How to Get the Best Price on Commercial Truck Insurance

As a trucker driver or a business owner who deals with trucks, it is important that you have a quality, reliable commercial truck insurance plan in place. You will need to do your research, compare options and determine what your needs are when it comes to a policy. Here are some tips about how to get the best price on commercial truck insurance.

First, you always need to do some research. Find out what other trucking businesses in your area are doing when it comes to car insurance. Which companies are most popular? Look into these companies to find out what they have to offer and what sets one apart from another. If you are friendly with someone who have commercial truck insurance, ask them what they like or dislike about the insurance they currently use to give you some first hand insight.

Always get quotes from at least 3 different insurance companies before making any decisions or committing to one plan over another. This will help you to compare rates, services, fees, and practicality. You can weigh the pros and cons of each plan and each company to make a choice that will best fit your financial, personal and professional needs. If you notice that one quote is substantially lower than that of the competition, you will want to inspect the plan more carefully. Some companies offer lower rates, but do so by cutting corners or providing sub-par searches. Comparing prices therefore will allow you to protect yourself and not be fooled by unreasonably low prices, as well as prices that are absurdly high.

Find out about the specific of your coverage. You will want to be sure about what kinds of contingencies and damages will or will not be covered under your plan to protect yourself in an emergency. Find out if these policies have other options that you can add on to your basic plan so that you can adjust them for your needs. Policies that are set in stone and are not flexible, will be the hardest to deal with.

Look into the company itself. You will want to know how much money the company has on “reserve” to cover you and other clients in case of an emergency when you need to use your commercial truck insurance policy. These reserves are money set aside specifically and only to be used in an emergency to pay for the insurance claims from clients. You will also want to consider the company’s longevity. This helps you to determiner their reputation, but also allow you to know how they operate and if they have been successful. In addition, find out how long they have specialized in truck insurance, since this is very specific and only certain companies provide this type of insurance.

All of these insurance trucking tips can help to guide you through the process of finding the best price on commercial truck insurance. Compare rests between companies like Great West Casualty Company, research the company’s reputation and longevity, make sure the plans are going to give you what you need, and be a smart consumer!

 

5 Surefire Strategies for Increasing Customer Loyalty Online

Consumers have a lot of choices these days, especially with the online arena allowing them a global resource for anything they might want. When you operate online you’re not just competing with local or even domestic companies, but with an international slate of rivals, all of whom are clamoring to steal your customers away with lower prices or other tactics. Because of this, customer retention can be a pretty difficult undertaking. However, if you can keep your customers satisfied, they’ll have no need to go looking elsewhere for the goods or services you provide. In short, you can come up with strategies to increase customer loyalty, and the online arena actually makes it easier than ever. Here are a few ideas you might want to try if your goal is to ensure ongoing patronage.

