What are the symptoms of uterine inflammation?

Uterine inflammation is a common disease among women, especially women who have experienced sexual life are more likely to suffer from uterine inflammation. There are many causes of uterine inflammation. It may be caused by long-term unclean sexual life or lack of attention to hygiene, or abortion. Uterine inflammation can lead to vaginitis, abnormal leucorrhea, irregular menstruation, etc., which requires timely treatment and attention to private hygiene to prevent serious illness.

Symptoms of uterine inflammation

Uterine inflammation is one of the common gynecological diseases, which is more common in women of childbearing age. It is caused by cervical damage and pathogen invasion, including cervical vaginal inflammation and cervical canal mucosal inflammation. The cervix is ​​an important line of defense to prevent pathogens from the lower reproductive tract from entering the upper reproductive tract, but the single-layer columnar epithelium of the cervical canal itself has poor resistance to infection. If it is damaged by mechanical stimulation such as sexual intercourse, childbirth, abortion, and surgery, it is more susceptible to infection. Clinically, cervicitis is divided into acute and chronic types, with chronic inflammation being the most common. The main symptoms of acute cervicitis are redness and swelling of the cervix and edema of the cervical mucosa, often accompanied by acute vaginitis or acute endometritis. Chronic cervicitis has many manifestations such as cervical erosion, cervical hypertrophy, cervical polyps, cervical glandular cysts and cervical eversion. Chronic cervicitis has a certain relationship with cervical cancer, so it should be actively prevented and treated. Women over 30 with cervicitis should have regular cervical smears to check for cancer cells.

Causes

1. Acute cervicitis

Acute cervicitis is caused by cervical injury due to sexual intercourse, abortion, childbirth, diagnostic curettage, etc., and the invasion of pathogens into the damaged area. Common pathogens include the following:

(1) Sexually transmitted disease pathogens Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis are mainly found in people at high risk of sexually transmitted diseases.

(2) Endogenous pathogens such as Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Escherichia coli, Trichomonas, Candida, and Amoeba.

2. Chronic cervicitis

Chronic cervicitis can be a continuation of acute cervicitis or it can be caused by persistent infection with pathogens similar to those of acute cervicitis. Unclean sexual life, decreased estrogen levels, and long-term stimulation from foreign bodies in the vagina can all cause chronic cervicitis. Secondary infection after damage to the cervix due to abortion, delivery, or vaginal surgery may not cause acute symptoms, but may directly lead to chronic cervicitis.

Clinical manifestations

1. Acute cervicitis

The main manifestations are increased vaginal discharge, which is mucopurulent. The irritation of vaginal discharge can cause itching and burning sensation of the vulva. There may be symptoms such as pain during sexual intercourse and lower abdominal pain. If combined with urinary tract infection, urinary urgency, frequent urination and pain may occur. If it is a Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection, due to the involvement of the paraurethral glands and Bartholin's glands, congestion and edema of the urethral and vaginal opening mucosa as well as a large amount of purulent secretions may be seen. It often occurs simultaneously with vaginitis and endometritis. Infections with pyogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus and Streptococcus can spread upward and cause pelvic connective tissue inflammation.

The symptoms of acute cervicitis caused by Chlamydia trachomatis infection are often not obvious or even asymptomatic. Increased vaginal discharge, spotting or urinary tract irritation are common symptoms.

2. Chronic cervicitis

(1) Increased vaginal discharge: Patients with chronic cervicitis may be asymptomatic. Sometimes increased vaginal discharge may be the only symptom. The vaginal discharge is light yellow and may sometimes contain blood or contact bleeding. Occasionally, secretions may irritate the vulva and cause itching and discomfort.

(2) Pain in the lower abdomen or lumbosacral region is a common symptom, which worsens during menstruation and defecation, and may cause pain during sexual intercourse. The pain becomes more severe when the inflammation spreads and forms chronic parauterine connective tissue inflammation.

(3) Urinary tract irritation symptoms When the inflammation spreads to the bladder trigone or the connective tissue around the bladder, urinary tract irritation symptoms such as frequent urination or difficulty urinating may occur.

(4) Other symptoms Some patients may experience irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea, and a feeling of heaviness in the pelvis.