Medically reviewed by Dr. Kaushik Das, Chief Surgeon & Founder, Surgy Centre, Bokaro Steel City · Last updated: October 2026
Most women treat period pain, irregular cycles or unusual discharge as “normal for me” — until the day a small, easily treatable condition has grown into an operation. In our OPD in Bokaro Steel City we see daily how much suffering comes simply from not knowing what is normal and what is not. This guide covers the gynaecological problems we treat most often, their warning signs, and when self-care ends and a doctor’s examination begins. It pairs with our guides on pregnancy symptoms and menopause.
TL;DR — when to see a gynaecologist
- Periods: cycles shorter than 21 or longer than 35 days, bleeding for more than 7 days, bleeding between periods or after intercourse, or no period for 3 months (pregnancy aside).
- Pain: period pain that stops you working, pain during intercourse, or any persistent one-sided pelvic pain.
- Discharge: change in colour or smell, itching, burning — especially recurrent.
- Lumps: any breast lump, or a lump in the groin or vulva — get examined the same week.
- Bleeding after menopause is never normal — same-week examination is mandatory.
1. Heavy, irregular or painful periods
The most common complaints we see. Causes range from hormonal imbalance and thyroid problems to fibroids, polyps, adenomyosis and, in teenagers, simple immaturity of the cycle. Heavy bleeding (soaking a pad every 2 hours, or periods beyond 7 days) causes anaemia — check your haemoglobin if you feel tired or breathless with periods. Treatment today is far kinder than the “operation” everyone fears: hormonal medicines, iron correction and targeted procedures solve most cases. When surgery is genuinely needed — fibroids, adenomyosis — we prefer keyhole techniques that mean smaller cuts and days — not months — of recovery.
2. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Weight gain, acne, facial hair, irregular cycles and difficulty conceiving — PCOS is the most common hormonal condition in young women and one of the most misunderstood. It is not a disease of the ovaries alone; it is a metabolic condition, and the foundation of treatment is lifestyle: 5–7% weight loss can restart ovulation by itself. Medicines (metformin, ovulation induction) support the process — often the same programme that eventually lets conception happen naturally, with ovulation tracking and IUI as the next steps if needed. PCOS also raises long-term diabetes risk, so sugar testing every 1–2 years matters even when periods are “managed”.
3. Vaginal discharge and infections
Normal discharge is clear-white, odourless and varies through the cycle. See a doctor when discharge becomes yellow-green, frothy, curd-like or foul-smelling, or comes with itching, burning or pain. The common causes — fungal, bacterial vaginosis, trichomonas — are quickly diagnosed with a simple swab and treated with a short course. Two serious cautions: recurrent discharge may hide a cervical infection that can silently damage the tubes (and later fertility), and untreated infection in pregnancy can affect the baby. Never buy over-the-counter creams for repeated episodes — get the swab test.
4. Fibroids
Non-cancerous muscle growths of the uterus, extremely common in the 30s and 40s. Most cause no symptoms and need only monitoring. Treatment is considered when fibroids cause heavy bleeding, pressure symptoms, or fertility problems. Size, number and location decide between medicines, ultrasound-monitored follow-up, or myomectomy/hysterectomy — often feasible by laparoscopy.
5. Ovarian cysts
Most cysts are functional — part of a normal cycle that lingered — and vanish on their own within 6–8 weeks, confirmed on repeat ultrasound. Persistent, large or complex (solid areas, septations) cysts need closer evaluation with tumour markers and sometimes laparoscopy. Any sudden severe one-sided pain with vomiting is an emergency — ovarian torsion cuts off the cyst’s blood supply and hours matter.
6. Endometriosis
Tissue like the uterine lining grows outside the uterus — causing increasingly painful periods, pain during intercourse, and often infertility. The tragedy of endometriosis is the years women lose thinking it is “just bad periods”. Diagnosis is by history plus ultrasound, and definitive staging by laparoscopy — which is also the treatment. Hormonal medicines suppress recurrence afterwards. If you are losing one or two working days every month to period pain, that is not a threshold to endure — it is a threshold to investigate.
