Recently, representatives of the weaker sex are increasingly having to deal with various diseases of the genital area. One of the most common ailments is inflammation of the uterus. Each lady should know about how salpingoophoritis occurs, what it is, symptoms and consequences of the disease. Let's try to understand these issues in detail.
Salpingoophoritis: what is it?
To begin with, it is worth saying that salpingoophoritis (it is also called adnexitis) means inflammation of the fallopian tubes of the ovaries. In most cases, the diseases of these organs are closely related and depend directly on each other. Doctors distinguish three forms of pathology: acute inflammation; subacute form of the disease; hr salpingoophoritis.
In addition, there is a classification of the disease, which depends on the area where the inflammation occurred. The following subspecies are distinguished: chronic bilateral salpingoophoritis; left-sided inflammation; right-sided salpingoophoritis.
Causes of the development of the inflammatory process
In most cases, bacteria become the causative agent of the disease. They can be obtained both through unprotected contact with an unverified partner, and through personal hygiene items in a domestic way. The most common painful microorganisms that become pathogens include the following: streptococci and staphylococci, gonococci and Escherichia coli, as well as a number of other bacteria.
In addition, acute salpingo-oophoritis can be caused by an infection that is present in the body. Due to weakened immunity, bacteria freely move through the bloodstream and can stop in any organ convenient for them. The provoking diseases include sinusitis and sinusitis, tonsillitis and inflammation of the intestines. With the occurrence of peritonitis, acute salpingoophoritis very often develops.
Symptoms of the disease
Depending on what form of the disease is present in the woman, there may be different signs of this ailment.
Acute form
In this case, a woman complains of a strong increase in body temperature (up to 39 degrees). Also, the patient experiences general weakness and malaise. With the spread of infection to the uterine muscle, purulent discharge from the genital tract can be observed.
A woman with a diagnosis of acute bilateral salpingo-oophoritis experiences shingles in the lower abdomen, which may give to the lower back or leg. Also, this form of the disease is characterized by unpleasant pressing sensations during sexual intercourse.
If the fair sex does not go to the doctor on time and does not receive appropriate treatment, then inflammation of the appendages will move to the next stage in a few weeks - subacute salpingoophoritis.
Subacute form
At this stage, the woman continues to feel pain in the lower abdomen. Body temperature gradually decreases and reaches normal values, so the lady stops worrying. At this moment, the woman begins to think that she has become much easier and she defeated the disease with her own strength. However, in reality, this is not so at all. The fairer sex ceases to fight inflammation and accepts harmful bacteria as already familiar to him.
The subacute form of inflammation is present for a short time. She quickly turns into a chronic salpingoophoritis. What is it and what symptoms does this type of disease have?
Chronic form
At this stage, the woman does not feel almost any discomfort. The fever associated with inflammation of the appendages is no longer observed. Minor pains can sometimes appear, or pass on their own. As a first aid, women often use conventional painkillers, but this is not right.
The longer the treatment of the disease is delayed, the more serious the consequences. In the chronic stage, unilateral or bilateral salpingo-oophoritis is expressed by the following symptoms: periodic pain in the lower abdomen, intensifying during menstrual blood flow, sexual desire also decreases, a woman notices that her periods become plentiful and come irregularly.
Exacerbation of the disease
Exacerbation of chronic salpingoophoritis can occur with a slight decrease in immunity or after severe hypothermia. In this case, a woman can note all the same symptoms that an acute form of the disease has, but they are combined with signs of chronic inflammation.
Risk factors
So, some facts about a disease such as salpingoophoritis (what it is, how infection occurs, what symptoms occur) are already known to you. Do not think that if you have an infection, then there will certainly be inflammation of the appendages. Who is at risk and most prone to salpingo-oophoritis?
In most cases, the disease affects women after childbirth or abortion (during infection during the procedure), during hypothermia or frequent stressful situations. Also, inflammation can occur in women, suffering from constipation or inflammation of neighboring organs of the abdominal cavity.
