Pelvic Inflammatory Disease Treatments and Symptoms

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services discovered that pelvic inflammatory disease affects nearly 5% of the US women. However, a lot of women don’t know about this condition and that leads to complications in the long run. So, it is important to be aware of the causes and symptoms of PID. When diagnosed on time, it becomes easy for doctors to provide pelvic inflammatory disease treatments. So, in this article, we will tell you all about PID, its risk factors, and ways of preventing it.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease: An Overview

Pelvic inflammatory disease is one of the common infections occurring in the female reproductive organs that can cause heavy and painful periods and pain during intercourse. The infection can be in the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and the womb. It occurs when bacteria (transmitted sexually) spreads from a woman’s vagina to her uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes.

What Causes PID?

In most cases, bacterial infection spreading from the vagina/ cervix to the woman’s reproductive organs is what causes PID. STIs like gonorrhea and chlamydia can also be responsible.

Symptoms of Pelvic Inflammatory Condition

Not all women with PID experience symptoms and in such cases, it can remain undetected for a long time. Other women complain of the following PID symptoms:

Irregular bleeding
Painful urination
Heavy periods
Pain sensation in the lower abdomen
Discomfort in the upper abdomen
Painful sex
Fatigue
Unusual (green or yellow) and foul-smelling discharge from the vagina

Some people who are severely ill can also experience some other symptoms like:

Chronic pelvic pain
Fainting
Vomiting
Fever

If the above-mentioned symptoms persist, you should consult a doctor to receive treatment.

Note:
Several of the pelvic inflammatory disease symptoms are the same as the symptoms of UTI (Urinary Tract Infection). So, it is better if you don’t try self-medication and opt for early treatment from an experienced doctor.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease Diagnosis

There is no single test for accurate diagnosis of PID. So, doctors rely on the following methods to accurately diagnose PID:

Knowing the patient’s medical history: The doctor will ask if you had sexually transmitted infections in the past and if you have unprotected sex.

Observing the symptoms: The symptoms you are experiencing will give your doctor some idea about the type of infection.

Conducting a pelvic exam: A pelvic exam reveals if your pelvic region has swelling or tenderness. The doctor may wear gloves and insert two fingers through the vagina to examine the ovaries and uterus. Another method is using cotton swabs and taking fluid samples from the cervix and vagina. Testing the samples will disclose if you have chlamydia or gonorrhea.

Performing urine and blood tests: Urine and blood tests are used for HIV, pregnancy, and STIs.

Doing an ultrasound: This means using sound ways to get images of the reproductive system.

If the diagnosis is not clear, doctors perform some additional tests like:

Endometrial biopsy: This procedure is about inserting a tube into the uterus and removing a sample of the patient’s endometrial tissue. Testing the tissue will reveal if there is inflammation or infection.

Laparoscopy: It involves making a tiny hole in the abdomen and inserting a thin instrument with a camera to view the pelvic organs.

Treatment for Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Prompt PID treatment with appropriate medicine will cure pelvic inflammatory disease. However, there is no way of reversing the damage or scarring to the person’s reproductive tract caused by PID. Treatments for PID include the following:

Antibiotics

A healthcare provider prescribes different antibiotics that must be started immediately. They decide the medications and their dosages after studying the lab test reports. You will have to go for a follow-up after a few days to make sure the treatment is effective. Even if the pain subsides, you should not stop taking the medicines without your doctor’s permission.

Temporary abstinence

You should refrain from getting intimate with your partner until the treatment is over and all the symptoms go away.

Treating your sexual partner

Preventing reinfection is as crucial as getting timely treatment. If an STI is the reason behind your PID, your partner too should go for medical examination and treatment even if they don’t have noticeable symptoms.

If you are seriously ill, pregnant, have an abscess, or aren’t responding to oral medications, hospitalization might be necessary. The doctor may give intravenous antibiotics along with antibiotics to be taken by mouth.

While most people do not require surgery, draining the abscess is the only option if it ruptures or is on the verge of rupturing. Your healthcare provider might also recommend pelvic reconstructive surgery if the antibiotics fail to get rid of the pain and infection.

Complications of PID

Pelvic infection, if left untreated, can cause abscesses and scar tissue, thus resulting in permanent damage to the individual’s reproductive system. Complications include:

1. Infertility

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that 1 out of 8 people having a history of PID have trouble getting pregnant. However, you must remember that there are excellent treatments for infertility and so, all you need to do is get in touch with an infertility specialist.

2. Intense abdominal pain

PID can cause pelvic pain that might become unbearable and affect your quality of life. The pain can last for months, even years. Then you won’t be able to enjoy intercourse.

3. Ectopic pregnancy

One of the leading causes of ectopic/ tubal pregnancy is PID. Sacr tissues can develop in your fallopian tubes because of PID. The scar tissue does not allow the fertilized egg to reach its goal: implantation in the uterus. On the contrary, the implantation takes place in the fallopian tube. This condition is known as ectopic pregnancy, and it can trigger life-threatening bleeding. So, you must rush to the emergency room.

4. Tubo-ovarian abscess

An abscess is a pocket containing pus/ infected fluid and multiple abscesses can form in the reproductive tract. They mostly affect the ovaries and fallopian tubes but can also be found in the uterus and some other pelvic organs. If not treated with proper medication, the infection of the female reproductive organs from the abscesses can be life-threatening.

Tips to Prevent PID

Now that you know about the treatment of PID, are you wondering if it can be prevented? You can lower your chances of developing PID infection if you:

Practice safe sex by using barriers (like condoms) to minimize the risks.
Get tested for sexually transmitted infections from time to time.
Encourage your partner/ spouse to get tested.
Don’t douche (as it upsets the bacterial balance in your vagina).
Always clean from front to back after passing stool so that bacteria cannot enter your vagina

To Sum Up

We may conclude by saying that PID is a treatable condition, and you can be certain of complete recovery. So, even if the pelvic exam reports confirm that you have PID, there is no reason to panic. Just look for PID testing near me to bid adieu to the symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease.

Dr Ritu Agarwal

Dr. Ritu Agarwal is an appreciated IVF expert in Jaipur for IVF therapy, owing to her more than ten years of experience in this field. She is the top IVF specialist in Jaipur who makes every attempt to provide correct counseling and emotional support to patients in order to help them find the ideal solution for becoming parents.