PID
PID is referred to as the “silent epidemic” because it can have mild or no symptoms and often goes unrecognised by women and their doctors - Danielle Newton
image by: The Fertility Doctor
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The Often Misdiagnosed Disease that Feels Like Your Junk Is On Fire
Before two weeks ago, I'd never heard of Pelvic inflammatory disease, but by god I wish I had. If I'd been aware of PID and the signs and symptoms, I could've put out the fire in my groin ASAP. I'm no stranger to your common or garden urinary tract infection—in fact, I spent much of my early 20s downing cranberry juice and praying to the vengeful piss god—but PID is an altogether worse downstairs problem.
In simple terms, PID is an infection in your junk. Dr Eleanor Draeger, a London-based sexual health expert and genitourinary medicine consultant at Lewisham Hospital, describes it as an "'inflammation of womb, fallopian tubes and ovaries... normally caused by a bacterial infection.“
Resources
Chronic pain and infertility: the trauma of untreated pelvic inflammatory disease
Both international and national guidelines encourage doctors to treat for PID when a woman presents with lower abdominal pain and all other causes have been excluded.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease – a Patient’s Guide by Daisy Mae
So here are some factors about PID that might help you to understand the condition, and ensure it is properly treated.
Women With Pelvic Inflammatory Disease at Risk of Infertility
A study looks at the secondary issues faced by those who suffer from PID, which about one in eight women in the U.S. contract before 20
The Often Misdiagnosed Disease that Feels Like Your Junk Is On Fire
I went through several doctors and three weeks of eye-watering pain until I was diagnosed with pelvic inflammatory disease. Here's why PID is so misunderstood.
The STD Project
If sexually transmitted, both partners should be tested for all STIs, otherwise, a recurrence of PID can occur months after the initial infection is cleared, particularly if one does not maintain daily health routines or is under too much stress.
Afya2012
This factsheet is for women who have pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), or who would like information about it.
Our Bodies Ourselves
Therapy lasts at least 10 to 14 days. You should receive two different kinds of antibiotics, since more than one organism may be involved. Remember to take all your antibiotics, even if your symptoms are gone, so that antibiotic-resistant strains of microbes will be less likely to develop.
WomensHealth.gov
Many women don't know they have PID because they don't have any symptoms. For women who have them, symptoms can range from mild to severe. The most common symptom of PID is pain in your lower abdomen (stomach area).
American Family Physician
Pelvic inflammatory disease is a polymicrobial infection of the upper genital tract. It primarily affects young, sexually active women. The diagnosis is made clinically; no single test or study is sensitive or specific enough for a definitive diagnosis.
CDC
Untreated sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), a serious condition, in women. 1 in 8 women with a history of PID experience difficulties getting pregnant. You can prevent PID if you know how to protect yourself.
eMedicineHealth
If diagnosed and treated early, the patient outcome is good. The outcome may not be as good if individuals wait too long before treatment and/or continue to engage in unsafe sexual practices.
EmpowHER
To help prevent PID: ◾Use a latex condom each time you have sexual intercourse. ◾Discuss birth control options with your doctor. Ask which methods may increase or decrease your risk of PID. ◾Seek immediate treatment for symptoms, such as unusual vaginal discharge or bleeding. ◾Limit the number of sexual partners. ◾Have regular screening tests for STDs.
NHS
Most cases of PID are caused by a bacterial infection that has spread from the vagina or the cervix to the reproductive organs higher up. Many different types of bacteria can cause PID. In about one in every four cases it is caused by a sexually transmitted infection (STI) such as chlamydia or gonorrhoea. In many other cases it is caused by bacteria that normally live in the vagina.
Patient
Untreated PID can lead to serious complications, including infertility, ectopic pregnancy, abscess formation and chronic pelvic pain.
Planned Parenthood
STDs are very common. And sometimes, STDs can have serious complications, like pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Learning more about PID is an important step in learning how to protect yourself.
Right Diagnosis
A diagnosis of pelvic inflammatory disease can be missed or delayed because there may be no symptoms in the earliest, most curable stage. When symptoms do occur, they can be similar to symptoms of certain other diseases, such as appendicitis, food poisoning or food borne illness, ruptured ovarian cyst, diverticulitis, and ovarian torsion.
VeryWell
The best protection against PID and other STD's is to always use a condom , unless you are in a long- term monogamous relationship and both of you have been tested for HIV and other STDs. A few inconvenient moments before sexual intercourse can prevent a lifetime of pain and even an untimely death. So... don't forget the condom!
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