Patient's question:
Other: What is chronic cervical inflammation, what are the symptoms?Doctor's answer:
Chronic cervicitis is the most common gynecological disease, most of which is caused by incomplete treatment of acute cervicitis, which then transforms into chronic cervicitis; it can also be caused by cervical laceration due to various reasons, leading to cervical deformation and subsequent external bacterial infection; some patients may not exhibit acute symptoms and directly develop chronic cervical inflammation. Poor hygiene or estrogen deficiency, as well as poor local anti-infection ability, can also easily lead to chronic cervicitis. The pathogens of chronic cervicitis mainly include staphylococcus, streptococcus, Escherichia coli, and anaerobic bacteria. Pathogens of sexually transmitted diseases, such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis, as well as some viruses like herpes simplex virus, are also common causes of chronic cervicitis. Although bacteria are one of the initial causes of chronic cervicitis, during the treatment process, there is often no large-scale proliferation of pathogens in the local tissues, while chronic inflammation persists. This may be related to the lack of protective antibodies in the local cells of the cervical tissue mucosa and cell-mediated immunity. Chronic cervicitis can manifest in various forms, such as cervical erosion, cervical hypertrophy, cervical polyps, endocervicitis, and cervical glandular cysts. Patients may be asymptomatic or only exhibit increased vaginal discharge, which is viscous or purulent. Sometimes the discharge may contain streaks of blood or a small amount of blood, or there may be contact bleeding. Due to the irritation of vaginal discharge, it can cause pruritus of the external genitalia. Some patients with chronic cervicitis may experience frequent lower abdominal or lumbosacral pain, especially when the inflammation extends backward along the uterosacral ligaments or spreads along the base of the broad ligaments, forming chronic parametritis. In such cases, touching the cervix can cause pain in the iliac fossa or lumbosacral region, affecting sexual life. Sometimes, the inflammation may spread to surrounding tissues through lymphatic channels or direct extension, leading to symptoms such as frequent urination and difficulty urinating. Chronic cervicitis can also cause menstrual disorders, dysmenorrhea, and infertility.