| Cervicitis
What is
cervicitis?
Cervicitis is an irritation of the cervix caused by a number of different
organisms. Cervicitis is generally classified as either acute, meaning
the onset of symptoms is severe and sudden, or chronic, lasting over
a period of months or longer.
Acute cervicitis
can be caused by any of a number of infections such as gonorrhea, chlamydia,
or herpes, and is often confused with vaginitis.
Chronic cervicitis
is common in women following childbirth. It is also often associated
with pregnancy and the use of oral contraceptives, probably due to an
increased blood supply to the cervix as a result of increased hormone
levels. Less commonly, cervicitis is caused by sensitivities to certain
chemicals, including those in spermicides, latex, and tampons.
What are
the symptoms of cervicitis?
The following are the most common symptoms of cervicitis. However, each
individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include
the following:
- purulent discharge
(containing pus)
- pelvic pain
- backache
- urinary problems
Since infections
within the vagina are easily passed to the cervix, where the infecting
organism is harbored, the tissue of the cervix can become inflamed and/or
form a cervical erosion, or open sore. One early sign of this is a pus-like
vaginal discharge. In addition, as the cervical erosion worsens, cervical
ulceration may develop.
The symptoms of
cervicitis may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Always
consult your physician for a diagnosis.
How is cervicitis
diagnosed?
In addition to a complete medical history and physical and pelvic examination,
diagnostic procedures for cervicitis may include the following:
- Pap
test
- test
that involves microscopic examination of cells collected from the
cervix; used to detect changes that may be cancerous or may lead to
cancer, and to show noncancerous conditions, such as infection or
inflammation.
- biopsy
- a procedure in which tissue samples are removed from the body for
examination under a microscope; to determine if cancer or other abnormal
cells are present.
- culture
of cervical discharge
Treatment
for cervicitis:
Specific treatment for cervicitis will be determined by your physician
based on:
- your age, overall
health, and medical history
- extent of the
disease
- type and severity
of the symptoms
- your tolerance
for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
- expectations
for the course of the disease
- your opinion
or preference
Treatment may
include:
- antibiotics (to
eliminate infecting organisms)
- "watchful
waiting" (often in cases caused by childbirth or oral contraceptives)
- silver nitrate
(to destroy damaged cells in cervical erosion)
- cryosurgery -
the use of liquid nitrogen, or a probe that is very cold, to freeze
and kill abnormal cells.
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