  1. Engage customers. In the real world, consumers may frequent certain businesses largely because they are in close proximity to work or home. But even so, they probably have at least a few options to choose from. What makes them choose one grocery store, pharmacy, bank, or gas station over another? For one thing, it has to do with the quality of goods and services. But over time, they become familiar. They may build a rapport with employees. And even if the quality of products or services declines, they may continue to patronize a business simply because they like the personal interaction. It can be a bit more difficult online, since you won’t necessarily have face-to-face interactions, but you can takes steps to humanize your online presence by introducing employees to the public. You can also provide myriad means of interaction through customer service (email, phone, live chat, etc.), an on-site blog, and of course, social media. But you really have to pay attention and interact if you want to capitalize on the opportunities for personal connection that these avenues offer.
  2. Offer exemplary customer service. It’s all well and good to pick up the phone when people call, so to speak, and to offer service that is polite and helpful. But you really need to go the extra mile to repair any damage that has been done, turn around a bad experience, and ensure customer satisfaction. It’s not enough to say you care about customers; you need to put your money where your mouth is on this score.
  3. Protect customer data. If you want customers to be loyal, you must also be loyal to them, which means taking steps to protect the sensitive, personal data they entrust to you. Don’t sell it to third parties like marketing companies that will bombard them with solicitations. And take steps to ensure maximum security, building a firewall, installing anti-virus and anti-spyware programs, and even encrypting data to keep malicious attacks at bay.
  4. Provide preferential treatment. Customer loyalty programs are an excellent way to reward those who offer continued patronage of your brand. And there are a few ways you can implement this type of program. It starts with a system of tracking to show what consumers are purchasing and how much they’re spending (also useful for product management purposes). From there you can offer freebies, discounts, deals, sneak previews, points towards purchases, and all kinds of other extras for customers that are loyal.
  5. Build and manage your community. Building a solid website, providing an easy-to-navigate site directory theme, adding an on-site blog, and creating social media profiles are all good ways to kick off your online enterprise. But maintaining, updating, monitoring, and participating are all activities you need to excel at if you want to create a community spirit that compels customers to engage with your brand and build a relationship. You may have to urge employee participation to make the experience personal or hire a community manager to ensure that you stay on top of interactions with customers, but building a community can create the network of close-knit connections that serves to encourage customer loyalty.

5 Motorcycle Shipping and Transport Tips

Luckily, shipping a motorcycle is a lot easier than shipping a vehicle, so you have an advantage there. However, it is still important to know exactly how to prep a motorcycle before you ship it to its destination. Whether you have moved to a new country or are shipping a motorcycle to a customer overseas, learning the proper way to prepare a motorcycle for the freight process is imperative. The last thing you want is for your motorcycle to be damaged during the delivery route. When it comes to motorcycles, one disadvantage is that most of the delicate mechanical parts are exposed, which makes them especially vulnerable. Here are five motorcycle shipping and transport tips.

  1. Cover the engine and any other vulnerable mechanical components. A motorcycle shipping company, will probably take measures to do this for you, but it wouldn’t hurt to simply do it yourself before you ship. All you need is some soft plastic – you can usually pick up a roll or two from a home supply shop. Simply cut out some sheets of plastic and wrap your engine – you probably want to use one or two layers.
  2. Don’t take off the tires. Many people think they have to remove the tires of their motorcycle before they ship, but this often unnecessary. In fact, removing the tires could actually cause damage to your vehicle. Most motorcycle shipping carriers use the tires to fasten your bike to specially created pallets. Plus, shipping motorcycles standing up is much more efficient and economical than shipping them on their side. Plus, if you had to ship your motorcycle on its side, it would require a big box, which could be more expensive to ship.
  3. Remove any accouterments. If you have any accessories hanging off your motorcycle, like a trunk box, extra seat or side baskets, you want to remove them and ship them separately. Not only will these items cause your shipping rates to skyrocket – it may also cause damage to your motorcycle. This is especially the case with structural accouterments, like extended visors and mirrors.
  4. Clean your motorcycle thoroughly before you ship. Not only do you want to have a nice clean motorcycle when it finally gets to your destination or your customer – you also don’t want dust and debris to cause damage to your motorcycle during the freight process. So, make sure that you clean the motorcycle thoroughly. If you are shipping a dirt bike, you want to make sure to clean the dirt and mud off the tire tread.
  5. Take plenty of photographs of your motorcycle. Before your bike gets on a pallet and is strapped down to ship, you want to rest assured that there won’t be any damage. You also don’t want to worry about having to come out of pocket for any damage that occurs during the delivery route. By having photographic proof, you can ensure that your insurance policy will cover any damages if they do happen. In the end, there probably won’t be any damage, but you can never be too careful.

New pantry for the year 2018

In the cupboards of your kitchen, if there are expired salsas, half-pastry packages spread in all over and you get tired to find the things you look around but you don’t find them in time and you have been trying to organize your pantry quite nicely but always give up, this post may help you by saving you time, money and dislikes. In these articles, we will focus on some best healthy tips for your new pantry.