7. Urinary problems and pelvic floor weakness
Burning urine, frequency and recurrent urinary infections are common and usually simple to treat — but in women they recur, and each episode deserves a urine test rather than guesswork. After deliveries, some women develop leakage of urine on coughing or laughing (stress incontinence) or a feeling of “something coming down” (prolapse). Both are extremely treatable — physiotherapy, pessary, or a short operation. Neither is a normal part of ageing to be endured silently.
8. Breast complaints
Breast pain and lumpy tenderness before periods are usually benign hormonal changes. But any distinct lump, any skin dimpling, nipple discharge (especially blood-stained), or a newly inverted nipple needs examination the same week. We evaluate with examination, ultrasound, and FNAC or biopsy when needed — our cytology service reports FNACs in-house. Breast cancer caught early is one of the most curable cancers; the difference is made by the weeks a woman waits or doesn’t.
9. Cervical health: Pap smear and vaccination
Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, yet we still see advanced cases that a ₹300 test would have caught years earlier. A Pap smear — a painless swab from the cervix — detects pre-cancerous change long before cancer, and treatment at that stage is minor. Every woman from age 21 (or within 3 years of first intercourse) should have regular smears; after 30, co-testing with HPV extends intervals. The HPV vaccine given in adolescence prevents most cervical cancer outright. Our cytology laboratory processes smears with same-day or next-day reporting.
10. Contraception counselling
Contraception is a couple’s decision and deserves honest, judgement-free advice: Copper-T and hormonal options, injectables, permanent methods (laparoscopic tubal ligation is a 24-hour stay procedure), and emergency contraception — including the truth about its limitations. Spacing pregnancies by 2–3 years is among the strongest proven protectors of both mother and baby health, and our OPD helps couples choose a method that fits their health, family plans and beliefs.
How Surgy Centre’s gynaecology OPD works
Our gynaecology and obstetrics consultants run daily OPD (Monday–Saturday, 9 AM–12 PM and 3–6 PM). Examination rooms are private, chaperones are always available, and the laboratory, ultrasound and procedure rooms are inside the same building — most visits conclude with diagnosis and a written plan the same day. Founded by Dr. K. K. Das in 1977, the hospital has always been known for gynaecological surgery: from keyhole hysterectomy to emergency obstetric care with our NICU standing behind it.
Your annual women’s health check-up: the simple checklist
One OPD visit a year, one folder of results — that is the entire system most women need to stay ahead of the conditions above. Every year: haemoglobin, blood sugar (fasting), thyroid (TSH), blood pressure, weight/waist, breast examination, and a symptom conversation — periods, discharge, pain, bladder, mood. By schedule: Pap smear from age 21 (every 3 years, or as advised), ultrasound when symptoms suggest fibroids/cysts or at routine intervals after 40, bone-density discussion after menopause, and the HPV vaccination decision for daughters aged 9–14 (the ideal window, before any exposure). Same-week, not annual: any breast lump, any bleeding after menopause, any bleeding between periods, or pain that stops daily work. Women who follow this checklist meet us mostly for reassurance rather than operations — and when an operation is needed, it is found early, smaller, and easier. Our OPD desk can tell you the current check-up package rates before you come: call 88770 88770.
Frequently asked questions
Is it embarrassing to be examined? Can I bring someone?
Yes, bring your mother, sister, husband or a friend — always. Examinations are done privately with a female staff chaperone, and nothing happens without explanation and consent.
I am unmarried. Can I get a gynaecology check-up?
Absolutely. Many conditions are evaluated without internal examination — ultrasound and blood tests answer most questions; examination is done only when needed and with your consent.
How often should a healthy woman get a check-up?
Once a year: examination, haemoglobin, thyroid and sugar as advised, Pap smear per schedule, breast examination, and ultrasound if symptoms suggest it.
Are women doctors available?
Our OPD roster includes consultants across the week; call 88770 88770 and the desk will tell you which days suit your preference and book you accordingly.
Something feels “not normal” and you have been postponing? That postponement is the only mistake most patients make. Book a consultation or simply walk in during OPD hours — or call 88770 88770. Early answers are almost always easier ones.
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