Speculum Exam at Home

Ladies- do any of you do speculum exams on yourself? Any advice on best position to do it? I have a hard time finding a position where I can visualize my cervix.

Well my husband puts the speculum in for me when he gives me play exams. I am just lying on my back with a couple of pillows underneath me so I am not totally lying flat and my legs are spread, my knees are bent. I can just hold my mirror a bit in front of my vagina and I can see up inside just well enough, my husband shines enough light there for me to see. I do not think it is a special position at all really.

As Amethyst mentions in her post, having a pillow or two underneath to raise the woman's pelvic area makes locating the cervix much easier. One of my original patients, a real life senior nurse gave me that tip. It also makes it easier to use the speculum with the handles facing down. Another home exam method is to place two chairs, a little apart with their backs against the bed, and for the woman to move down to the end of the bed and to put her legs up onto the backs of the chairs.This again raises the pelvic area and acts like stirrups to some extent.

Another home exam method is to place two chairs, a little apart with their backs against the bed, and for the woman to move down to the end of the bed and to put her legs up onto the backs of the chairs.This again raises the pelvic area and acts like stirrups to some extent.

I think that is a good idea @Dr_Philip. We have got 2 stools at home that are not too tall, I have just tried putting them near to the foot of the bed and I used them to put my feet flat on. I think that must be a bit like using stirrups too and maybe it will be a lot better when I have my play exams. My legs are long because I am tall but I do not think it makes putting my feet on the stools easier or harder. I have not been in stirrups but leg supports for real exams but I will be able to imagine. I think the stools could be good to use for my feet when my husband gives me my next play exam on Monday and I am sure with that position I will see my cervix in the mirror just as well.

My husband puts 2 chairs to the foot of the bed and than 2 boxes on them. I now can lay my legs on the boxes. It is very comfortable and acts like leg rests, I do not like stirrups for the lack of comfort.

As suggested by others 2 stools or chairs can be used instead of stirrups or knee supports and allows the woman to hang the legs down instead of keeping it bent which can become uncomfortable . As Amethyst mention putting a couple of pillows under the bottom to elevate the pelvic can help to visualise the cervix and also allows room to adjust the handles of speculum like the Graves which is usually opens vertically.

A good technique before inserting any speculum is to use insert the speculum in on an angle (45 deg) and slowly rotate as you go in. Once it's in, open the speculum and you should see the cervix. move it gently around if you can't find it (down first).

Always remember never to fully close the speculum before removing it as it will "pinch" something you never want to do .

RN

@Amethyst

I think the stools could be good to use for my feet when my husband gives me my next play exam on Monday and I am sure with that position I will see my cervix in the mirror just as well.

Enjoy !

@RN1993

Always remember never to fully close the speculum before removing it as it will "pinch" something you never want to do .

RN

Very good advice...I normally just release the screw and gently pull the speculum out with the blades loose. Never had any problems with pinching doing that.

Another of my patients has her own ingenious method of supporting her feet during an internal examination. She uses a small 3ft wide single bed in her spare room, a 3ft headboard, and a home exerciser.The exerciser is a thick rubber band that has handles at either end, and is used for toning the body by stretching and pulling, you know the sort of thing. She places the headboard down the side of the bed and against the wall, and lays back against it facing me across the 3ft width of the bed. She then wraps the elastic exerciser once or twice around the headboard and stretches the handles out either side and puts her feet up into them. The tension of the thick elastic is enough to support her legs and hold them up like stirrups. She has a small stool for me to sit in-between her knees. It's quite comfortable for her and works really well. I gave her 10 out of 10 for innovation !