Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID): Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

PID – There are several women who have suffered from pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), they are about 1-2% of all sexually active women globally, but women suffering from pain in the lower side of the abdomen on a daily basis, think it is just a normal cramp that they have felt hundreds of times before during their periods, but it’s not a normal thing, it is disrupting their health in several ways that one cannot even imagine. PID is amongst those diseases that often remain unrecognized. Let’s try to understand PID appropriately.

Pelvic inflammatory diseases

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection that enters the body’s vaginal canal through the cervix and goes upwards to enter the abdominal cavity. The most common reason for having PID is it caused because of sexually transmitted infections (STI) like chlamydia and gonorrhea, even a study published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology presented the idea that females who had PID had a high chance of having a history of STIs. PID is most common in females aged 15 to 25 years, In the U.S., there were more than 7.5 lakh patients in 2001. It’s good that PID rates have been declining over the last decade, but still, it requires a lot more attention.

Symptoms of PID

There are a large variety of symptoms of PID, some people may experience acute symptoms, while rest may not have any of them. Several women may experience pain, which is often felt in the abdomen. Changes, in discharge such as colour, odor or consistency can also be seen. A slight fever might accompany symptoms. Discomfort during intercourse is also a common issue, even irregular menstrual bleeding like heavier periods can be noticed. Even prevalent or tough urination can be one of the symptoms.

Research suggests that 75% of women with PID only face mild symptoms most probably causing delays, in diagnosis and treatment further leading to more complications later on. The following pi chart shows that PID is a silent threat.

Causes of PID

The most common reason for PID is the disruption of the vagina ph through any kind of bacteria. Whenever the bacteria enter through the vagina, they go deeper and deeper from the vagina to the cervix then the uterus, and then ovaries through the fallopian tube. 90% of PID happens through STI. The following can be the reasons for PID.

Sexually Transmitted Infections (Mainly Gonorrhea and Chlamydia)
Infections like Bacterial Vaginosis
Childbirth
Abortion
IUD (Intra Uterine Devices)
Douching (73%)
Miscarriage
Pelvic Surgery

Complications in PID

PID comes with a lot of complications and if not treated well on time it might get converted into a big health issue. One of the common reasons for infertility in women is considered to be pelvic inflammatory disease only. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that pelvic inflammatory disease leads to infertility in 10%–15% of American women, even the risk of infertility increases 30% with a number of occurrences of pelvic inflammatory disease. Also, pelvic inflammatory disease is considered to be the biggest reason known for causing an ectopic pregnancy, some ectopic pregnancies can create life-threatening blood loss and need surgery at this point.

Even sometimes, abscesses (pus-filled pockets) form in the ovaries or fallopian tubes because of pelvic inflammatory disease. Other problems that may occur after the treatment include, chronic pelvic pain for a long, during intercourse and ovulation, and scarring in fallopian tubes or other pelvic organs, around 20% of women who have had pelvic inflammatory disease could experience this in the long term.

How to Prevent PID?

The best way to prevent Pelvic Inflammatory Disease is to look after yourself. Correct and consistent use of condoms can reduce the risk because STIs are one of the most common causes of pelvic inflammatory disease. According to the CDC, using condoms consistently can reduce the risk of HIV transmission by 85% and also protect against other STIs that cause pelvic inflammatory disease. Another important thing is to keep a number of sexual partners limited and plan regular STI screenings.

Furthermore, if you are sexually active knowing your status on infectious diseases as well as that of your partner is very wise. And stop douching, it is responsible for an imbalance of the normal bacteria in your vagina and increases your risk of infection. All of these precautions could help one to prevent pelvic inflammatory disease.

When to Consult a doctor?

If one faces lower abdominal pain, discharge, or bleeding other than your menstrual period (like if a smell is associated with the bacterial infection), painful sex, intense fever, nausea, or vomiting consult your doctor on a priority basis without any hesitation and delay. That will help the person with the early diagnosis of the problem along with its effective solution.

How PID is diagnosed?

The symptoms of PID are so varied that diagnosis can be difficult for a doctor, since they may differ for individuals, pelvic tenderness can possibly be determined by the pelvic exam by the doctor. If required laboratory investigations may be conducted to rule out STIs and infection in blood. In women, even an ultrasound test can be used to visualize the reproductive organs and detect any abnormalities. Occasionally a gynaecologist may need to perform laparoscopy. It can be performed under local or general anesthetic but is always a minor operation.