Start by doing a good cleaning:

Throw away everything that is outdated and you feel you will not consume them anymore. You may hallucinate with a number of Useless things you had in there which takes up huge space from the pantry. This is a good time to analyze what we need to throw out. You may need to change your buying habits and apply the appropriate changes to organize your pantry.

A well-organized pantry can make your life lot easier. You just have to ensure that your food needs to stay last longer in the best conditions. It will also help you to make the shopping list at a glance or that the bugs do not stick to your legumes, grains or flours. With a little effort and follow these best healthy tips for 2018, you will feel comfort, save money and able to make space where it seemed that there is not.

Get rid of unhealthy products:

What you eat each day is what you have near at your hand, so it’s crazy and very hard to analyze what you have in the pantry passes. This point we know you will not going to throw away all the sugar, jams or chocolate.

If you go with fries or crispy appetizers in general and you have a good stash at home, it is the time to reconsider before storing them in the pantry. If you have them close to your hand it is much easier to use them on time, for example in vermouth, a snack with friends or something. If you only have to open a closet to access them, it is easy to serve the same to celebrate your cat’s birthday imaginary with accompanying a beer will make a dull day for sure.

Optimize the space:

Often the shelves of the cupboards are too high for the products to store in them, so we have to pile them up – which make it difficult to access the ones below or lose much space. If you want you can put some extra shelves with boards and a drill. My salvation was also this additional shelf, designed to store plates and glasses.

Choose transparent containers:

Being able to see what they have inside will be very handy and it will save you time and make your life a lot easier. Canned glass jars are one of the simplest and cheapest options:  to wash them well you can boil for a few minutes in a large pot, with the lid and everything. Small ones are good for herbs or spices, medium for grain and cereals and the largest one for flour, pasta, etc.

Put some Label:

Even though they are in a transparent canister still you need to know which grains are sugar or salt or the flour you keep in them. Best option to find them easily is the instruction of label. If they are stored in opaque containers, the labeling is still necessary. A permanent marker is a fast option but it is difficult to erase if we want to change the product.

Organizes the products:

When you buy products for kitchen try to put the cans and those you bring new should be at the end unless it is something you know you will consume immediately for a recipe. Sorting food by families and putting them in near distance will allow us to see what we have and what we need at a glance, making the shopping list faster and with less margin of error. It works for me to make the first selection by volume: pasta, legumes, flours and in general what comes bagged and bulges more goes in one place, liquids and drinks in another and the smallest in another.

Reserve an accessible corner for your daily basics:

In this case, it pays to skip the organization we talked about earlier. If you have something at the height apart from the sight and hard to reach the hand that you consume each day then you need to put them in an accessible corner to find faster and you will be more effective. Keep in mind that part of the daily ritual happen in the morning, at the time when the brain takes the time to activate and coffee pot should be close enough to reach.

Consider the can of food:

Taking cans of sardines, canned tomatoes, bonito or cans of chickpeas can be great savings as they can last for years, so you can eat them sooner or later.

Store the heaviest weight near the floor:

If you leave milk bricks, water bottles, beer cans or soft drinks and pet food or whatever you buy in large you can store them near the ground. You will not only avoid overloading your shelves but you make it easy to access.

By organizing your kitchen you will get the quickest access to your daily need and if you follow the above healthy tips that we have to provide in it, you can save a lot more time and lot more money.

New Peugeot 508 Against New Volkswagen Passat

Peugeot has stretched like the chewing gum the 407’s life, which had been on the market since 2004. But that’s not the only reason the lion’s mark was in need of a change like eating. Sales had fallen sharply. Because of the crisis like all? No, the 407 closed 2010 in the tenth position of its category, behind even premium models much more expensive. So the 508 is bound to relaunch sales and place the French brand where it deserves.

To check what level it is, we have faced the new Volkswagen Passat. Another example of how you can profit from a model, since it was on sale since 2005. However, its health in the market was much better and ended the 2010 course leading its segment, with almost 12,000 more put into circulation than its rival in This face to face.

