Cervicitis
Causes and symptoms of cervicitis
What is cervicitis?
Cervicitis is considered a fairly common pathology of infectious genesis, which consists in the defeat of the cervix and its lower parts, bordering the vagina.
Causes of cervicitis
Inflammation can develop against the background of sexually transmitted diseases, or after injury to the cervix by foreign objects, including barrier contraception. The neoplastic process can also become the cause of cervicitis.
Very often, cervicitis is not properly treated, as it proceeds with latent symptoms or due to a lack of proper attention on the part of a woman to her health.
Untreated cervicitis can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and ectopic pregnancy. Its complications include a whole range of serious pathologies. These are spontaneous abortion, cervical cancer, severe pregnancy and childbirth, the appearance of spontaneous pain in the pelvic area.
Approximately 50% of women experience cervicitis at least once in their life. The risk group includes women about 25 years old who are sexually active and are not burdened by marriage.
Among the most common causes of cervicitis are vaginal infectious diseases, including venereal diseases, such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis.
Infection with the herpes virus and human papillomavirus also poses a health risk. Earlier onset of sexual activity, multiple sexual partners and a history of vaginal infection - the presence of these three factors at the same time significantly increases the likelihood of cervicitis.
Among other causes of the disease, you can also name an allergic reaction to hygiene products or contraceptives, leaving a tampon in the vagina for a long time. The resulting irritation of the cervix due to these factors makes it more vulnerable to microorganisms.
Cervicitis symptoms
The mild form of cervicitis is asymptomatic. An early symptom of the disease may be vaginal discharge, which becomes more pronounced a few days after menstruation.
The most pronounced symptoms of cervicitis include bleeding, itching, irritation in the genital area, pain during intercourse, bleeding during intercourse, and a burning sensation when urinating.
In the abdomen or lumbar region, pain can occur only during intercourse; in advanced cases, patients note purulent discharge with an unpleasant odor, which are accompanied by pain in the abdomen and vaginal itching.
The spread of infection proceeds with an increase in body temperature and other symptoms of intoxication of the body: nausea, dizziness. The pain in the abdomen becomes very severe.
Cervicitis treatment
Treatment of cervicitis of an infectious origin requires, first of all, the appointment of antibiotics. With the viral nature of the disease, treatment is carried out with antiviral drugs that are active against genital herpes. Pregnancy requires special attention when choosing medications. If symptoms of the disease persist after antibiotic therapy, electrocautery, cryotherapy, or laser may be prescribed.
If the cause of cervicitis is a sexually transmitted disease, then the partner also needs treatment.
Article author: Mochalov Pavel Alexandrovich | d. m. n. therapist
Education: Moscow Medical Institute. IM Sechenov, specialty - "General Medicine" in 1991, in 1993 "Occupational Diseases", in 1996 "Therapy".