PID Treatment options

PID can be treated with the help of antibiotics, bed rest, and painkillers. Taking the pill for at least two weeks is considered sufficient for most of the women. In severe cases, hospitalization for intravenous antibiotic therapy is required. If treatment is stopped, it will be necessary to start over. One shouldn’t ideally have sex till the time she finishes treatment. Even after that, better to use condoms so that no further harm happens at that point in time. For specific conditions, antibiotics might not as work effective as for others, for pregnant ladies, etc, it’s always recommended to connect with the medical expert directly for all treatment-related concerns.

How to deal with PID in the long run?

If you have got been diagnosed with PID. Take all your antibiotics as prescribed to remove infection and avoid long-term issues. Also, do visit health care experts regularly for better results, and take all precautions like not douching, not doing unprotected sex, etc. pelvic inflammatory disease can be difficult to live with, especially if it leads to fertility problems so you may seek emotional support through counselling or by joining a local group. It all depends largely on your recovery and well-being, how you look after yourself, making sure that you eat healthy, stay active, and have as little stress in life at those difficult times.

A note from kamarth

Pelvic inflammatory disease is a substantial and preventable illness that affects thousands of women each year. When a woman knows what causes it, its symptoms, and the possible risks of untreated pelvic inflammatory disease, she can therefore act to promote her own reproductive health along with the ones she is connected with. pelvic inflammatory disease can be avoided by regular STI screens and safe sex practices. If you face any type of symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease, it’s always better to connect with a healthcare expert. Awareness and timely action change the direction of many female’s lives and provide them with better reproductive health.

Some Additional Doubts

Question: Is PID contagious?
Answer: PID isn’t contagious, but infections like chlamydia and gonorrhea that cause pelvic inflammatory disease are sexually transmitted. So, it is very important to tell your sexual partner, if you have pelvic inflammatory disease so they can seek treatment themselves, or both people may simply become reinfected.

Question: When does PID take to recover?
Answer: Recovery time varies depending on the stage at which care is initiated. In mild cases, the symptoms can improve after a few days to one week of starting antibiotics. However the full repair of tissues often takes longer, and on occasion, chronic pain still remains. In more severe cases, longer treatment periods or hospitalization may be needed.

Question: Can a person face PID more than once?
Answer: While it is true that PID can return, particularly if the root cause (e.g. untreated STI) has not been addressed. Women who have been treated for pelvic inflammatory disease are also at an increased risk of experiencing a repeat of it. Preventative measures, such as practicing safe sex and getting regular STI exams, are essential to avoid recurrences.

Question: Can men get infected with PID?
Answer: Actually no, as PID is an infection of the female reproductive organs. But men can be asymptomatic carriers of the chlamydia and gonorrhea bacterium which may also cause pelvic inflammatory disease. Unless a partner of a woman who has been diagnosed with pelvic inflammatory disease is also tested and treated for an STI, the chlamydia may just be reintroduced.

Question: Can PID be asymptomatic?
Answer: pelvic inflammatory disease may be asymptomatic, i.e., the women are not symptomatically affected all the time. This can result in a delay in diagnosis and treatment, which increases the threat of complications.

Question: Can PID affect pregnancy?
Answer: It does affect, as chances of suffering from ectopic pregnancy increases, where a fertilized egg implants somewhere else than inside the uterus and can lead to serious complications. pelvic inflammatory disease can lead to infertility as well, which means that conception may have become nearly impossible.

Question: What are the other diseases like PID?
Answer: pelvic inflammatory disease may be mistakenly diagnosed as appendicitis, ectopic pregnancy, or ruptured ovarian cysts as they do have either similar symptoms or causes.

Reference links
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pelvic-inflammatory-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20352594
https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/pelvic-inflammatory-disease
https://www.webmd.com/women/what-is-pelvic-inflammatory-disease
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9129-pelvic-inflammatory-disease-pid
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pelvic-inflammatory-disease-pid/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499959/
https://cdn.mdedge.com/files/s3fs-public/issues/articles/media_80ffe3d_ccjm65_7-0369.pdf
https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/diseases-and-conditions/diseases-a-z-list/pelvic-inflammatory-