The 508 leaves the factory of the PSA Group in Rennes (France) ready to demonstrate its value. As cover letter has a new design, but little transgressor. They emphasize their sharp headlights and the new calender structure, as well as very aggressive LED drivers. Although what most will thank their buyers are the changes in size, because it has grown 10 centimeters in length and four in width. The fact that he now sees one size more helps him to gain interior space, but that is something that the Passat also more than meets the eye. In fact, although the German model is below in the inner dimensions, it offers a much more relaxed feeling.

And the trunk? That was just one of the points where the predecessor of the 508 was most pricked. Fortunately, the later overhang has grown to achieve a greater load space. It now has 515 liters compared to 432 of 407 liters . In any case, that is not enough to beat his rival, who is one of the best in the category and offers a volume of 565 liters.

Since I speak of the interior, I tell you that the materials and finishes have improved significantly and is greatly appreciated the change in the design of the passenger compartment. Now it looks like a 21st century car. The integration of the controls in the steering wheel is much more successful, it is no longer the same as the small 207. In addition, it has ‘Head up Display’ (optional) and ‘WIP Nav Plus’ control located in the transmission tunnel for Control radio, browser and phone. It’s something like a French version of BMW’s ‘iDrive’. In this section the Passat is placed one step below, since it bets more for the simplicity and the ease of use. The bad thing is that it does not respond to the image of quality that is presupposed to it.

Peugeot offers a wide range of diesel and gasoline engines, but for this face to face I have chosen the one that I think is more compensated by price and performance: the 2.0 HDi 140 hp . It is a proven powerplant that responds like a shot from 2,000 rpm and gets to 100 km / h in just 9.8 seconds. Exactly the same as the Passat 2.0 TDI 140 hp, which achieves the same result despite having less than even. Regarding consumption, although some modifications have been made in this respect, the Peugeot is not placed at the level of a VW, which needs 0.2 liters less than average per 100 kilometers. In the yes there is an important nuance is in the emissions, because with German you save the registration tax and with the 508, that exceeds the 120 grams of CO2 / km, you have to pay it.

But Peugeot does not forget the environment. If you are also worried about that, you can always opt for the e-HDi version of 112 hp which, combined with the six-speed manual operated pilot, achieves a consumption of 4.4 liters and emissions of only 109 g / Km.

It is time to talk about aspects that are fundamental when deciding on one model or another: behavior and driving. In this area, Peugeot has also worked hard and some improvements are appreciated. The six-speed manual gearbox is one of them, since it offers a more precise touch than before. But the best thing is the changes in the chassis, because it has a new damping system in the front axle that provides a great stability and allows a steep and fast curve. All without forgetting anything about comfort, which is one of the objectives that has always pursued the French brand. In any case, in the dynamic section the Passat is still the example to follow if you are looking for a comfortable roll and a step by curve bend. Further,

Conclusion: Before clarifying my position, I would like to congratulate Peugeot because it has finally decided to renew its star sedan and the quality leap that has given. He approaches the leader of his category and in many ways surpasses him. That is a lot to say, but I cannot fail to appreciate the step forward that has given the Passat, which for me is the winner of this face-to-face. Despite this, and given the improvement of its rivals, I do not think it is easy to finish the year in the lead.

10 ways to speed up your Drupal site

Drupal is one of the most popular content management systems for websites, but like any system, as sites get more complex they can become less responsive. So here are some tips to keep your Drupal site performing well.

Image Credit

1 Stay up to date

A slow website can lose your business money https://betanews.com/2017/11/20/slow-websites-lose-sales/, so it’s vital to address any problems. Drupal sites are made up of modules performing different functions and these can become sluggish over time so you need to keep them updated.

2 Stand and deliver

Using a content delivery network ensures content loads form a location near the user rather than a central point, speeding things up.