Diagnosis of the disease
It is almost impossible to make such a diagnosis on your own. In most cases, the examination of the patient is carried out in several stages. Let's consider them in detail.
Poll and conversation
When contacting a doctor, almost always the patient undergoes a survey. The doctor finds out how long disturbing symptoms have appeared, how pronounced their nature is. Also, the specialist must specify whether the woman had childbirth or abortion, how many sexual partners she had. You need to know if any genital tract infections have been detected before and whether they have been treated. The doctor writes all the data to the patient’s personal card, and then proceeds to a manual examination.
Gynecological examination
The undoubted signs of salpingo-oophoritis are expressed by painful sensations during a manual examination. The doctor carefully probes the area of the uterus and appendages, notes their location. With the displacement of organs, there may be a suspicion of an adhesion process in the pelvis, which is one of the complications of inflammation.
Laboratory research
After a gynecological examination, material is taken for analysis. In most cases, doctors examine vaginal discharge, in which pathogenic microorganisms can be detected.
A blood test is also recommended. According to the level of leukocytes and red blood cells, the doctor determines whether there is an inflammatory process in the patient's body.
Ultrasound diagnostics
Quite often, exacerbation of salpingo-oophoritis is diagnosed during the examination using ultrasound. In some cases, the diagnosis becomes unexpected news for a woman. In this case, the specialist can see on the screen all the internal organs of the patient. With this pathology, inflamed fallopian tubes are clearly visible. Also, during the ultrasound examination, the doctor notes the increased size of the ovaries and their dense capsule. In addition, displacement of the pelvic organs relative to each other can be detected. This indicates a neglected state and a chronic form of inflammation.
Laparoscopy
If the studies are not enough, then adnexitis (salpingoophoritis) is diagnosed with laparoscopy. In this case, the doctor introduces several small manipulators into the patient’s stomach, with the help of which he sees everything that happens inside the abdomen on a large screen. In the same way, simultaneous treatment can be carried out if surgical intervention is required.
Treatment of inflammation of the appendages
Depending on what the symptoms of salpingoophoritis are, and treatment should be appropriate. After a thorough examination and diagnosis, the doctor prescribes the patient a set of measures to eliminate inflammation. The acute form of the disease is almost always corrected under the close supervision of specialists. For this, a woman is sent to a hospital. Chronic inflammation can be corrected at home, but in this case, you must strictly follow all the recommendations of your doctor.
Conservative correction
If a woman has acute salpingoophoritis, the symptoms and treatment will be directly dependent. Therapy should be carried out immediately, until the main symptoms have disappeared, and the disease has not passed into a subacute form.
In most cases, acute inflammation is stopped by antibacterial drugs. Before the correction, it is imperative to conduct a study on sensitivity to such drugs. After receiving the result of the analysis, the doctor prescribes several drugs, for example, Gentamicin injections, Vilprofen tablets, Amoxicillin medicine, Naxojin and others.
In addition, it is necessary to jointly carry out vitamin therapy aimed at increasing the body's resistance to infection. In such cases, the following drugs are prescribed: tincture of echinacea, vitamins of groups B and C, as well as a complex of mineral supplements.
After the correction, it is recommended to take beneficial bacteria to restore microflora; for this, Bifidkmbacterin and Lactobacterin powders, Linex tablets, Acipol capsules, gel or Vagilak suppositories are used.
If an exacerbation occurs, then its treatment must be carried out. Chronic salpingoophoritis often worsens after stress and hypothermia. That is why, in addition to the main treatment, it is necessary to take sedatives: Tenoten tablets, Nott drops, Novopassit syrup, and also dress warmly in cold weather.
Surgery
If a woman has a severely advanced form of the inflammatory process, then most likely she will need surgical intervention. If an adhesive process is detected in the abdominal cavity that caused salpingoophoritis, the symptoms and treatment will be appropriate. Also during diagnosis, small growths on the fallopian tubes can be detected. They look like bags in which pus accumulates. Tearing such a pocket can lead to peritonitis and inflammation of neighboring organs. That is why it is so important to remove such formations in time.
