Diseases of the female reproductive system can hardly be considered rare. And cervicitis occurs quite often in modern gynecology. Treatment for this disease is, of course, possible. The sooner therapy is started, the faster recovery will occur, and the risk of complications will be minimized.
That is why today many women are interested in questions about what this disease is. What symptoms are accompanied by cervicitis? How is it diagnosed? What complications does the disease cause? Are there effective treatments? The answers to these questions will be of interest to many of the fair sex.
What is cervicitis?
Cervical diseases are a fairly common problem. Every year, thousands and even tens of thousands of women face similar ailments. And quite often, patients who come for a routine gynecological examination are diagnosed with cervicitis.
This is an inflammatory disease that affects the lining of the cervix (cervical canal). It's no secret that the cervix is a kind of barrier that protects the internal genital organs (uterus, ovaries) from infection. That is why its inflammation poses a threat to the entire reproductive system.
According to statistics, most often cervicitis is diagnosed in women of childbearing age (in about 70% of cases). Much less often, inflammation develops in teenage girls or women during menopause.
The main causes of occurrence
Today, many women are interested in questions about why cervicitis develops. Treatment directly depends on the source of the disease. Inflammation in this case develops under the influence of infection, which can be both specific and nonspecific.
Quite often, cervicitis develops when sexually transmitted bacteria enter the mucous membrane. Trichomonas, chlamydia, gonococci, mycoplasmas can act as the causative agent.
On the other hand, nonspecific inflammation caused by the increased activity of staphylococci, streptococci, E. coli and other habitual “inhabitants” of the human body is no less often diagnosed. This phenomenon is usually considered the result of a sharp local or general decrease in immune defense.
Are there risk groups?
It is worth noting that in some women, gynecological diseases, in particular cervicitis, are diagnosed much more often, which is associated with the influence of certain internal or external environmental factors.
For example, susceptibility to various types of infections increases with certain injuries to the cervix. First of all, such a disease occurs as a complication after childbirth, abortion, diagnostic curettage, etc. Risk factors include the use of certain contraceptive methods. In particular, the mucous membrane can be damaged when installing or removing an intrauterine device, as well as with frequent use of chemical contraceptives or douching with acids.
On the other hand, cervicitis in most cases develops against the background of other diseases. For example, inflammation of the mucous membrane of the cervix is often diagnosed in women with ecropion, prolapse of the pelvic organs, as well as vulvitis, bartholinitis and vaginitis.
Risk factors include hormonal imbalance, which often leads to a gradual thinning of the mucous membrane, making it more susceptible to the effects of pathogenic microorganisms. And, of course, we should not forget about the state of the immune system, since weakening the body’s defenses contributes to the activation of opportunistic microflora.
The condition of the reproductive system is also negatively affected by the incorrect use of tampons, non-compliance with personal hygiene rules, etc.
What symptoms accompany the disease?
Quite often, the first stages of the disease occur unnoticed by the woman. In rare cases, the disease manifests itself with uncharacteristic discharge, especially if the patient has purulent cervicitis. The discharge has a different character depending on the pathogen, for example, it can be green, gray, yellow or whitish. It is very difficult to determine on your own whether they are vaginal or form in the cervical area - this can only be done by a doctor during an examination.
Some forms of the disease (mainly acute purulent cervicitis) are accompanied by quite noticeable pain in the lower abdomen. Sometimes patients complain of a burning sensation in the vagina, as well as itching in the external genital area. There are other signs of cervicitis. In some women, pain appears directly during intercourse or after it ends and is accompanied by bloody discharge.
It is worth considering the fact that the inflammatory process in the cervical canal is often associated with other diseases of the genitourinary system. For example, with cervicitis complicated by cystitis, frequent painful urination is also observed. An extensive inflammatory process may be accompanied by fever and symptoms of general intoxication - weakness, dizziness, drowsiness and chills.
Chronic cervicitis: symptoms
Since the initial stages of the disease often go unnoticed, the chronic form of inflammation can hardly be considered a rarity. The clinical picture in this case is blurred - the symptoms remain the same as with acute cervicitis, but less intense.
For example, patients continue to experience cloudy discharge, but it is not too abundant and therefore rarely causes concern. From time to time, itching and burning are observed in the area of the external genitalia. Dull pain often occurs in the lower abdomen.
Treatment of chronic cervicitis is a long process. However, therapy is necessary, since constantly progressing inflammation weakens the body and leads to a host of complications, including infertility.
Basic diagnostic methods
Since the symptoms of the disease are most often not very pronounced, cervicitis is discovered by chance during a routine gynecological examination or consultation about other diseases. The first stage of diagnosis is the standard examination procedure using mirrors. After this, as a rule, a colposcopy is performed - using a special mechanism equipped with binocular optics, the doctor carefully examines the cervix. During the procedure, the gynecologist may notice significant changes. For example, such an examination allows you to notice redness and hyperemia of tissues, swelling of the mucous membrane of the cervix, accumulation of purulent masses, and the formation of characteristic vascular loops. In addition, the doctor will determine the nature of the inflammatory process - it can be diffuse or focal.
