Endometritis is one of the serious female diseases that can lead to such grave consequences as uterine bleeding, miscarriage and even infertility. That is why it is so important to know how endometritis is manifested, to be able to distinguish the symptoms of a chronic and acute endometritis in time to cure it without waiting for complications.
Causes of endometritis
Endometrite is an inflammation of a layer of tissue lining the uterus from the inside (it is called the endometrium). This disease is most often caused by an infection that has penetrated into the uterine cavity, which is sterile by definition. It happens:
- due to changes in the microflora of the vagina (for example, with dysbiosis);
- due to a violation of the composition of cervical mucus in case of hormonal failure in the body;
- as a consequence of a general decrease in immunity;
- with promiscuous sexual intercourse;
- due to non-compliance with personal hygiene.
In addition, endometritis can develop in a woman after childbirth, abortion, installation of an intrauterine device and other medical interventions. In a word, the infection is not difficult to penetrate into the uterus, and you need to be vigilant to notice the signs of the onset of the disease in time.
Main symptoms of endometritis
With acute and slow endometritis, the clinical picture of the disease is markedly different. For example, in acute endometrium, a woman is worried about pain in the lower abdomen, a fever of 38-39 ° C, chills, weakness, bloody (less purulent) discharge from the vagina. The disease develops quickly enough, and the listed signs appear already on 3-4 days after infection.
These symptoms (especially with a sharp increase in temperature without any signs of any other diseases) are obliged to lead you to a reception in a women's consultation. If they are accompanied by heavy bleeding, this is an occasion for immediate hospitalization. The acute form of endometritis should be treated in a hospital: in this case, doctors usually prescribe antibiotics and droppers to relieve intoxication.
Symptoms of chronic endometritis are usually not so obvious: these are periodic pulling pains in the lower abdomen, soreness of the uterus with gynecological examination. Allocations in the endometrium are usually scanty, smearing; they can be observed immediately after menstruation or in the middle of the cycle. Chronic form of endometritis can occur due to an untreated acute form, after repeated surgical interventions for bleeding, etc. Of great importance here is the state of the immune system.
Diagnosis of endometritis
In order to diagnose endometritis, doctors usually use the following methods.
- Gynecological examination (you can see the increase in the uterus and its soreness, possible complications in the form of inflammation of the appendages).
- Poll of the patient: her complaints and observations of her cycle.
- The general analysis of blood (elevated level of leukocytes and ESR usually indicates the presence of an inflammatory process in the body).
- Laboratory tests (PCR) for hidden infections that could cause disease.
- Transvaginal ultrasound, which allows you to see whether the uterus is enlarged, what thickness the endometrium layer is, whether there are solderings inside the uterus (if there is a suspicion of chronic endometritis). However, on the uzi apparatus, only indirect echoes of the endometritis can be seen.
- Endometrial biopsy is the most informative analysis, which, nevertheless, is used only in complex cases.
- Hysteroscopy - examination of the uterine cavity through a special device - a hysteroscope. It is used not only for diagnosing, but also for some gynecological manipulations, but has a number of contraindications, including uterine bleeding.
If you suspect an endometritis, consult a doctor immediately. If the cure is in time, then the acute endometritis left behind will not cause you any more anxiety.