Cervicitis is a female sexual health condition in which the cervix gets inflamed. Cervix is the narrow passage that connects the uterus to the vagina. Each month the menstrual blood from the uterus flows through the cervix to come out of the vagina. During delivery, the cervix expands to allow the baby to move out of the birth canal. The cervix gets inflamed something irritates it.
In this article, you will explore its types, causes, symptoms, complications, prevention, and treatment.
Types of cervicitis
Cervicitis may be two types depending upon how long has it been developed. Following are the two types of cervicitis:
Acute cervicitis
This type of cervicitis is caused due to an infection usually and may have serious symptoms. It requires medical treatment.
Chronic cervicitis
This type of cervicitis is not caused due to an infection. The symptoms of chronic cervictis may be milder as compared to symptoms of acute cervicitis, but it will last for a longer period.
Causes of cervicitis
Several things can irritate the cervix. Below are some possible causes of cervicitis:
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s)
The most common cause of cervicitis is the viral infections that are spread through sexual contact. Such infections are known as sexually transmitted infections (STI’s) that are caused due to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). STDs that are most likely to cause cervicitis are:
- chlamydia
- genital herpes
- gonorrhea
- ureaplasma
- mycoplasma
- trichomoniasis
Allergic reactions
Several chemicals, irritants, etc., may cause allergic reactions in the cervix that may lead to cervicitis. Allergies may be caused due to:
Chemicals in spermicides, or latex condoms
Chemicals or irritants in feminine deodorants, body washes, douches, etc
Irritation or injuries from the use of tampons, pessaries, diaphragms, etc.
Bacterial vaginosis
The imbalance of vaginal bacteria or overgrowth of bacteria in the vagina may lead to cervicitis. The healthy vaginal bacteria may be overwhelmed by the unhealthy vaginal bacteria. This condition is known as bacterial vaginosis and it may cause cervicitis.
Hormonal imbalance
Hormonal imbalance may interfere with your body’s ability to maintain a healthy cervix. Hormonal imbalance means having lower or higher amounts of hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, etc., than the moderate amounts. Cervicitis is quite common in pregnant women as the levels of hormones get disturbed during pregnancy too, and the cervix is much more sensitive than usual.
Cancer or cancer treatment
Having cervical cancer may cause inflammation of the cervix. Moreover, the radiation therapies to treat cancer may result in cervicitis too.
Other than all the above-stated causes of cervicitis, several factors may increase the risk of developing cervicitis in women. You may have a greater chance of developing cervicitis if:
- You have had cervicitis before
- You recently had an unprotected sexual intercourse
- You had multiple sexual partners
- You had sex with someone who has multiple sexual partners
- You have a history of sexually transmitted infections (STI’s)
Symptoms of cervicitis
Different women experience different symptoms of cervicitis. These include:
- Abnormal vaginal discharge
- Vaginal discharge with pus
- Pain during or after sex
- Bleeding during or after sex
- A constant urge to urinate
- Pain during urination
- Severe pain in the pelvic region or the lower abdomen
- Pain in the lower back
- A feeling of heaviness in the pelvic area
- Pain during a pelvic exam
Below is a picture displaying the difference between a healthy cervix and a cervix with cervicitis.
Most of the symptoms of cervicitis are common with many other women’s sexual health conditions. It may not be possible for you to diagnose it on your own. It is possible that you may not notice any symptoms or signs of cervicitis and get to know about it through a proper diagnosis only. Do not hesitate to discuss such symptoms with your healthcare provider right away or it may cause many other problems.
Complications of cervicitis
If you leave cervicitis untreated for a longer period, it can cause numerous complications. The cervix is responsible for keeping the bacteria and virus away from entering your uterus. But an infected cervix will increase the risk of infecting your uterus.
Cervicitis can cause the infection to travel to the lining of the uterus and the fallopian tubes that may result in pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID can further cause peritonitis (a fatal infection) or infertility. Cervicitis increases your risk of catching sexually transmitted infections (STI’s) such as HIV from your partner. Moreover, you can also pass this infection to your sexual partner through sexual contact.
Diagnosis of Cervicitis
If you notice the disturbing symptoms of cervicitis, you should visit a doctor right away. The doctor will examine your pelvic area to look at your cervix. The doctor can collect your vaginal fluids to get them tested to look for any abnormalities or STIs. Furthermore, your healthcare providers can ask a couple of questions related to your sexual partners, protection, or contraception during sex.
Treatment of cervicitis
The treatment of cervicitis depends on its cause. Following are the possible treatments for cervicitis caused by STIs:
- Antibiotics
- Antifungal medications
- Antiviral medications
These may be taken orally or in the form of topical creams. If an infection or STIs is known to cause cervicitis, the doctors will prescribe antibiotics to treat it. Antibiotics help to clear up an infection and its symptoms so that it does not spread to the uterus or the fallopian tubes. If cervicitis is caused by the intrusion of a foreign body, your doctor will remove the object and then prescribe antibiotics. Other than the antibiotics, the doctor may prescribe antifungal or antiviral medications to treat cervicitis.
Treating Cervicitis through hormones
If cervicitis is caused due to the hormonal imbalance, you may be prescribed to use hormones orally or in the form of creams. The hormonal imbalance usually means high levels of estrogen or low levels of progesterone. The harbor compounding pharmacy provides a wide range of all the hormones in all forms. Upon consultation with your doctor, you can always choose to get regular or customized hormonal therapy. You may visit the website of harbor compounding pharmacy for more details.