3 Modern image

Images can be slow to load. A Drupal design agency such as www.website-express.co.uk will be able to advise you on optimising them to make them faster.

Image Credit

4 Be lazy

‘Lazy loading’ your images ensures they only load when they need to appear on the user’s screen, speeding up overall load times. There are a number of modules that will do this for you.

5 Trim the fat

The more modules you have the slower the site will be, so look carefully at what you need and cut any unnecessary modules.

6 Check your host

Slow load times may not be down to your site but to where it’s hosted. If your current hosting company is delivering sub-par performance consider ditching them for a different one.

7 Check for errors

One of the most frustrating things about using a website is when a link leads to a 404 error page. There are modules that will look for broken links but you can improve your site’s performance by using an online service instead.

8 Cache in

Caching options are integrated into Drupal’s core framework. Some people don’t know it’s there or fail to make use of it, yet turning on caching is one of the easiest ways of boosting your site’s performance.

9 Aggregate scripts

Most sites use CSS and JavaScript as part of their design. Drupal gives you the ability to aggregate these scripts so that browsers don’t need to load as many files, cutting down in turn on HTML requests.

10 Disable logging

Disabling database logging via the syslog-ng module is another way to boost your Drupal site’s day-to-day performance.

Tattoo methods from around the world

Tattoos are a way of expressing ourselves. They tell people who we are, what we believe, and how we want to be seen. Many people have walked into a tattoo studio and come out with a permanent design.

Image Credit

In recent years the popularity of tattoos has exploded. People of all ages are getting inked, and it is now more uncommon to meet someone without one. It is an ancient practice, with many methods used around the world.

Rake and striking stick technique

This technique is one of the most ancient practices in the world. It is rarely practised today, but some areas of Samoa and Papua New Guinea still use it. The skin needs to be well-stretched, then a rake attached to a horizontal handle is hit with a solid stick. This puts the rake, traditionally made of bone and dipped in ink, into the skin.

Metal tube technique

This technique was most popular in ancient Thailand and it is believed that the tattooing methods today were derived from this method. A thin metal rod with a sharp pointed end is slid down a metal tube. This works like a sewing machine, with the tube pressed on for the sharp point to pierce the skin.

Image Credit

Western technique

The western technique of today is done with a rotary or coil-style tattoo machine. The needles are dipped into the ink, then the gun drives through the needle. Western techniques are recommended, and many amateur tattooists are practising their art. For tattoo supplies in the UK, stockists such as http://www.jungletattoosupplies.co.uk are great for amateur and professional equipment.

Bamboo tattoos

This technique started Japan’s tattoo culture. It is complicated to master, but exciting to watch. Using bamboo wood, artists create a handle and add two dozen sharpened points. Ink is attached to the sharp points, with the handle punted into the skin. This is a painful procedure if the ends are not sharp enough.

Newer methods are less painful; however, the ancient techniques add an element of romance and a ‘no pain, no gain’ feeling. Many people visit countries around the world and choose to get a tattoo with one of the techniques to remind them of their trip, which is a great way to celebrate the culture of other countries and be left with a permanent memory.

The Benefits Of Having A Personal Blog Active

In my opinion a lot of people have at some point been bitten by the bug of opening a personal blog. The main reasons are because they dominate a subject and like to write about it. Another reason is that they simply have a hobby to which they want to spend more time by including related articles in a blog. I will focus the post on those professionals who want to progress in their specialty and think writing on a blog can be a good tool.

It can happen many times that we fall into the trap of single vision in the short term. The reason is that blogging takes time and effort to notice changes in our professional life. It is also common that seen from outside is seen as a sterile activity to face a future.

The benefits are divided into 3 areas: non-monetizable, indirectly monetizable and monetizable directly.

Monetizable Benefits

  • The blog will help you to mark very enriching work dynamics since you will always have to be organized enough to find your writing time.
  • It will be an important prop in the face of being a constant person in your work.
  • It will propel you to be a creative person on a sustained basis. Having to be constantly in “search and capture” interesting content will positively affect your ingenuity.
  • It will be a way of continuous learning. When you look back you will realize how much you have sown in your professional training.

