Pelvic Inflammatory Disease Is A Common Cause Of Abdominal Pain In Women

Experiencing abdominal pain is common for women; however, it is not normal. If you are experiencing pain in your abdomen that gets worse after sex or during urination, you may be suffering from pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID is a sexually transmitted disease (STD), but it is treatable. Here are three things to know about this.

How it occurs

PID is transmitted sexually, which means you are more likely to contract this if you have multiple sleeping partners. If you are in a monogamous relationship, this is not likely the cause of your abdominal pain. PID can be spread through any type of sexual activity if a person has this disease. The only way to protect yourself against it is by using condoms and limiting your sexual activity to someone you trust.

What it is

PID is a disease that causes damage and inflammation to the fallopian tubes and the uterus. You can have this disease and never experience any symptoms at all, but many women do have symptoms. A common symptom is abdominal pain. This pain can be mild or severe, and it can occur at all times, or it can pop up here and there. Additional symptoms can include fever, discharge, and bleeding in between periods.

If this condition is left untreated, it can lead to further problems, including trouble getting pregnant. If you suspect you have this, you should make an appointment with your gynecologist as soon as possible.

How it is diagnosed and treated

Unfortunately, there is not a test that can tell you if you have PID. Instead, your doctor will ask you questions about your health and symptoms. In addition, the doctor will perform a physical examination of your abdomen and female parts. Through these steps, your gynecologist should be able to diagnose the problem.

If he or she wants to take a closer look at your internal organs, the doctor may suggest getting an ultrasound with a company like EVDI Medical Imaging. An ultrasound is a test that can be very helpful for finding problems with female body parts.

If the doctor suspects that you have PID, he or she is likely to give you antibiotics. Since PID is an infection, antibiotics will usually clear it up. The downside is that PID can have lifelong effects if left untreated. If you had the disease for a while and did not receive treatment, it may have caused permanent damage to your female organs.

Abdominal pain is not always caused by PID, but it is a possibility. If you are having pain and would like to find out what is causing it, schedule an appointment with a gynecologist in your area.

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