Cervicitis - what is it. Symptoms, treatment
Cervicitis is an inflammatory process that has developed in the cervix - in its vaginal department. Treatment of acute cervicitis and its chronic form requires time and effort. Pathology causes not only physical, but also psychological suffering, because it does not allow to lead a full sexual life.
The cervix is a kind of barrier in the way of microorganisms trying to penetrate the uterine cavity. The barrier function is provided by:
- narrowness of the cervical canal;
- specific mucus plug;
- a secret that has protective properties.
At the same time, the cervix itself can suffer from an inflammatory process. It can cover:
- mucous membrane lining the cervical canal - this pathology is called endocervicitis;
- the surface of the part of the neck that protrudes into the vagina is exocervicitis.
The direct cause of cervicitis is the microflora:
- gonococci (due to them, signs of severe cervicitis develop);
- staphylococci;
- streptococci;
- pale treponema;
- amoebae;
- trichomonads;
- viruses.
The infection enters the tissues of the neck with the flow of blood or lymph, by contact from the adjacent rectum or during sexual contact.
Certain factors accelerate the development of cervicitis:
- injuries of the cervix - during childbirth, during diagnostic or therapeutic curettage, during abortions;
- age (involutional changes – causes of atrophic cervicitis);
- neoplasms and postoperative scarring;
- deterioration of general immunity.
The disease most often develops in combination with inflammatory pathologies of the vagina, external genitalia, Bartholin's glands, pseudoerosion of the cervix and its inversion (the pathology is called ectropion).
Symptoms of viral cervicitis and its other varieties
Cervicitis happens:
- the course is acute and chronic;
- by the nature of the impression – focal and diffuse.
The most obvious symptoms of acute cervicitis:
- discharge from the vagina of a mucous, purulent or mixed nature;
- rarely – a dull aching pain in the lower abdomen.
These are the basic symptoms of this disease, there are certain nuances in different types of cervicitis:
- local symptoms of viral cervicitis may be accompanied by signs of body intoxication;
- the onset of gonorrheal cervicitis is sudden, the course is acute, discharge and pain are clearly manifested;
- with chlamydia, the symptoms are not so pronounced;
- in the case of herpetic infection of cervicitis, the cervix becomes red, loose, small ulcers appear on it;
- trichomonad cervicitis is characterized by small hemorrhages;
- actinomycetic cervicitis is characterized by the symptom of "yellow granular spot";
- with cervicitis caused by the human papillomavirus, condylomas and ulcers are formed.
If cervicitis is not treated, it becomes chronic. At the same time, the discharge becomes cloudy mucus, the vaginal part of the cervix is covered with pseudoerosions. Then infiltrates (tissue compaction), often cysts (cavities with liquid contents) develop.
Often, with a chronic course, this disease is combined with pseudoerosion of the cervix - this pathology is called chronic cervicitis with cervical ectopy of the cervix.
Cervicitis needs close attention, it can cause:
- formation of cervical polyps;
- its erosion;
- inflammatory processes in the upper parts of the genital tract;
- early pregnancy termination;
- premature birth activity.
The doctor must answer the patient's question "cervicitis - what is it", tell how to treat it, and also warn about the threat to pregnancy.
Diagnosis of cervicitis
In some cases, cervicitis can pass without any clinical picture - this is the so-called erased form of cervicitis. In this case, it is an incidental diagnostic finding.
It is not difficult to make a diagnosis based on a gynecological examination. The doctor notes swelling, redness, hemorrhages in the tissues of the vaginal part of the cervix and other signs of cervicitis described above, depending on its origin.
More information can be obtained using the following diagnostic methods:
- colposcopy - during it, it is possible to examine the inside of the cervix;
- microscopy of a smear taken from the cervix. The state of the smear in acute and chronic process is different - in the first case, many leukocytes are detected, in the second - epithelial cells;
- bacteriological examination of a smear - inoculation on nutrient media followed by analysis of the grown colonies;
- IFA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) is used to detect some types of pathogens.
Treatment of acute cervicitis and its chronic form
Cervicitis is a typical infectious-inflammatory disease, the principles of treatment of which have long been known and consist in antibacterial and anti-inflammatory therapy. But treatment should be adjusted depending on the immediate cause of cervicitis. Also, one of the urgent questions is how to treat cervicitis during pregnancy.
Can be appointed:
- antifungal agents;
- hormonal drugs;
- immunocorrectors.
Treatment for this pathology is carried out:
- general - with the use of injectable and tablet preparations;
- local - with the use of creams, suppositories, treatment of the vagina and cervix with antiseptic drugs (for example, chlorophyllipt).
Even the most "harmless" treatment should be prescribed only by a doctor (for example, suppositories for active cervicitis).
Sexual rest is important in treatment (prescribed individually).
When the process is chronic, conservative treatment is not so successful - more radical methods are prescribed:
- diathermocoagulation;
- cryotherapy;
- laser therapy.
On the website of our clinic, Dobrobut.com, you can make an appointment with specialists who will answer all other questions - whether the pathology can develop in girls, whether it is possible to get pregnant with a diagnosis of "moderate cervicitis", which treatment methods to prefer, etc. .d.
Related services:
Gynecological Check-up
Colposcopy
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