Indirectly Monetizable Benefits

  • The blog’s own activity and its promotion for you to read will lead to the expansion of your network. In addition you have done adding value to the known users. So it is very likely that some of these new relationships will lead to collaborations between professionals.
  • With your acquaintances and in general you will begin to be considered an expert in the matter chosen in your articles. Does not it make sense? How is not going to be an expert who investigates and writes periodically on a specific topic? Needless to say, that can end up in requests for consulting jobs, or giving a course, etc.
  • With the blog you have obtained a cover letter much more extensive and effective than any Linkedin profile. Looking for new professional opportunities, a good blog gives a very good image and will bring you to new horizons.

Directly Monetizable Benefits

  • Publicity: If you get many monthly visits you will open the doors to you to insert advertising in your blog. This advertising can be of different types: Sponsors, through an account of google adsense or through advertising networks that make different advertisers available.
  • Consulting services: For those readers who have managed to be relevant, it is likely that at some point they ask for advice that can evolve into a timely or stable consulting service applied to your subject.
  • Courses and eBooks: Another option at your fingertips is to manufacture paid content. The most used routes are in online course format or by publishing an ebook in pdf format that can be downloaded by the interested user.
  • Speaker or trainer: Another usual point is that certain events or companies contact you to give talks or some paper.
  • Collaboration with some means of collaboration: If you have demonstrated your skills in a blog you can make them available to those interested in the type of content you publish.

In short, these are the ways and usual ways that bloggers get compensation for the effort invested. Nothing is in vain, the professional who manages to save the first few months of hard road writing and taking steps in a firm “post a post” has at his fingertips endless opportunities that can catapult him to be a reputed and respected expert in his sector . There is no doubt that this is a huge satisfaction.

Start the healthy diet to lose weight with these foods

Losing weight in a healthy way is more important than simply losing pounds. If you don’t do it the right way there will be a risk of coming back again once the goal is achieved. For this reason, it is important to start a healthy diet to lose weight at the same time keep your body fit and boost your stamina.

Foods to weight loss:

To start losing weight you can start consuming these foods and replace the plate by a smaller one. In this way, it is easier to reduce the quantities of each meal. You should keep some positive quirk to maintain the optimism levels. In below we will discuss some healthy diet to lose weight while having some healthy foods.

  1. Mango:

The mango is a tropical fruit that contains high levels of vitamin C, an antioxidant that promotes fat burning and helps the body to lose weight.

  1. Artichoke:

It is rich in fiber and helps us to slow down the rate of digestion to avoid overexertion of the stomach. Another implicit advantage of the artichoke is it helps to scrape the skin fat.

  1. Oats:

Recent studies have shown that eating this grain every day in large amounts will help us to reduce the BMI (Body Mass Index) and help us to gradually reduce the belly.

  1. Beetroot:

Beetroot is very healthy vegetables. Some compounds of these sweet root vegetables may increase resistance, so you can have more stamina to workout about 15% more.

  1. Beans:

Beans reduce the enzymes that convert starch to sugar, the plant-derived protein that helps us to keep control in blood glucose levels (and appetite!).

A part of this meal, it is also important to have the following foods: milk almonds, cinnamon, onion, vegetable broth, ground cumin, garlic powder, and lime, lemon and fresh mint.

Now that you have all the ingredients to create delicious meals … Get ready for weight loss recipes!

Breakfast:

Mango Smoothie with Oatmeal:

1/2 cup of ice.

1 cup almond milk.

1 cup of mango cubes.

1/4 cup oat flakes.

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.

Put everything in a blender and beat until the puree becomes smooth and serve in a glass immediately.

Food:

Cream of beans:

1/2 cup chopped onion with 2 teaspoons olive oil for 4 minutes.