Naturally, additional laboratory tests are prescribed in the future. For example, microscopic examination of a smear can provide useful information. In the acute form of the disease, the samples reveal an increased number of leukocytes, as well as altered squamous epithelial cells, columnar epithelium with noticeably hypertrophied nuclei. Chronic cervicitis is accompanied by other signs - during microscopic examination, you can notice the presence of columnar epithelial cells of different sizes, sometimes with traces of destruction.
Bacteriological culture of samples is necessary. This procedure makes it possible to accurately determine the type of infection, as well as the sensitivity of bacteria to a particular antibiotic.
In the future, PCR studies can be carried out, which are indispensable for determining certain types of infection. In particular, the causative agents of mycoplasmosis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, as well as some viruses (herpes, papillomatosis) can only be detected in this way.
Additionally, blood and urine tests are prescribed, as well as an ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs, especially if there is a suspicion of inflammation of the uterine appendages, adhesions and other complications.
Are there any complications?
Of course, such a disease in the absence of timely treatment can lead to a lot of complications. For example, often the acute form of the disease develops into chronic cervicitis of the cervix, which is much more difficult to treat.
According to statistics, in approximately 10% of cases, the infection spreads higher, affecting other organs of the reproductive system and pelvis, including the uterus, ovaries, bladder, peritoneum, etc.
In some cases, cervicitis leads to the development of adhesions in the abdominal cavity and pelvis, which, in turn, can cause infertility. Studies have also demonstrated that inflammation of the cervical canal tissue increases the risk of malignant tissue degeneration in patients infected with oncogenic papillomavirus.
Cervicitis: treatment with conservative methods
It is immediately worth noting that therapy in this case is selected individually, as it depends on the causes of the disease, as well as on the type of pathogen and the patient’s health status. For example, treatment of cervicitis with antibiotics is appropriate only if the causative agent is pathogenic bacteria. In this case, the choice of drug depends on the type of bacteria. Chlamydial cervicitis is treated with macrolides and tetracycline antibiotics. If the cause of inflammation is fungal microorganisms, then therapy includes antifungal agents, for example, Flucostat, Diflucan.
In acute stages, the use of local medications (ointments, douching solutions, etc.) is not recommended, as this can cause the infection to spread to the internal genital organs. But as the main symptoms disappear, doctors prescribe various antibacterial and antiseptic medications. For example, patients are treated with a solution of silver nitrate or Dimexide in the vagina and cervix. Do not forget that antibiotics affect not only pathogenic, but also beneficial microflora. To restore it, you need to take medications containing live strains of beneficial bacteria.
Viral cervicitis requires completely different therapy. How to treat this form of the disease? Patients are prescribed antiviral and immunomodulatory drugs. But therapy in this case lasts much longer.
If the cause of the infection is a hormonal imbalance, women are prescribed hormonal medications that can stop the process of further atrophy of the mucous membranes.
In cases where the cause of the inflammatory process is a specific infection, both sexual partners must undergo treatment, since the likelihood of re-infection is high. Gynecological diseases can be extremely dangerous. Therefore, in this case, you should not ignore the doctor’s recommendations or self-medicate.
Cervicitis: surgical treatment
Not always drug therapy can solve the problem. For example, conservative treatment of chronic cervicitis quite often turns out to be simply ineffective. The indication for surgical intervention is the presence of erosions on the tissues of the cervix.
The appropriate procedure is selected individually. So what kind of therapy do chronic cervicitis require? How to treat such a disease? In most cases, patients undergo freezing of the affected areas using liquid nitrogen. Laser surgery methods are considered quite effective. Sometimes electrosurgical treatment using a special Surgitron device is used to eliminate areas of erosion and chronic inflammation.
This is how cervicitis is treated today. Feedback from patients indicates that the rehabilitation period passes quickly and is not accompanied by much discomfort. By the way, after surgery, women are prescribed anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory medications that help prevent the development of complications.
Basic preventive measures
Unfortunately, cervicitis in women is a fairly common phenomenon. And since the disease often becomes chronic and entails a lot of complications, gynecologists recommend that every representative of the fair sex follow some preventive measures.
Naturally, first of all, you should try to prevent infection from entering and developing in the tissues of the genital organs. That is why you should not lead a promiscuous sex life and be sure to protect yourself with condoms when in contact with an unverified person. Since the infection can be nonspecific, it is imperative to strengthen the immune system. Women during menopause, if necessary, are prescribed hormonal therapy, which also prevents a number of complications.
Do not forget about timely treatment of various infectious diseases of the genitourinary system. It is necessary to regularly undergo scheduled gynecological examinations (twice a year), because the earlier the disease is detected, the easier the treatment will be. Kegel exercises, which prevent prolapse of the pelvic organs, will have a positive effect on your health.