Pelvic Inflammatory Disease: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease or PID is an infection of the women’s reproductive organs or an inflammation of the female’s uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries. As this infection spreads it affects the nearby tissues and organs. The disease makes the normal tissues scarred and it further blocks the passage for an egg to pass. This prevents one from having children. In cases of the egg implanting itself outside the uterus, then a dangerous condition is formed which is called the ectopic pregnancy where it causes an internal bleeding and eventually death to the women.

PID occurs in more than a million women annually in the United States. Although the disease can occur at any age, it is seen more common among sexually active women under the age of 25. PID is caused mostly by the same disease that causes a sexually transmitted disease (STD).Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea are what mainly causes PID. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease is caused through sexual contact with multiple partners, and it is researched that the bacteria or the germs which infects the pelvic areas can also enter through childbirth, miscarriage, endometrial biopsy, elective abortion or through insertion of an intrauterine device.

Symptoms of Pelvic inflammatory disease are fever, severe pain in abdomen or pelvis, irregular menstrual bleeding, painful sexual intercourse, and vaginal discharge with an abnormal colour or smell. Other symptoms include painful urination, nausea, and frequent urination, bleeding after intercourse, fatigue, and increased menstrual cramps and pain during ovulation. These symptoms however may occur even in patients with an ectopic pregnancy or infertility.

They are said to be suffering from a silent form of PID, not always harmful but is just a temporary condition. A technique called the sensitive serum pregnancy test can be performed to check for symptoms of ectopic pregnancy.

Occurrence of these above symptoms over a period of time when not under the condition of ectopic pregnancy or infertility to any women may be an onset to PID.

There are different forms of diagnosing PID.Ultrasounds of the Pelvic and vagina are used to diagnose ectopic pregnancy of over 6 weeks.Laproscopy is another technique that is used widely to diagnose PID.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease is first treated with antibiotics and if no positive result is seen within 3 days of the medication, then the patient is required to visit the doctor for further treatment. These antibiotics are for mild cases of PID, and are given to the patient through an IV and later through the mouth. Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics that include tetracyclines, erythromycin, acithromycin and quinolones. Different antibiotics are used depending upon the nature and severity of the PID.

Patients suffering from Tubo-Ovarian abscesses are required to be hospitalized and treating the partners of STD is also a step to preventing and treating PID from occurring. Further, doctors also recommend the patient to visit a psychotherapist because most often women are diagnosed with anxiety pangs or acute fear of the disease still being present after being cured. Proper communication between the doctor and the patient is required to know the exact sufferings and symptoms occurring.

To Your Health!