Add half a can of beans.

1 cup vegetable broth.

1 teaspoon cumin.

Garlic powder and lemon juice.

Mix all the ingredients in a pot and cook them over low heat. Once it has the texture of a puree, put it in the blender and blend it nicely. Put in the same pot and cook for 5 minutes over low heat.

Then make a steamed artichoke with oil and lemon juice. This recipe will serve 2person.

Snack:

Beet Chips:

Preheat oven to 170 °. Cut into thin slices (0’5cm) the red and yellow beets. And place in a tray for the oven.

With a brush paint with olive oil the slices and sprinkle salt.

Leave them in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until they are slightly crispy and turning them around in half the time.

Dinner:

Hamburger with artichoke salad:

1/2 onion chopped.

1 small beet.

2 quads of ground oats.

1 teaspoon cumin.

Garlic powder.

Lemon zest.

A pinch of salt.

1/2 jar of black beans, pureed.

Make 4 burgers and bake them at 200º C for 20 minutes. Make sure when they half bake turn them around.

For the salad:

Fill a bowl with water and half lemon juice. From the outside artichoke leaf cut the top and stem. Cut in half and remove the purple parts and heart. Cut into thin slices and leave in lemon water. Then drain and sprinkle with salt, pepper and 2 teaspoons of olive oil and lemon juice.

Dessert:

Mango with chopped mint:

1 cup diced mango.

1/3 cup water.

Half of a lemon juice.

Put in a blender and beat it until it has the puree texture. Pour it into a small bowl or cake mold and put it in the freezer. Add 1 teaspoon minced mint over it and let stand for 3 hours. Scrap the top with a fork every half hour so that no ice crystals can form. It is for 2 servings.

Healthy Tips:

Always try to have some healthy food instead of that junk food. Keep your physical strength sky high so you can lead a better life. As you know how to have a healthy diet to lose weight consuming the best foods around you to live well it’s easy to be healthy and fit to get a stress free life.

What to Know About Cervical Cancer

Cancer can be a complex and daunting topic, but it’s important to know the basics. Here are some things you should know.

Image Credit

What Is Cervical Cancer and What Are Its Symptoms?

Cervical cancer affects the cervix, the neck of the womb that’s just beyond the vagina. Abnormal cell changes and the early stages of cervical cancer rarely result in symptoms, but if the cancer develops symptoms can include pain and discomfort during sex, pain in the pelvic area and abnormal vaginal discharge and/or bleeding.

Cervical cancer can affect women of any age, though it’s very rare under 25 and most common in sexually active women around 30 to 45 years old.

What Are the Causes?

The human papillomavirus (HPV), of which there are over 100 different forms, is the most common cause. The majority of sexually active adults will be infected with this at some point in their lives, and some can result in abnormal cell changes and potentially cancer. As HPV and other STIs can often go unnoticed due to a lack of symptoms, it’s vital to get regular checks, and there are even home STI kits in London available to test yourself for some infections – see greenwichsexualhealth for more information.

Image Credit

Screening and Diagnosis

The NHS provides cervical screening, also known as a pap or smear, for all women over 25 every three years. It’s every five years for those between 50 and 64, and only women over 65 who have not attended a screening since the age of 50 or who have had abnormal results will be invited.

Most abnormal cells found during the screening will be due to pre-cancerous changes or an infection. You will be invited back for a colposcopy appointment to check the degree of their abnormality.

Treatment

Abnormal cells showing severe changes can be treated with the LLETZ procedure.

Each year, approximately 3,000 cervical cancers are diagnosed in the UK. Surgery is often successful for cancer detected early on, though radiotherapy and chemotherapy are generally required for advanced cases. However, complications can occur, including frequent urination and vaginal bleeding as well as life-threatening complications like kidney failure.

Almost 1,000 women in the UK will die from cervical cancer each year, but preventative treatment and detecting it early can significantly boost survival rates and provide a more positive outlook.