Inflammation of the cervix (in medical theory is better known as cervicitis ) - a fairly common gynecological disease. According to medical statistics, every third woman experiences clinical symptoms of cervical inflammation, but doctors say that there are far more diagnosed cervicitis.
Causes of inflammation of the cervix
- Most often, cervicitis is infectious in nature (bacterial, fungal or viral). In the vast majority of cases, the cause of inflammation of the cervix are sexual infections: gonococcal, trichomonadal and chlamydial, less often - E. coli and various kinds of cocci.
- Inflammation can also develop as a result of traumatic damages of the cervix, in particular after an abortion, after the installation of the spiral or its removal. Sometimes the cause of inflammation of the cervix is in the presence of cancer or precancerous conditions of the internal genital organs. Inflammatory processes in the uterine neck often occur against the background of other diseases of the reproductive system. In this case, there is often a simultaneous inflammation of the cervical canal.
It is important to know that regardless of the cause, the risk of cervicitis is higher the lower the immune defenses of the body. That is, with a combination of the above provoking factors and an unsatisfactory state of immunity, the risk of developing cervical inflammation is significantly increased.
Symptoms of cervical inflammation
Symptomatology of the inflammatory process, as a rule, is moderately pronounced. There is a so-called "duet" of classic symptoms of cervical inflammation:
- Abundant discharge from the genitals. In each specific case (depending on the type of pathogen), the discharge is distinguished by its composition and consistency. Most women complain of viscous discharge with an admixture of mucus or pus.
- Drawing, girdling and / or dull pain in the lower abdomen.
Rare, but still possible, symptoms of cervical inflammation are:
- a slight stable increase in body temperature to 37-37.2 ° C;
- pain or discomfort when urinating;
- pain in the process of sexual intercourse;
- pain in the lumbar region.
Cervicitis is a very "insidious" disease, it is not uncommon for a woman not to notice any special changes in her health condition, and the inflammatory process in the meantime continues to develop actively, eventually turning into a chronic form.
The relationship between chronic inflammation of the cervix and erosion has long been proven: the neglected form of the disease in most cases becomes eroded. And in case of further spread of infection, chronic inflammation of the cervix threatens infertility, and in pregnancy - miscarriage.
For this reason, in the presence of even minor changes in health, reminiscent of signs of cervical inflammation, it is necessary to consult a gynecologist. To determine the state of the uterine neck, the doctor is most likely to recommend a cytological examination.
According to the results of the analysis for cytology, it is possible to assume not only a possible inflammation of the cervix, but also to assess its condition as a whole, to determine the presence or absence of other pathological processes, including oncological ones.
In the presence of cervical inflammation in the cytogram, the abbreviation TMV is the inflammatory type of smear. This means that in the cells under investigation there are a number of abnormalities indicating a marked inflammation. In the list of such deviations, there is usually a paragraph on the increased number of leukocytes, as well as the point about the presence of an infectious agent (in the case of the impossibility of determining the pathogen, additional studies are needed).
Thus, if there are signs of cervical inflammation in the cytogram, the doctor directs the patient for further examination in order to determine the cause of the disease and to prescribe the appropriate treatment.