Do ladies find Cervical smear test unpleasant or painful?

How many women here find the actual sensation as a cervical smear is taken unpleasant or even painful?

I think you are talking about the brush on the cervix @UKrgyn and not getting the speculum put in and opened.

For me the brush is definitely not painful, it just feels a bit odd but it does not feel too unpleasant really.

Yes, i am asking about the actual smear itself, not the whole process.

Not a woman, but trans masculine and have had tests both before and after starting testosterone.

The actual sample being taken is the least painful bit for me. It hurts way more ehen the speculum is first pushed in (atrophy at the entrance) and opened up.

I'm aware of something in there, but it's not painful.

It's not particularly comfortable. Unpleasant would be a better descriptor. If the doctor opens the speculum wide that can hurt.

For me, the actual cervical smear itself is surprisingly quick and almost intimate rather than painful. After the cool stretch of the speculum, it feels like a single, firm fingertip brushing deep inside for just a moment, a brief, deliberate touch against my cervix, then it’s gone. There’s a tiny spark of sensation, but nothing unpleasant… if anything, it leaves me with a quiet, secret little thrill. 😌

I've heard many women that have said that for them it's actually not bad. For me it is VERY painful it feels like someone is squeezing my insides. Luckily it is very quick, but they take multiple samples. My doctor always tries to distract me but I'm kind of expecting it and on edge and relax much more once it's over with.

Pap smears have always been pretty crampy feeling for me.

I wouldn't say it's as painful as @Vzia but it's definitely unpleasant and I get cramps

Mine was done many decades ago but it was not painful just slightly uncomfortable back then. However, I gather it can vary between where you have it done these days !!

No I hardly feel it. No pain at all.

The brush on my cervix can bring on a little bit of a crampy feeling, but it’s really over so quick usually that I wouldn’t call it unpleasant or painful.

I don't find it unpleasant, slight cramps in the past, my last one was fine, I'm comfortable with the nurse at our surgery, so it's all very relaxed, which does take away most of the anxiety which could lead to an uncomfortable experience, the last one I had left a tingle after, which I'm blaming Zity for! Far to many stories read and nice conversations about this subject, however crazy that sounds❤️

Neither. I find them embarrassing sometimes.

Unpleasant yes. Not usually painful. Thankfully.

They aren't painful, but can cause a bit of stretching from the speculum, and cramping from the brush.

It's unpleasant and a very strange feeling. It is a sensitive zone, but feels weird and just wrong to me that something gets so deep there. Also I had one suspicious finding which needs to be reevaluated once or twice a year so worry is in the mix.

Thank you for your replies so far, please keep them coming.

Ouch.

It's not really pain. But sometimes I feel it a little more, and sometimes a little less. That doesn't just depend on the gynecologist; it could also be related to the stage of my menstrual cycle. That's how I feel.

It feels really crampy for me...