How does pid feel

The content here can be syndicated added to your web site. Print version pdf icon. It is a complication often caused by some STDs, like chlamydia and gonorrhea. Other infections that are not sexually transmitted can also cause PID. If you are sexually active, you can do the following things to lower your chances of getting PID:. There are no tests for PID. A diagnosis is usually based on a combination of your medical history, physical exam, and other test results. You may not realize you have PID because your symptoms may be mild, or you may not experience any symptoms.

However, if you do have symptoms, you may notice. Yes, if PID is diagnosed early, it can be treated. The longer you wait to get treated, the more likely it is that you will have complications from PID. While taking antibiotics, your symptoms may go away before the infection is cured. Even if symptoms go away, you should finish taking all of your medicine. Be sure to tell your recent sex partner s , so they can get tested and treated for STDs, too.

PID is treated with broad spectrum antibiotics to cover likely pathogens. Several types of antibiotics can cure PID. Antibiotic treatment does not, however, reverse any scarring that has already been caused by the infection. For this reason, it is critical that a woman receive care immediately if she has pelvic pain or other symptoms of PID. Prompt antibiotic treatment could prevent severe damage to the reproductive organs.

Recommended treatment regimens can be found in the STI Treatment Guidelines 7 Health care providers should emphasize to their patients that although their symptoms may go away before the infection is cured, they should finish taking all of the prescribed medicine. Although sex partners may have no symptoms, they may still be infected with the organisms that can cause PID. In certain cases, clinicians may recommend hospitalization to treat PID.

This decision should be based on the judgment of the health care provider and the use of suggested criteria found in the STI Treatment Guidelines. A critical component to management is short-term follow-up, especially in the adolescent population. Since many adolescent women rely on outpatient services for the evaluation and treatment of STD symptoms, the need for a low diagnostic and management threshold for PID is even more critical, as the likelihood for additional follow-up care is low.

A patient should abstain from sexual intercourse until she and her partner s have completed treatment.

Female latex condoms are also an option if a woman prefers them or if her male partner chooses not to use male condoms. Women who are told they have an STD and are treated for it should notify all of their recent sex partners so they can see a health care provider and be evaluated for STDs.

The diagnosis of PID provides an opportunity to educate adolescent and young women about prevention of STDs, including abstinence, consistent use of barrier methods of protection, immunization, partner evaluation and treatment, and the importance of receiving periodic screening for STDs and HIV. Since STDs play a major role in PID, screening of women at risk for infection and treatment of infected women and their sex partners can help to minimize the risk of PID.

Screening of young sexually active women for chlamydia has been shown to decrease the incidence of PID. The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends annual chlamydia and gonorrhea screening in women younger than 25 years 25 and CDC recommends that providers screen the following populations for chlamydia and gonorrhea: all sexually active women younger than 25 years, as well as older women with risk factors such as new or multiple sex partners, or a sex partner who has a sexually transmitted infection.

More information is available at www. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. When signs and symptoms of PID are present, they most often include:. If you have signs and symptoms of PID that aren't severe, still see your doctor as soon as possible. Vaginal discharge with an odor, painful urination or bleeding between menstrual cycles can also be symptoms of a sexually transmitted infection STI.

If these signs and symptoms occur, stop having sex and see your doctor soon. Many types of bacteria can cause PID , but gonorrhea or chlamydia infections are the most common. These bacteria are usually acquired during unprotected sex. Less commonly, bacteria can enter your reproductive tract anytime the normal barrier created by the cervix is disturbed.

This can happen during menstruation and after childbirth, miscarriage or abortion. Rarely, bacteria can also enter the reproductive tract during the insertion of an intrauterine device IUD — a form of long-term birth control — or any medical procedure that involves inserting instruments into the uterus.

This risk is generally confined to the first three weeks after insertion. Untreated pelvic inflammatory disease might cause scar tissue and pockets of infected fluid abscesses to develop in the reproductive tract. These can cause permanent damage to the reproductive organs. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version.