{"id":14808,"date":"2023-05-23T09:44:40","date_gmt":"2023-05-23T08:44:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/?p=14808"},"modified":"2023-05-23T09:44:43","modified_gmt":"2023-05-23T08:44:43","slug":"all-you-need-to-know-about-pelvic-inflammatory-disease-and-possible-causes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/all-you-need-to-know-about-pelvic-inflammatory-disease-and-possible-causes\/","title":{"rendered":"All you need to know about Pelvic Inflammatory Disease and possible causes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-full-text\"><strong>Full Text<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">A friend, who will be anonymously referred to as Alice Brown, recently shared with me how she was diagnosed with a disease she is unaware of. She reported that a hospital\u2019s laboratory attendant informed her after taking a test that she had PID, which she later discovered was sexually transmitted.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">This finding confused Ms Brown because she was not sexually active. She thought it must have been a mistake as she pondered the possible causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is PID?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">PID stands for Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, an infection of the<a href=\"https:\/\/training.seer.cancer.gov\/images\/anatomy\/reproductive\/reproductive_female.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> female reproductive organs<\/a>. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/human-body-maps\/female-pelvis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pelvis<\/a> is in the lower abdomen that includes the fallopian tubes, ovaries, cervix and uterus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Causes of PID<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Several types of bacteria can cause PID, including the same bacteria that cause sexually transmitted infections (STIs), gonorrhoea and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.health.state.mn.us\/diseases\/psittacosis\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">chlamydia<\/a>. This happens when the bacteria enters the vagina, resulting in an infection. With time, this infection can then move into the pelvic organs. If the infection spreads to the blood, PID can become extremely dangerous, even life-threatening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">The risk for PID increases if there is already a cause of gonorrhoea or chlamydia. However, you can develop PID without ever having an STI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"460\" height=\"300\" data-attachment-id=\"14809\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/all-you-need-to-know-about-pelvic-inflammatory-disease-and-possible-causes\/image-63-3\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image-63.png?fit=460%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"460,300\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image-63\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image-63.png?fit=460%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image-63.png?resize=460%2C300\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14809\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image-63.png?w=460&amp;ssl=1 460w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image-63.png?resize=300%2C196&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 460px) 100vw, 460px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Picture of the Female Pelvis. Image source: Healthwise.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What increases the risk of having PID<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Sexual activity<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">The risk factor for PID includes having a partner with a history of PID or a sexually transmitted infection.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Douching<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC2567125\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Douching<\/a> is the process of intravaginal cleansing with a liquid solution. It alters the typical vaginal environment, and the organisms naturally give way to harmful ones. Douching could introduce the infection to the upper genital tract.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Gastroenteritis<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Another risk factor is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au\/health\/conditionsandtreatments\/gastroenteritis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gastroenteritis<\/a>, a short-term illness triggered by the infection and inflammation of the digestive system.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Use of Public Toilets<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Another risk factor is public toilets. It is possible to contract germs when the toilet seat is contaminated. Contracting bugs such as E-coli or Salmonella in public restrooms is also possible. Diseases contracted in public toilets include gastroenteritis, diarrhoea and worm infestation. Some of these diseases can lead to PID when left untreated in women.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Symptoms of PID<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Pelvic inflammatory disease can cause mild or moderate pain. While some women with PID don\u2019t have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/pelvic-inflammatory-disease-pid#symptoms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">symptoms<\/a>, those who do experience pain in the lower and upper abdomen, fever, painful sex and urination, irregular bleeding, tiredness and increased or foul smell from the vaginal discharge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">When it is severe, some women experience fainting, sharp pain in the abdomen, vomiting and high fever. It is advisable to see a doctor immediately because the infection can spread to the bloodstream or other body parts.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Tests for PID<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">To test for PID<strong>, <\/strong>your doctor may diagnose PID after hearing your symptoms, but in most cases, your doctor will run tests to confirm the diagnosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">These tests include pelvic exams to check the pelvic organs, cervical culture to check your cervix for infections, and urine tests to check your urine for signs of blood, cancer and other diseases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Treatment for PID<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">The treatment of PID addresses the relief of acute symptoms, eradication of current infection and minimisation of the risk of long-term sequela. Most women with a clinical diagnosis of PID have mild to moderate severity symptoms that usually respond well to outpatient oral antibiotic therapy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Hospitalisation is usually warranted for women who are more severely ill or patients in whom surgical emergencies (e.g., appendix) cannot be excluded. It is also needed for pregnant patients who have not responded well to outpatient oral therapy. Patients with<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK448125\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> tubo-ovarian <\/a>abscesses are often hospitalised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Expert Opinion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">According to Jeremiah Agim, a gynaecologist and senior consultant at the National Hospital Abuja, a person can contact PID in other ways.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">He noted that finding fluid in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5537103\/#:~:text=The%20Pouch%20of%20Douglas%20(POD,organogenesis%20(Lauchlan%2C%201972).\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pouch of Douglas<\/a> on ultrasound does not always translate to the presence of PID. The fluid could come from the mature egg during egg release at ovulation, or it could also be menstruation.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMost PID cases are caused by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/sexually-transmitted-diseases\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sexually transmitted pathogens<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/B9780123971692000834\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">bacterial vaginosis-associated pathogens.