Pelvic Infections
About Pelvic Infections
Pelvic pain can be caused by Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). PID is an infection of the womb, or uterus, and the Fallopian tubes. It can also affect the ovaries. Whatever is responsible for the infection usually travels into the uterus from the vagina or from the neck of the womb.
PID is often caused by a sexually transmitted infection. The most commonly found causes are chlamydia and gonorrhoea, and it affects about one in 50 sexually active women in the UK each year.
PID must be diagnosed and treated early to prevent complications. If you are suffering from pelvic pains, contact IPSA clinic for help. We offer same-day appointments that can be arranged at a time to suit you.
At IPSA, you will be seen by our female doctor with a special interest family planning and a background in gynaecological medicine.
Your consultation will take place in a clean, quiet and confidential environment. The doctor will give you a full consultation to discuss all the potential causes of your pelvic pains. We will also carry out a thorough examination to rule out any serious causes for your symptoms.
If our doctors suspect you have PID, we may take swabs during the consultation to pinpoint diagnosis. We will take a swab from the neck of your womb to test for bacteria. A swab from the urethra, which is where you pass urine from, and blood and urine tests may also be taken.
The doctor may also do a pregnancy test. A pregnancy test is carried out because an ectopic pregnancy can have similar symptoms to PID.
Treating Pelvic Inflammatory Disease at IPSA
Our doctors will usually prescribe a course of antibiotics for at least two weeks. Sometimes our doctor may feel you need to be in hospital for treatment. This is advisable if your temperature is very high – higher than 38°C – or if there are signs of an abscess.
Your partner will need to be treated too. And any other sexual partner you have had within the previous six months should be tested for infection. Men often experience no symptoms with Chlamydia, but they can still pass on the infection.
If your sexual partner is infected but does not have treatment, Chlamydia may be passed back to you after you are treated. You should not have sex until both you and your sexual partner have finished treatment.
What are the Symptoms?
Sometimes the symptoms of PID may be mild or may not even occur at first, so it may take a while for the infection to be diagnosed. You are still at risk of complications even if you do not notice any symptoms.
If we suspect that you do have an infection, our doctors at IPSA may start you on treatment immediately, before your results are returned.
The most common symptom is mild to severe pain in the lower abdomen, or pelvic area. You may also experience:
- Heavier periods, bleeding between periods, or bleeding after having sex
- Low back pain
- Abnormal vaginal discharge
- Pain during sex
- Fever
PID may lead to complications but complications do not usually develop if PID is diagnosed and treated early. You may develop pregnancy complications such as infertility or persistent pain during sex.
During your consultation at IPSA, we discuss the long-term effects of pelvic infections and our future recommendations for you.
If you have any further worries or questions when you get home, you will have easy access to our doctor via phone. At IPSA, we aim to give you complete peace of mind and full accessibility to our doctor when you need us.
Contact IPSA today for an immediate consultation or book online to see one of our experienced doctors.
