In most cases, pelvic inflammatory disease stems from untreated sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which is worrisome when you consider recent numbers surrounding STIs. At any given time, one in five people in the United States has an STI, and the prevalence of the most common STIs — chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis — has reached all-time highs for the past several years, with no end in sight.
For women, these STI numbers should be cause for concern as pelvic inflammatory disease can lead to fertility complications as well as ongoing discomfort.
The good news is that Dr. Fernando Otero and the team here at Women’s Clinic of the Rio Grande Valley know how to quickly identify and treat pelvic inflammatory disease before more serious problems develop.
In the following, we take a closer look at pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and how we go about resolving the infection to preserve your reproductive health.
Pelvic inflammatory disease is a broad term that encompasses infections that can affect your:
About one in 20 women in the US has PID, which is usually caused by untreated STIs, namely chlamydia and gonorrhea, though you can get PID from normal bacteria found in your vagina. For example, if you douche regularly, you can push bacteria up into your reproductive organs, where they can cause an infection. For this reason, and others, we don’t recommend douching under any circumstances.
It’s terribly important that you’re able to recognize when there might be an infection in your pelvis, as quick intervention is key to your reproductive health.
Unfortunately, some women may be asymptomatic and not know that there’s a problem, which is why we recommend regular STI testing, especially if you’re sexually active and in your 20s.
When symptoms do develop, they can include:
These symptoms can range from mild to severe, and they can sometimes develop quite quickly, especially if you have gonorrhea.
If you recognize any of the symptoms on the list above, we urge you to come see us for quick-and-easy testing to get to the bottom of the problem.
If we find that you do have pelvic inflammatory disease, we place you on antibiotics that should quickly clear up the infection. And you should take the entire course of medications, even if your symptoms improve.
By tackling the infection as soon as possible, it can save you from permanent damage to your organs, which can occur if the infection goes untreated. This damage can lead to problems with fertility and pregnancy, as well as ongoing pelvic discomfort.
If you suspect you may have pelvic inflammatory disease, please contact one of our two offices in McAllen or Edinburg, Texas, for prompt testing and treatment.