<\/a> Sexually transmitted organisms do not cause a smaller proportion of acute PID cases; instead, they are associated with pathogens from the intestine that have colonised the lower genital tract or respiratory pathogens.\u201d He added that PID frequently involves multiple bacterial infections.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Another gynaecologist at Garki Hospital, Doctor Sunday Idoko, added that for PID to occur, something must carry the infection from the lower genital tract to the upper genital tract. So the risk factor includes sexual intercourse, multiple sexual partners, douching, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cancer.gov\/publications\/dictionaries\/cancer-terms\/def\/immunosuppression\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">immunosuppression,<\/a> and septic abortion.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">When asked if it&#8217;s possible for someone who has never had sex to get infected, he said: \u201cIn PID, the single most important risk factor is sexual intercourse, but PID has also been reported in virgins.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Apart from sex being the most prevalent cause of PID, published research and oral evidence from experts have shown that multiple bacteria can also cause PID.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Full Text A friend, who will be anonymously referred to as Alice Brown, recently shared with me how she was diagnosed with a disease she is unaware of. She reported that a hospital\u2019s laboratory attendant informed her after taking a test that she had PID, which she later discovered was sexually transmitted.\u00a0 This finding confused Ms Brown because she was not sexually active. She thought it must have been a mistake as she pondered the possible causes. What is PID? PID stands for Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, an infection of the female reproductive organs. The pelvis is in the lower abdomen that includes the fallopian tubes, ovaries, cervix and uterus. Causes of PID Several types of bacteria can cause PID, including the same bacteria that cause sexually transmitted infections (STIs), gonorrhoea and chlamydia. This happens when the bacteria enters the vagina, resulting in an infection. With time, this infection can then move into the pelvic organs. If the infection spreads to the blood, PID can become extremely dangerous, even life-threatening. The risk for PID increases if there is already a cause of gonorrhoea or chlamydia. However, you can develop PID without ever having an STI. What increases the risk of having PID The risk factor for PID includes having a partner with a history of PID or a sexually transmitted infection.&nbsp; Douching is the process of intravaginal cleansing with a liquid solution. It alters the typical vaginal environment, and the organisms naturally give way to harmful ones. Douching could introduce the infection to the upper genital tract. Another risk factor is Gastroenteritis, a short-term illness triggered by the infection and inflammation of the digestive system.\u00a0 Another risk factor is public toilets. It is possible to contract germs when the toilet seat is contaminated. Contracting bugs such as E-coli or Salmonella in public restrooms is also possible. Diseases contracted in public toilets include gastroenteritis, diarrhoea and worm infestation. Some of these diseases can lead to PID when left untreated in women.\u00a0 Symptoms of PID Pelvic inflammatory disease can cause mild or moderate pain. While some women with PID don\u2019t have symptoms, those who do experience pain in the lower and upper abdomen, fever, painful sex and urination, irregular bleeding, tiredness and increased or foul smell from the vaginal discharge. When it is severe, some women experience fainting, sharp pain in the abdomen, vomiting and high fever. It is advisable to see a doctor immediately because the infection can spread to the bloodstream or other body parts.\u00a0 Tests for PID To test for PID, your doctor may diagnose PID after hearing your symptoms, but in most cases, your doctor will run tests to confirm the diagnosis. These tests include pelvic exams to check the pelvic organs, cervical culture to check your cervix for infections, and urine tests to check your urine for signs of blood, cancer and other diseases. Treatment for PID The treatment of PID addresses the relief of acute symptoms, eradication of current infection and minimisation of the risk of long-term sequela. Most women with a clinical diagnosis of PID have mild to moderate severity symptoms that usually respond well to outpatient oral antibiotic therapy.&nbsp; Hospitalisation is usually warranted for women who are more severely ill or patients in whom surgical emergencies (e.g., appendix) cannot be excluded. It is also needed for pregnant patients who have not responded well to outpatient oral therapy. Patients with tubo-ovarian abscesses are often hospitalised. Expert Opinion According to Jeremiah Agim, a gynaecologist and senior consultant at the National Hospital Abuja, a person can contact PID in other ways.&nbsp; He noted that finding fluid in the pouch of Douglas on ultrasound does not always translate to the presence of PID. The fluid could come from the mature egg during egg release at ovulation, or it could also be menstruation.\u00a0 \u201cMost PID cases are caused by sexually transmitted pathogens or bacterial vaginosis-associated pathogens. Sexually transmitted organisms do not cause a smaller proportion of acute PID cases; instead, they are associated with pathogens from the intestine that have colonised the lower genital tract or respiratory pathogens.\u201d He added that PID frequently involves multiple bacterial infections.\u00a0 Another gynaecologist at Garki Hospital, Doctor Sunday Idoko, added that for PID to occur, something must carry the infection from the lower genital tract to the upper genital tract. So the risk factor includes sexual intercourse, multiple sexual partners, douching, immunosuppression, and septic abortion.\u00a0 When asked if it&#8217;s possible for someone who has never had sex to get infected, he said: \u201cIn PID, the single most important risk factor is sexual intercourse, but PID has also been reported in virgins.\u201d Conclusion Apart from sex being the most prevalent cause of PID, published research and oral evidence from experts have shown that multiple bacteria can also cause PID.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14810,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"hannibal_claim_source":"","hannibal_source_label":"","hannibal_card_color":"blue","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":false,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"","_twitter_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type":"","_pinterest_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"","_medium_share_type":"","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_bluesky_share_type":"","_mastodon_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[1572,121],"tags":[],"verdict":[],"ppma_author":[3793],"class_list":["post-14808","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-explainers","category-health"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8R6dE-3QQ","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"authors":[{"term_id":3793,"user_id":0,"is_guest":1,"slug":"lademi-aborisade","display_name":"Lademi Aborisade","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&r=g","author_category":"","user_url":"","last_name":"","first_name":"","job_title":"","description":""}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image-64.png?fit=1140%2C642&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14808","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14808"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14808\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14811,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14808\/revisions\/14811"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14810"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14808"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14808"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14808"},{"taxonomy":"verdict","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/verdict?post=14808"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=14808"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}