Is vaginal discharge often caused by cervicitis? What tests should be done to diagnose cervicitis

Cervicitis is a common gynecological inflammation and one of the diseases that affect patients' daily lives. After abnormalities occur, it is necessary to immediately go to the hospital for a reasonable diagnosis.

Symptoms of cervicitis

1. Increased vaginal discharge: The main symptom of early cervicitis is an increase in vaginal discharge, sometimes the only manifestation. The symptoms of chronic cervicitis are characterized by blood lineage and small amounts of blood in the secretions, as well as contact bleeding. Due to the stimulation of vaginal discharge, it can cause itching in the external genitalia.

2. Pain: When inflammation spreads along the uterosacral ligament to the pelvis, pain in the lumbosacral region, swelling sensation in the lower abdomen, and dysmenorrhea worsen during defecation and sexual intercourse.

3. Bladder and intestinal symptoms: Chronic cervicitis is transmitted through the lymphatic system or directly spreads to the trigone of the bladder and the connective tissue around the bladder. It is convenient for the bladder to urinate, with symptoms of frequent urination and difficulty urinating. However, urine is clear and routine urine tests are normal. In some cases, inflammation continues to spread or passes through lymphatic connections between the cervix, bladder triangle, and ureter, leading to secondary urinary tract infections.

4. Cervical polyps: The symptoms of cervicitis are caused by long-term stimulation of inflammation, where the cervical mucosa locally proliferates and the uterus has a drainage effect. The proliferated mucosa gradually protrudes from the cervical opening, forming polyps of cervicitis. When accompanied by polyp formation, bloody vaginal discharge or post sexual bleeding can occur.

5. Menstrual disorders: Are menstrual disorders the same as other gynecological diseases? Similarly, the occurrence of menstrual disorders is also caused by internal inflammation. However, it should be noted that menstrual disorders can only be determined as caused by internal inflammation when they are long-term.

Examination methods for cervicitis

1. Ask the patient about their clinical manifestations: The main symptom of patients with cervicitis is an increase in vaginal discharge, with some patients presenting as the only symptom. In addition, there are also some symptoms of acute and chronic cervicitis. Usually, acute cervicitis with vaginal discharge is purulent, and patients often have bladder irritation symptoms such as lower abdominal and lumbosacral pain, frequent urination, urgency, and pain. Chronic cervicitis with vaginal discharge is milky white, mucous like, or light yellow, purulent. Some severe patients also have bleeding symptoms, mostly worsening after defecation and sexual intercourse.

2. Cervical scraping cytology examination: This is a routine examination for gynecological cervicitis, which is simple, economical, and effective. It is the most important auxiliary examination and prioritized initial screening method for cancer prevention examination.