Words
It is wise to enter a doctor’s room with the procedures of processes like these in mind. It eliminates your fears and prepares you for what the test results entails.
For instance, those who do not know that one should not douche or use chemical washes a day before a gram stain test may compromise the results of the gram stain for cervix.
Always follow up with your physician to ensure you get the right medical assistance if the findings are abnormal.
