Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) is a bacterial infection of the female reproductive organs. It often develops due to a sexually transmitted disease (such as gonorrhea and chlamydia) that is neglected for a long time, but it can also be caused by another type of infection. The good news is that serious complications, such as infertility, can be reduced with prompt medical treatment. Pay attention to any possible symptoms, such as pelvic pain of varying intensity. If you suspect something, make an appointment with the gynecologist; follow the recommendations regarding treatment and you will soon find yourself on the road to recovery.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Recognizing the Possible Symptoms
Step 1. Monitor for any abdominal pain
This is generally the main symptom that women affected by PID complain about; the cramps and pain are initially mild in intensity and worsen over time, until they become severe pains. You may find that you cannot move your torso or that you cannot straighten yourself enough to get upright.
Step 2. Pay attention to possible changes in appetite
In addition to abdominal cramps, you may experience constant gastric discomfort or that occurs at unusual times; as a result, you may end up throwing up everything you eat, or you may feel nauseous at the mere sight of food or right after a meal.
Step 3. Make a note of any flu-like symptoms
Along with nausea, pelvic inflammatory disease can induce a high fever (over 38 ° C) or occasional bouts of chills; the fever may last a long time or occur randomly.
Step 4. Monitor vaginal secretions
Watch your undergarments for any possible increase in vaginal discharge, which may have a different consistency than usual or an unpleasant odor. Pay attention to possible spotting or bleeding between two menstrual periods, as these are other potential symptoms of the disease.
Step 5. Watch out for pain during sexual intercourse
If you start to experience a stinging pain while having sex or a constant slight aching afterwards, it could be a sign of PID; the discomfort may arise suddenly or even develop slowly and worsen over time.
Step 6. Seek emergency medical attention
It is a good idea to go to the emergency room if your body temperature reaches or exceeds 40 ° C, if your fever remains stable at 39 ° C, gets worse, or even if you are unable to hold on to fluids or food. You must seek immediate medical attention even if the abdominal pain becomes intense; if nothing else, emergency medicine offers you fluids and pain medication until you are able to see your gynecologist.
Step 7. Get regular medical examinations
It is quite probable to suffer from pelvic inflammatory disease without showing any physical symptoms: in this case we speak of asymptomatic disorder; you may also have such mild discomfort or pain so mild that you don't pay attention to it until the situation escalates. Listen to your body and get regular annual checkups at your gynecologist as a preventative measure.
If pelvic disease continues to develop out of control, you may face serious medical consequences; scar tissue that develops on the productive organs could lead to permanent infertility. It could also cause an egg to become blocked in the fallopian tubes (which would not follow the usual path in the uterus), resulting in a potential ectopic pregnancy - which is extremely dangerous. you may also develop severe and chronic pelvic pain
Part 2 of 3: Diagnosing and Treating the Disease
Step 1. Go to the gynecologist
As soon as you suspect you have PID, make an appointment with your gynecologist to tell him about the problem. He will ask you questions about your medical history, sex life and will have you undergo a general pelvic checkup; if you notice pain in the abdomen and around the cervix, you may need to investigate further. If the doctor is too busy and cannot see you, contact the family doctor to describe the discomfort; you can also go to a hospital or go to the family clinic.
- A blood test may be needed to see if the white blood cells are fighting an infection. You may be asked to take a cervical fluid and a urine sample to look for possible sexually transmitted diseases.
- There is no defined protocol for diagnosing PID; this means that, unfortunately, it can often be confused with another disorder with similar symptoms, such as appendicitis.
- If you are very sick, your body is unresponsive to antibiotics, you have an abscess, or you are pregnant, your doctor may recommend hospitalization as part of your treatment.
Step 2. Agree to undergo an ultrasound
If your gynecologist thinks pelvic inflammatory disease is one of the likely diagnoses but needs further investigation to confirm, they may ask you to perform an imaging test to inspect internal organs. For example, ultrasound can show the presence of an abscess that blocks or stretches a part of the fallopian tubes - a disorder that is not only very painful, but also very dangerous to health in general.
Step 3. Agree to laparoscopic surgery
During the procedure, the surgeon makes a small incision in the abdominal area and inserts a light camera to see the internal organs directly up close; he may also take tissue samples while performing the surgery, if necessary, to conduct further checks.
Although it is a minimally invasive operation, laparoscopy is still a surgical procedure; therefore, before facing it you must know very well the possible risks and benefits that it entails
Step 4. Take all medications as prescribed
The most common one in the case of PID is the antibiotic. Since this infection is typically quite serious and can be caused by various dangerous pathogens, you are likely to be given two different types of antibiotics at the same time, which could be in tablet form or even to be taken by injection.
- If you take the tablets, read the leaflet carefully and complete the entire course of therapy, even if you start to feel better before the treatment is over.
- Most doctors typically ask for a repeat visit about three days later to monitor for improvements.
Step 5. Inform your sexual partner
Although this disease is not contagious, it is possible to pass on to the partner the sexually transmitted infections from which PID often develops - for example chlamydia and gonorrhea. This means that you may be cured of pelvic inflammatory disease but develop the infection again if you don't take steps. Once you are diagnosed with PID, you need to talk to your sexual partner and advise him to get tested; Remember that you may not have any symptoms, but still have some infection and be able to spread it.
Part 3 of 3: Knowing the Risk Factors
Step 1. Get tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
If you are sexually active, visit your gynecologist every year and ask to be screened for STDs. PID is very often associated with two very common bacterial diseases: gonorrhea and chlamydia. A quick pelvic exam and some lab tests can detect whether or not you've contracted such infections and treat them accordingly before they develop into PID.
Step 2. Stay alert after suffering from PID in the past
Having already contracted it is a risk factor; essentially, this means that the body is more vulnerable to certain types of bacteria responsible for the disease. Therefore, if you have suffered from it before, you must pay special attention to every possible symptom, relying on the experience already lived as a general guide.
Step 3. You need to be especially careful in your teens and twenties
Sexually active young women are at greater risk of contracting PID; their internal reproductive organs are not yet fully formed and become an easier "prey" for bacteria and STDs, not to mention that at this age they are more likely to "skip" regular appointments at the gynecologist.
Step 4. Practice safe sex
With each new sexual partner, the risk of contracting PID or other STDs increases. This is especially true in the case of intercourse without the use of a condom, as the birth control pill does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases or other infections. By reducing the number of partners and getting regular STD tests, you can improve your overall health.
Step 5. Stop using douches
These are internal washes with the use of water sprays or other cleaning solutions. In fact, such treatments allow harmful bacteria to enter the reproductive organs, including the cervix, where they can settle and cause PID. These douches also kill the "good" bacterial flora in the vagina and alter the natural pH balance.
Step 6. Be especially careful immediately after inserting an intrauterine device
Most doctors recommend antibiotic therapy at home after an IUD is implanted to minimize the risk of infections; however, it is important to pay attention to the body during the first few months following the introduction of a new device, as this is the period when the development of pelvic inflammatory disease is most likely.
Advice
Many health organizations locally and nationally offer the option to call a toll-free number to ask all questions and concerns regarding pelvic inflammatory disease
Warnings
- Be aware that smoking is a risk factor for PID, as it weakens the immune system.
- Having sexual intercourse during menstruation can also be a possible risk factor, because the cervix is more open and, consequently, facilitates the access of bacteria into the uterus.