In most cases, laparoscopy is performed for surgical treatment. Sometimes it can be diagnostic, but subsequently go into a medical procedure. The patient is injected into anesthesia and with the help of manipulators remove growths, dissect adhesions, return organs to their usual location. Also, if necessary, patency of the fallopian tubes and their plastic can be checked.
Additional treatments
If a woman has chronic salpingoophoritis, the symptoms and treatment of which we have already examined, therapy can be carried out in an alternative way. Quite often, women with such a diagnosis are prescribed mud baths or tampons. Very well eliminate the inflammatory process of rhodon baths. Physiotherapy, ultrasound, and magnetic waves can also be prescribed. Thanks to such measures, the adhesive process in the abdominal cavity stops its development or does not occur at all. It should be noted that the outcome of treatment is affected by the stage of the disease.
Salpingoophoritis and pregnancy (consequences)
One of the main consequences of this disease is the inability to conceive a child on their own. In the fallopian tubes, small hairs (fimbriae) are present throughout. They, after ovulation and fertilization, help the egg to move to the uterus. After the inflammation, these "fingers" stick together and cease to function.
An adhesion process can also occur, which affects the fallopian tubes and prevents the female cell from moving freely along them. One of the most common complications of this is an ectopic pregnancy. Male cells are so small that they can easily penetrate these films, but a fertilized egg can no longer go down to the uterus and attaches itself to the wall of the fallopian tube.
Also, the absence of pregnancy with such a disease may be due to the fact that the ovaries are severely affected. In some cases, the growth of follicles slows down, and the egg completely stops coming out of them. If ovulation has taken place, then the corpus luteum, which formed on the site of the follicle, works very poorly and secretes little hormone, which is so necessary for the development of pregnancy.
How to get pregnant with salpinoophoritis?
Many women ask, “If the diagnosis of salpingoophoritis is chronic, is it possible to get pregnant?” It is worth saying that before planning a child, it is necessary to conduct thorough treatment and examination. First you need to find out what caused the inflammatory process, and eliminate pathogenic bacteria. After this, it is necessary to increase immunity and restore the microflora.
If there is an adhesion process, it is necessary to find out about the condition of the fallopian tubes. For this, hysterosalpingography (metrosalpingography) is performed. Under the supervision of an ultrasound machine or an X-ray machine, the doctor inserts a catheter into the woman’s uterus through which a contrast fluid flows. In normal condition, it should exit into the abdominal cavity. This will be visible on the monitor of the ultrasound machine or on the x-ray. If the fallopian tubes are impassable, then surgical intervention is necessary to restore their work.
It is worth saying that even after such a treatment, the chances that pregnancy will come are very small. In some cases, couples, after several years of unsuccessful attempts, resort to artificial insemination. In this case, conception occurs outside the body of a woman. Subsequently, a representative of the weaker sex, an embryo is placed in the uterus, ready for attachment. But even in this case, it is impossible to guarantee that pregnancy will develop.
If fimbriae is damaged in the fallopian tubes, then most likely, surgery will not bring you any effect. To restore these microscopic “fingers” is simply impossible. Maybe in a few years, medicine will go a long way, and experts will find a way to restore stuck fimbria in the fallopian tubes. However, at the moment there is no such method. That is why it is so important to monitor the health of your reproductive system.
Conclusion
It is worth noting that the timely treatment of uterine appendages has a rather favorable prognosis. Most women who turn to a specialist for help on time become pregnant and give birth to children. That is why it is so important at the first manifestations of the disease to trust experienced physicians.
The first symptoms of acute salpingo-oophoritis are quite similar to signs of an ectopic pregnancy, apoplexy of a cyst or ovary, as well as inflammation of the appendix and peritonitis. Perhaps you did not have a banal inflammation, but rather a serious pathology that can lead to death. Do not drag a visit to the doctor. Get help on time and be healthy!