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Under the cervical canal understand that part of the uterus, which is located between the vagina and the uterine cavity and connects them. Inflammation of the canal mucosa is called endocervicitis.
Most often this disease affects women of working age.
Causes of inflammation of the cervical canal
The causes of endocervitis are infectious and non-infectious. The first include infection with microorganisms such as streptococci, gonococci, E. coli, chlamydia, trichomonas, candida, ureaplasma, staphylococci, herpes viruses and papillomaviruses. Non-infectious causes of inflammation can be trauma, neoplasms, radiation, cervical erosion, cervical prolapse. However, they are quite rare.
Most often, the disease begins with an inflammatory process in the vagina, which then passes to the cervix. Often it is accompanied by colpitis.
But not all women necessarily get endocervitis. There are several factors that are provoking in the development of the disease. These include:
Deformation of the cervix after an abortion, uterine probing, insertion of an intrauterine device, trauma during childbirth, diagnostic curettage;
Local or general decrease in immunity after inflammation of the genital organs;
The onset of normal menstruation;
Frequent stress.
Normally, in the lumen of the cervical canal, there is almost always a mucous plug that protects the uterine cavity from the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms from the vagina. With various medical manipulations, the cork is destroyed, its physical and chemical composition changes, as a result of which the infection can freely enter the uterus through the cervical canal, thereby causing endocervicitis, and then endometritis.
The infection can also enter the cervical canal with menstrual blood. That is why it is during this period that it is especially necessary to remember the rules of personal hygiene.
Symptoms of inflammation of the cervical canal
What are the symptoms of endocervicitis? From the first days in the genital area there is a burning sensation, itching, pain in the lower abdomen of a pulling nature, discomfort during sexual intercourse, discharge is plentiful or in a small amount. If treatment is not started in a timely manner, then the acute period turns into a chronic course.
Complaints, of course, will no longer be, but this does not mean that the woman has recovered. It’s just that the disease went into a latent period, and the female body adapted to the infection. If it is not treated, then the inflammation will spread to neighboring organs and complications may arise in the future.
In some cases, endocervicitis is asymptomatic and does not affect the health of a woman, however, the presence of inflammation in the cervical canal can lead to pathological changes in the cervix and serve as a basis for the development of cervical erosion, and then its dysplasia. With inflammation of the channel, a change in the composition of the cervical mucus occurs, which subsequently may be one of the causes of infertility.
Diagnostics
In order to prevent and diagnose the disease, a woman should visit a gynecologist at least once a year. If you have any complaints, you also need to visit a doctor to identify the nature of the disease and its treatment. The diagnosis is made in the complex, after questioning and examination of the patient.
Typically, women conduct the following studies:
Examination with the help of gynecological mirrors – in the presence of inflammation, redness and swelling are observed in the area of the cervical canal, purulent discharge;
Smear microscopy – during its implementation, the intensity of inflammation is determined by the number of leukocytes and the presence of pathogenic microorganisms in the canal;
Bacteriological examination of smears, which reveals the causative agent of the disease;
Colposcopy – it visually shows signs of inflammation through the use of a special device – a colposcope, with special illumination and optical magnification;
Cytological examination of a smear after colposcopy – in this case, epithelial cells are examined.
Only after a thorough examination and identification of the strain of the pathogen, the doctor makes a diagnosis and prescribes individual treatment. It will depend on the cause of the disease and the duration of its course.
Depending on the condition of the woman, she is prescribed appropriate drug therapy, which can be supplemented with immunostimulating therapy to maintain immunity. After treatment, antifungal therapy is carried out, the restoration of the vaginal microflora. After recovery, to confirm the result, the woman is recommended to re-take tests after a while.
Endocervitis can be avoided if you follow simple and effective rules: be confident in your sexual partner or always use condoms, observe intimate hygiene and undergo an annual preventive examination by a doctor with mandatory testing. All this will help a woman to be always confident in her health!
[Video] Clinic Leib Medic – Cervicitis: