Erosion of the cervix - signs, symptoms, treatment and the possibility of timely diagnosis. How to recognize cervical erosion

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Cervical erosion is considered an asymptomatic disease, as it occurs with an implicit clinical picture, which many patients ignore. However, its symptoms can still appear. The article describes the clinical picture of cervical erosion, symptoms and signs that help to recognize the disease in the early and late stages.

Symptoms

Symptoms of cervical erosion are non-specific and in the early stages may not really appear. They cause only episodic discomfort, which can be attributed to the patient for other reasons. Usually, these are uncharacteristic discharges and some discomfort during intercourse. Due to such a lack of symptoms, in the early stages this disease is diagnosed, most often by chance.

In later stages, slightly more characteristic symptoms may appear. Allocations can become very uncharacteristic (especially when an inflammatory process is attached). Intimacy can cause pain. Sometimes there are spotting bleeding after intimacy and for no reason. More information about the symptoms can be found in the article "Discharge during cervical erosion."

Symptoms vary slightly depending on what type of erosion is diagnosed.

True

How to determine cervical erosion at an early stage? At this stage, the most characteristic features are:

The volume of leucorrhoea increases, blood impurities may appear in them in a small volume, as may be indicated by a change in their color;
Bloody discharge occurs after intimacy and disappears within a few hours after it or faster.

Pain during cervical erosion usually does not appear. However, in extremely rare cases, at the middle stage of the development of the pathology, discomfort and mild pain may occur during intercourse. Sometimes they may be present after it. At the same stage, spotting appears without regard to the menstrual cycle or sex.

In more advanced stages, pain intensifies. They can occur not only during sexual contact, but also when using a tampon. At the same stage, a significant inflammatory process can develop. It leads to the appearance of purulent discharge from the vagina.

congenital

What are the symptoms of cervical erosion, if it is congenital? Most girls are born with this pathology. It progresses until adolescence. Can independently degrade and pass.

It is this type of pathology that is most often diagnosed by chance. It is completely asymptomatic, and the girl may not be aware of the presence of pathology, since girls are not examined by a gynecologist purposefully. Such damage is often found in girls who are not sexually active, as well as in nulliparous women.

Congenital erosion does not bother the patient at all. Sometimes it is not even recommended to treat it. In extremely rare cases, it can progress further, becoming severe. In this case, the symptoms will be the same as with true erosion.

pseudo-erosion

This is a state resembling true erosion. It may even be misdiagnosed. However, this is a different phenomenon, differing primarily in the nature of changes in epithelial cells. It develops due to hormonal imbalance. The most common cause is an excess of estrogen in the blood.

This is a rather unpleasant state of affairs. It is dangerous because it can develop into fibroids (if you do not even out the hormonal background). And that, in turn, sometimes transforms into cancer.

Symptoms of this disease are also quite few. At the initial and middle stages, it does not appear at all. In the later stages, the same symptoms may appear as with the true one, but usually there is no bleeding.

In this condition, inflammatory processes often join. In view of this, pain occurs during intercourse. The nature of vaginal discharge may also change.

Launched erosion: symptoms

We can talk about neglected erosion when the disease has reached a late stage of development. At the same time, it usually spreads both deep into the epidermis and in breadth along the surface of the cervix. At this stage of the disease, the affected area already covers the entire vaginal part of the cervix, and also, sometimes, the hidden one. The process actively develops in depth, capturing not only the first third of the epidermis from the outside, as in the first stage, but extending to two thirds or its entire thickness.

Treatment at these stages is complicated. Sometimes cauterization no longer helps. In rare cases, surgical removal of part of the cervix is required.

Signs of cervical erosion at this stage are quite severe:

Regular bleeding that is not associated with sexual intercourse and the menstrual cycle;
Sufficiently prolonged bleeding after intercourse, as well as bleeding during it;
Severe pain during intercourse;
The presence of permanent uncharacteristic discharge of one type or another, with an uncharacteristic odor;
Frequent attachment of infections, fungi, etc.

At this stage, the woman is already beginning to notice deviations. They become impossible to ignore. For this reason, she goes to the doctor. Since erosion is asymptomatic before this, most often the diagnosis occurs at this stage.

Symptoms of inflammation during erosion

Infectious and inflammatory processes (as well as fungal ones) are frequent companions of erosion. This is due to the fact that the presence of such a pathology weakens local immunity. As a result, when a bacterium or fungus enters the mucous membrane, the body cannot defend itself against it. The pathological agent begins its action and the disease develops.

Can erosion hurt in a calm state? No, in the absence of inflammation and external influences, erosion does not hurt. Just the appearance of pain suggests that the inflammation of cervical erosion has begun.

The pain can be very severe, especially during intercourse. Also sometimes they are present in a calm state. There is a pulling sensation in the lower abdomen and mild pain in this area, which may intensify over time. Also back pain.

Large amounts of blood may be present in vaginal discharge. Sometimes they acquire a mucopurulent character. There is a pronounced smell of pus. A traditional picture of the inflammatory process is formed. Depending on its type, itching and swelling of the vagina and external genitalia may also occur.

If the inflammatory process is running, then there are signs from the side of general well-being. This may include chills, increased sweating, and fever. There is also weakness, drowsiness, a constant feeling of fatigue.

Treatment

Erosion therapy is carried out using three main approaches: medical, cauterization and surgical removal of part of the cervix. Cauterization is also varied: laser, thermal, cryodestructive, radio wave and others. Operations are performed only with a strong degree of damage.

Women may suffer from various diseases of the genitourinary system and not be aware of their presence for a long time. Often, problems are discovered during a routine gynecological examination. This also happens with cervical erosion - a defect in the mucous membrane of the cervix, mostly located in the vagina.

Similar manifestations are diagnosed in almost half of the women who could not even suspect the described defects in themselves. In order to somewhat protect sick women from complications and start treatment on time, it is necessary to fully consider the symptoms of cervical erosion.

Causes of the described disease

The causes of cervical erosion are so different that they cannot be given and described in full.

The most common aspects include:

The presented disease is manifested due to deviations from the norms in the sexual life of a woman. For example, its early or late onset can lead to changes in hormonal levels, resulting in the most common diseases of the genitourinary system in women. Also, the reasons for the manifestation of erosion lie in the frequent change of partners.
Frequent change of sexual partners can lead to the formation of an infectious disease - chlamydia or gonorrhea - which also leads to erosion.
The causes of the manifestation of the presented disease may be hidden in mechanical damage to the cervix or body of the uterus. Abortion or major surgery often has serious consequences.
Inflammatory processes of organs, which leads to the development of infection and other hormonal disorders.
It is possible to single out as causes the pressure of the uterine ring, which often occurs in women due to their advanced age.
There is a manifestation of a peculiar form of cervical erosion, which occurs in young girls, mainly up to 25 years. Signs of such erosion of the uterus have not yet been identified, since the girls do not feel discomfort, and the defect itself eliminates itself in a short time without treatment.
Erosion may indicate the presence of precancerous or cancerous changes in the uterine epithelium.
Other diseases, including weakened immunity or endocrine diseases, often provoke problems of the genitourinary system in women.

The listed reasons are only a small fraction of all the prerequisites for the manifestation of diseases of the genitourinary system.

Signs of cervical erosion

Erosion of the cervix often passes without signs. Often a woman is unaware of similar ailments in herself and does not go to the doctor. But at a gynecological examination, he learns unpleasant news for himself and begins treatment, depending on the degree of development of the defect.

In order for women to be informed and start treatment on time, which is sometimes limited to folk remedies, it is necessary to fully consider the signs of cervical erosion. These include:

The initial signs of the appearance of uterine erosion include mucous secretions, which do not cause discomfort to a sick woman, but are alert to adverse changes in the body . Discharges are called whites, but their quantity and color may deviate from the norm - from transparent and milky discharges turn into brownish clusters, which indicates the presence of blood impurities.
A woman may be disturbed by bleeding after intercourse . Their number often does not alarm women, and many attribute them to the unpleasant consequences of intercourse with a partner or to physiological incompatibility. There is also pain during intercourse. Then the discharge with an admixture of blood appears for no reason. They do not refer to the onset of menstruation and are already perplexing the woman, as a result of which she goes to the doctor and begins treatment.
The woman should be alerted by mucopurulent discharge, which already directly indicates the onset of the inflammatory process. If you do not start treatment on time, further rehabilitation, returning to a normal and familiar life may take several months.

Any discharge from women who have no explanation should be alarming and lead her to the idea of seeing a doctor. And since there are few signs of the appearance of uterine erosion, it’s not even worth talking about pain, for its timely detection, you should undergo a regular examination by a gynecologist.

Diagnosis of the presented disease

Cervical erosion is subject to complex diagnostics, on the basis of which the causes of the presented disease are identified, which affects further treatment. Comprehensive diagnostics include the following tests:

gynecological examination by a doctor - a specialist will be able to diagnose the disease with the help of a mirror for examination;
a woman takes a regular smear on the flora in order to identify infection and other immune causes of erosion;
extended colposcopy is used - with the help of a special microscope, the structure of the resulting erosion is examined;
an important examination - cytological examination - scraping from the surface of erosion;
diagnostics is carried out to detect infections;
a woman passes the appropriate tests for the presence of sexually transmitted diseases;
biopsy - performed only in case of suspicion of the presence of cancer cells and malignant tumors.

Only a comprehensive examination helps to identify a scheme for further treatment of cervical erosion.

Treatment of cervical erosion

Treatment of erosion in women can be carried out by two methods - with the help of traditional and traditional medicine. The choice of type of treatment no longer depends on the desire of the woman, but on the condition and size of the erosion. Treatment with folk remedies can be carried out only in the initial stages of the development of the disease. Traditional medicine methods in most cases are aimed only at removing the inflammatory process. In more advanced cases, you should use the doctor's recommendations about taking antibiotics and other heavy drugs.

Traditional treatment of uterine erosion

Under the traditional treatment of uterine erosion, the following methods are used:

The use of medicines - medicines are prescribed by the attending physician in case of erosion due to the presence of an infectious and bacterial disease. Various infections of the genitourinary system are quickly eliminated with the help of regular use of antibiotics.
Cryodestruction is a somewhat new method, therefore it is not used so often and only for certain indications. The procedure consists in freezing the erosion, as a result of which the frozen erosion cells do not further multiply, and after a while they die altogether. The method is painless and does not entail unpleasant consequences.
Coagulation with a laser - the procedure is used quite often and is a kind of cauterization using a laser. With the help of the presented method, the treatment of erosion is accelerated. The laser affects only diseased cells and does not affect healthy tissues. After laser exposure, scars and scars do not remain.
Diathermocoagulation - the process of cauterization of erosion occurs by electric current. There are unpleasant consequences in the form of scar formation, and it negatively affects the further conception of a child.
The radio wave method is a new treatment method that uses radio waves to eliminate erosion. Among the advantages are painlessness and quick recovery.

Traditional medicine treatment is often based on the need to stop the spread of erosion in the cervical region.

Treatment of erosion with folk remedies

Treatment of erosion with folk remedies is possible, but only after consulting a doctor. Otherwise, you can harm yourself even more and not notice the formation of complications of cervical erosion.

For treatment, use the following methods:

Use tampons, soak them in the mummy solution. Dissolve 2.5 g of the component in half a glass of boiled warm water, soak purchased or homemade tampons in the resulting composition and insert into the vagina overnight.
Use calendula tincture for douching. A 2% tincture purchased at a pharmacy in the amount of a teaspoon is poured into a glass of water and used later for washing.
If you are pregnant and have been diagnosed with erosion, use a safe remedy - sea buckthorn oil. Soak a swab in the oil formulation and inject at night for 8-12 days. During pregnancy, treatment with folk remedies should take place only with the permission of the attending physician and under his close supervision.
Purchase eucalyptus tincture from the pharmacy and do it with a douche solution. A teaspoon of tincture must be diluted in a glass of boiled water at an acceptable temperature for the body. Carry out the procedure daily until complete recovery.

Cervical erosion is a quite quickly treatable disease, so you should not worry about its detection. The main feature is the timely treatment or cauterization of overgrown erosion. According to the doctors themselves, the disease is better to prevent than to cure. Get regular checkups with your gynecologist.

Cervical erosion symptoms- This is a set of signs indicating the presence of a delimited defect in the epithelium covering the vaginal surface of the cervix.

The part of the cervix accessible to the usual external examination, similarly to the surface of the vagina itself, is covered with several layers of squamous epithelial cells, and the cervical canal is lined from the inside with one row of cylindrical epithelial cells. The confluence of the stratified integumentary epithelium of the cervix with the single-layer cylindrical epithelium of its canal is called the "transformation zone", or "transformation zone". As a rule, it is not normally visualized, since it is located inside the external os - the physiological narrowing of the cervical canal, accessible to external examination.

Under erosion understand the presence on the neck of the wound surface (ulcer) of traumatic or inflammatory origin. However, the same term is often used to refer to false erosion - ectopia of the cervix. This confusion of terms is not a mistake, since both states represent different stages in the development of one process.

With the participation of traumatic factors (abortions, incorrect instrumental gynecological manipulations) or pronounced local infectious inflammation, a section of the integumentary epithelium is destroyed on the neck, exposing the underlying layers, that is, an open wound occurs - true erosion. Like all other wound surfaces, it exists for a short time (no longer than 2 weeks), and then gradually begins to epithelialize.

Epithelialization of the eroded surface is carried out from the reserve cells of the stratified epithelium surrounding the erosion zone. However, sometimes the restoration of the integrity of the epithelium covering the uterus occurs incorrectly - with the participation of the columnar epithelium. It literally “slides out of the cervical canal and closes the resulting ulcer. Thus, a pathological site appears on the neck, but not a wound site, but formed by “wrong” cells - false erosion, or ectopia.

Since the cause of ectopia is true erosion, they are sometimes referred to simply as "erosions". True erosions heal quickly, they are diagnosed infrequently (2%). can exist on the neck for years, they are found in every fifth patient with a gynecological pathology.

The reasons for the appearance of erosions are not known to everyone, however, the analysis of available cases allows us to reliably confirm the influence of infection, mechanical damage and hormonal dysfunction.

Ectopia also includes congenital erosion. It appears in utero in girls and can go away on its own at the end of puberty.

Uncomplicated erosions are rarely diagnosed, as most heal without external involvement and are not clinically apparent. More often (80%), doctors have to deal with complicated erosions (more precisely, ectopias).

Any erosion is well visualized during a simple examination, it looks like a spot of various sizes and shapes on the neck around the external pharynx, which differs from the surrounding tissues in color. However, the presence of a modified area on the neck can indicate many pathologies. An additional examination is required for a detailed study of all the features of the pathological process.

Symptoms of inflammation during cervical erosion correspond to the infection that caused them. Complicated erosion is necessarily accompanied by pathological discharge.

There is a misconception among patients about the mandatory connection between the appearance of erosion and childbirth. Symptoms of cervical erosion in nulliparous women are not associated with birth injuries of the cervix, but do not always differ from those in patients who have given birth. Erosion of the cervix, the symptoms of which appeared in the first days after childbirth, is always true, that is, it is a superficial wound or ulcer.

Any genesis can recur. Cervical erosion recurs more often, the symptoms of which were eliminated incorrectly, regardless of the method. When, during the destruction of a pathologically altered area of the mucosa, an “untreated” edge of erosion is left, the “wrong” cells remaining there become a source of re-formation of ectopia.

Erosion of the cervix (any) is not a disease, but a condition of the mucous membranes of the cervix. It occurs in young girls, pregnant women, women in labor and older women. Its cause determines what symptoms of cervical erosion are present in the patient.

Cervical erosion symptoms of discharge

Infrequently, true cervical erosion occurs in diagnoses, the symptoms of which do not appear clinically without the presence of concomitant infection. It is present on the neck for a short time and does not manifest itself until complete healing, and the first signs often appear when an “incorrectly healed” area is formed in its place - a false erosion of the cervix. Symptoms of false erosion also do not appear clinically, may go unnoticed or be diagnosed by accident.

The first subjective complaints with any erosion appear after its infection. The patient develops pathological mucopurulent discharge (). The infection on the surface of the cervix comes from the vaginal epithelium with and of various origins, or "descends" from the superior cervical canal with and endocervicitis. The amount of leucorrhoea depends on the severity of infectious inflammation in the surrounding tissues. The erosion itself is not so large in area as to provoke significant leucorrhoea, but if the vagina and / or cervical canal are involved in the process, they become abundant.

Often, the presence of erosion on the neck is associated with the appearance of sanious contact secretions. The erosion zone during infectious inflammation becomes edematous, loose, blood vessels damaged by the infection are exposed. Such erosion bleeds easily during sexual intimacy, douching, contact with gynecological instruments or vaginal tampons.

Often, with abnormal spotting of any origin, patients believe that cervical erosion provokes them. Symptoms of significant bleeding are not characteristic of erosions.

Symptoms of cervical erosion during pregnancy

Erosion found in a pregnant woman can be:

- Congenital. Uncomplicated congenital ectopias are asymptomatic and, if the patient has not undergone examinations outside of pregnancy, are not diagnosed.

- Acquired ectopic columnar epithelium. Before pregnancy, the patient could develop true erosion, which subsequently epithelialized independently and transformed into ectopia. Symptoms of cervical erosion in nulliparous in the absence of complications do not appear clinically, so it can be on the cervix for a long time, and appear after pregnancy.

As a rule, when planning, patients come for an examination. In this case, any cervical erosion detected in time, the symptoms of which are absent, is treated in advance. Otherwise, the diagnosis is made during pregnancy.

- Physiological, that is, caused by natural causes: estrogen deficiency and weakening of immune defense mechanisms.

The cause of the appearance does not affect what symptoms of cervical erosion are observed in pregnant women. As a rule, subjective signs are pathological, sometimes with an admixture of a small amount of blood after intimacy.

It is the presence of contact bloody discharge against the background of ectopia during pregnancy that is associated in patients with the likelihood of early termination of pregnancy, however, the presence of erosion on the neck of a pregnant woman does not pose any threat. Uncomplicated erosion in a pregnant woman is under observation, but does not need special therapy, and they return to the issue of treatment after childbirth. Much more harm to the fetus can be caused by an infection in the vagina that complicates the course of erosion. Many pathogenic microbes (especially pathogens of sexual infections) are able to overcome protective barriers on the way to the fetus, so it must be eliminated in a timely manner. In this case, during pregnancy, any erosion of the cervix, the symptoms of which indicate infectious inflammation, should not be left without treatment.

Symptoms of cervical erosion after childbirth

Postpartum true erosion of the cervix is formed against the background of mechanical trauma, when the fetus passing through the birth canal tears the tissues of the cervix or tears them. In conditions of sharply reduced immunity, an acute infectious-inflammatory process begins on the damaged surface.

The first signs of true erosion after childbirth are found in parturient women at the site of damage to the cervix. Four days later, in women in labor with good immunity, a small ulcerated surface begins to epithelialize on its own, and completely heals after 10-12 days. Large ulcers are sutured.

Also, at the site of rupture or damage to the cervical mucosa during childbirth, a complicated true erosion of the cervix is formed, its symptoms correspond to signs of infectious inflammation: severe hyperemia, swelling, a dense layer of purulent plaque on the damaged surface, fragility of blood vessels and bleeding.

Severe inflammation in the erosion zone provokes copious purulent discharge. Bloody or bloody discharge from the eroded surface, as a rule, is not noticed by women in labor against the background of physiological postpartum discharge. In the first few days of the postpartum period in the uterine cavity, the processes of healing of the wound surface that remain after the separation of the placenta from the uterine wall occur, this process is accompanied by sanious or dark spotting - lochia. They "mask" the bloody discharge from erosion.

The presence of postpartum erosion is often accompanied by a deterioration in well-being, moderate fever, and vaginal pain.

Complicated true erosions, formed in the first days after childbirth, heal poorly on their own, therefore, in the conditions of the postpartum department, local wound healing and anti-inflammatory therapy is carried out. After preliminary cleaning of the wound with disinfectant solutions (Furacillin, Chlorhexidine), it is treated with antibacterial ointments (Synthomycin, Levomekol, Vishnevsky ointment). When the wound is completely freed from infection, its epithelialization begins.

When the wound surface of true postpartum erosion does not heal correctly, instead of the proper stratified squamous epithelium grows, which normally should remain in the cervical canal. Thus, after childbirth, a false erosion of the cervix is \u200b\u200bformed. The symptoms of postpartum ectopia, as well as the methods of its treatment, do not have distinctive features.

Symptoms after cauterization of erosion

"Cauterization" of cervical erosion (diathermocoagulation) refers to the "old" therapeutic methods, but is not inferior in efficiency (93-98%) and ease of implementation to more modern methods. It is based on the ability of electric current to coagulate biological tissues.

The procedure is almost painless (there are no nerve endings on the cervix), it is performed once. The purpose of diathermocoagulation is the complete destruction (destruction) of the surface layer of ectopia.

During the procedure, the electrode moves pointwise along the erosion surface. After each touch to the neck, a small burn zone remains, as the electrode moves, the burn zones merge together, and after the end of the procedure, a scab of the same size remains on the neck at the site of the ectopia - a dark crust consisting of burned cells of the cylindrical epithelium. The scab is torn off after two weeks, when the wound heals. The process of complete restoration of healthy tissue takes about three months. When epithelialization ends, a healthy surface of the cervix remains at the site of the former erosion, evenly covered with stratified epithelium.

Like all other methods, diathermocoagulation is possible when the symptoms of inflammation during cervical erosion are eliminated.

Correctly carried out "cauterization" of erosion, as a rule, is not accompanied by serious complications. A small amount of serous or serosanguineous discharge after the procedure is not considered a complication. Sometimes a similar vaginal discharge may be present until the normal mucous layer is completely restored. If such secretions become abundant, until the scab is rejected, the neck is treated with a disinfectant solution, and after rejection, with wound healing agents.

During diathermocoagulation, a small "rim" of healthy tissue around the erosion is sometimes affected. This leads to the appearance of minor and short-lived (no longer than three days) spotting.

Diathermocoagulation is not indicated for nulliparous patients. After the procedure, dense scars form on the neck, and the neck loses its ability to stretch well during childbirth. Also, complicated erosion of the cervix is not "cauterized". Symptoms of infection are preliminarily eliminated.

Every woman should have regular gynecological examinations.

It is very important to understand that many gynecological diseases in the initial stages (when they are easiest to cure) are secretive.

When diagnosing erosion of a small size, doctors, as a rule, use expectant tactics, and treatment is not prescribed. With large sizes of erosion (when more than 60% of the organ is affected), medical or surgical treatment is prescribed.

It must be said that the dimensions of erosion on the transformation into do not affect in any way. Therefore, it is not true to assume that the greater the erosion, the more likely its degeneration into oncology.

It is impossible to determine the nature of the damaged cells by eye, only after laboratory tests can we talk about the benignity or malignancy of the epithelium.

Diagnostic methods

Diagnosis of erosion begins with asking the patient about the symptoms and examining her in the gynecological chair.

However, one gynecological examination is not enough to make an accurate diagnosis, the doctor in this case can only assume the type of illness. To clarify the diagnosis, additional methods of examination and analysis are needed.

You will definitely need:

laboratory research;
colposcopy.

In order for the treatment of erosion to be correct, it is not enough just to detect it. It is very important to determine the reason for which it arose. In addition, given the possibility of transforming an erosive lesion into a malignant formation, it must be done without fail so as not to miss the onset of oncology. Therefore, a woman should not refuse additional diagnostic measures after the gynecologist found erosion on the basis of a visual examination. It is important to understand that the effectiveness of treatment will depend on how accurately the cause and nature of the disease will be established.

Is this pathology visible on ultrasound?

Ultrasound with erosion can be performed in two ways - through a skin examination and examination with the introduction of a sensor into the vagina. Virgins and pregnant women are not prescribed the second option.

The best way to consider erosion is possible when inserting the transducer internally. This examination allows you to assess the mucosa, examine its cellular composition, as well as determine the size and thickness.

In addition, a vaginal ultrasound will show how the damaged tissues are supplied with blood.

Is erosion always visible on ultrasound? No. As a rule, erosion can be visualized using ultrasound only if the disease is already in an advanced stage.

Mild and moderate forms of erosion do not lead to significant changes, so it is quite problematic to see them with an ultrasound machine. In addition, errors are possible, so if the doctor suggested the presence of erosion, he sends the patient for an additional examination.

Ultrasound in the diagnosis of erosions is most often prescribed to women who have bleeding, since colposcopy and biopsy in this case will provoke increased bleeding.

Also, ultrasound during erosion is prescribed to virgins and pregnant women, since colposcopy is prohibited in this case.

What tests need to be done

First of all, a swab is taken from a woman for flora. This is the most common laboratory test in gynecology, which allows you to detect the inflammatory process and identify the infection.

However, only a smear on the flora will not be enough, so additional tests are also prescribed.

What are the tests for cervical erosion?

Their list:

DNA analysis. This analysis will detect a large number of infectious pathogens - Trichomonas, chlamydia, Candida, gonococcus, herpes, gardnerella and others;
vaginal smear examination. The smear is examined under a microscope to detect white blood cells and to look for pathogens. If a pathogen is detected, a woman can be sent for PCR diagnostics and bacteriological culture;
cytological analysis very important. Cytology with a 95% guarantee allows you to detect tumor processes in the cervical region;
analysis for. Since very often erosion occurs due to the fault of this particular virus, this analysis must be taken;
biopsy. This is the collection of material for examination under a microscope. During this study, it is possible to accurately determine the pathology, detect the inflammatory process, and also diagnose unclear or unexpressed pathologies;
histological analysis allows you to identify cervical dysplasia, flat condyloma, squamous metaplasia, cervicitis.

The most reliable diagnostic method

Colposcopy is a modern reliable way to diagnose erosion. This procedure is not complicated and is done completely painlessly. As a rule, such a study is carried out during an outpatient examination, since it does not require additional preparation.

Research stages:

a woman is located on a gynecological chair, calms down and relaxes as much as possible;
the specialist installs an expander to facilitate visual inspection;
an examination is carried out using a colposcope, which is a device that magnifies the organ of interest several times, which makes it possible to examine the cervix in more detail and assess the condition of the mucosa. The device itself is equipped with a lighting device that helps to more effectively examine the mucous membrane.

Since the colposcope is a non-contact device, this study does not cause any discomfort to a woman. The maximum that can be unpleasant is the cleansing of the mucous membrane during the examination, as well as the treatment of the cervical region with a special solution.

During the examination, the doctor can take the material, which is transferred to cytology.

Colposcopic examination is prescribed to determine various pathologies:

erosion - congenital and acquired;
, which often accompanies erosion;
cervical endometrium;
replacement of epithelial cells with cells of the cervical canal;
papillomas;
erythroplakia;
structural changes in the cervical region;
precancerous condition;
oncological process.

It is better to perform a colposcopy twice a year as a preventive measure, but if pain symptoms occur, this examination is an absolute indication.

Although no special preparation is required for a colposcopy, the results will be more accurate if:, means , in or in a surgical intervention.

The choice of therapy depends on many factors:

stage of the disease;
the severity of the clinical picture;
woman's age;
woman's plans for pregnancy;
the presence of chronic ailments and others.

Therefore, self-treatment of erosion is undesirable, it is better to entrust the choice of therapy and medications to a competent specialist.

NOTE!

Erosion was not so long ago considered a precancerous condition, now experts are sure that this is not so. However, neglected forms can lead to the transformation of a benign process into a malignant one - every woman should remember this when she once again postpones a visit to the gynecologist.

Useful video

The video tells about 4 important facts about colposcopy:

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Health 14.09.2017

Dear readers, or rather, the entire female half of our audience, surely many of you have heard of such a diagnosis as cervical erosion. And someone, perhaps, is familiar with him. There are many myths around this disease. Many girls, women are lost when they hear about such a diagnosis. Today we will talk about what cervical erosion is and whether it is dangerous. Elena Muzychenko, a gynecologist with extensive experience, will tell us about all the details associated with this disease.

You already know Elena from an article on my blog. Our guest not only deals with the treatment of women's diseases, but also created an online women's health school "Care for the Intimate". Under the guidance of Elena, women do special sets of exercises, recover from chronic diseases, and along with health gain beauty and self-confidence, become attractive and desirable. So, I give the floor to Elena.

Hello dear readers! There is a lot of false information about cervical erosion that scares women and confuses them in the right choice of treatment. And I'm glad that I can clarify the situation, and perhaps thanks to this it will be easier for you to understand what this condition is and what measures it requires.

What is cervical erosion

First, let's figure out what cervical erosion is. When we talk about erosion, we mean a wound. This wound is extremely rare. It can be the result of trauma from rough work with a tool or from sexual intercourse. The condition that is more often called erosion is different. But since the term is frightening, women often think that cauterization or even surgery is necessary anyway. Let's see if this is actually the case.

Look at the photo, it shows what erosion is. A healthy cervix is covered with a smooth, pink mucosa called stratified squamous epithelium. This tissue is quite dense, has several layers and prevents viruses, including the entry of the human papillomavirus, which can cause cancer.

The cervix has a cervical canal. It leads into the uterine cavity and is covered with a columnar epithelium that looks loose and red. If this tissue extends beyond the canal to the cervix, then it looks like erosion. In fact, this is an eversion of the fabric.

Causes of cervical erosion

Some articles claim that it can be due to poor hygiene or infection. However, these factors can only contribute to the maintenance of such a tissue disorder, but cannot in any way be its cause.

Erosion of the cervix can be in nulliparous and those who have given birth. The causes of erosion in these cases are different.

In nulliparous women, the causes of cervical erosion are mainly hormonal disorders or fissures after abortion, and after childbirth - micro-ruptures of the cervix during childbirth.

So, why does erosion appear:

Hormonal imbalance.
Tears and fissures of the cervix, which cause eversion of the mucosa.

Predisposing factors:

early (before 18 years) onset of sexual activity;
infections (trichomoniasis, chlamydia, ureaplasma, herpes);
congestion in the pelvis;
frequent change of partners.

At the same time, in girls up to 21-24 years old and without deviations, the cylindrical epithelium of the canal can be located on the part of the cervix that goes into the vagina. That is, erosion can be normal. Each girl has congenital erosion on her neck, which disappears only by the end of puberty.

It is especially important to preserve the childbearing functions of nulliparous women. Therefore, it is necessary to treat the diagnosis as carefully as possible. If a woman is going to give birth to a second or third child, then due attention must also be paid to the preservation of reproduction.

Therefore, knowing the causes of mucosal disorders will help maintain not only health, but also the ability to give birth to children.

Symptoms and signs of cervical erosion

By itself, ESM is asymptomatic - the woman does not feel anything. Signs of cervical erosion can only be detected by a doctor. But still, you should pay attention to some symptoms in which you should definitely consult a doctor:

copious discharge from the genital tract, especially yellow or greenish, sometimes with an odor;
itching, burning, discomfort in the intimate area;
aching pain in the lower abdomen;
rashes on the labia;
any changes in the external genitalia.

These are not direct signs of cervical erosion. But they can indicate the addition of infection and inflammation, which worsens the prognosis of the disease and makes erosion dangerous.

Be sure to contact your gynecologist and have a cytology smear at least once every three years. But it is better to do it every year. This will help to identify violations at the earliest stages and treat them in time.

Diagnostics

Diagnosing this condition is easy. With a simple examination, the gynecologist will see if there are such changes.

When diagnosing, it is necessary to take into account not so much the presence of ESM as the state of the transition zone (places where stratified squamous epithelium and columnar epithelium meet, which we discussed above). It is in this place that dangerous disorders most often begin (violation of cell division).

As we have already said, once a year it is necessary to conduct a cytological examination-smear. According to European protocols, this can be done once every 3 years. But it is better to go through this procedure every year if possible and be sure that everything is in order.

In order to correctly diagnose, you need to conduct a colposcopy - an examination of the cervix under a microscope. A biopsy of the cervix with erosion is performed with suspicion of dysplasia and other conditions that require cellular diagnosis. In this case, a piece of tissue is taken and sent to a special laboratory.

Is it dangerous

If you have read the article up to this point, then most likely you want to know if cervical erosion is dangerous? Women often think that if nothing hurts, then nothing needs to be done. This is wrong.

As we have already found out, this condition is due to the incorrect location of the tissue. It would seem that there is nothing dangerous here. But still, if the cylindrical epithelium is located outside, then the stratified squamous and cylindrical epithelium will converge into the vagina. The HPV virus (human papillomavirus) can get into this place.

The HPV virus of some species is dangerous, it can cause oncology of the female organ. And erosion is the entry point for this harmful agent. In addition, even if this virus does not enter the body, the above infections can also contribute to cervical dysplasia. And this is already the initial stage of abnormal cell division and leads to tumors with improper treatment.

Factors that increase the risk of being exposed to the HPV virus:

the beginning of sexual activity before the age of 18;
use of oral contraceptives;
smoking (a pack or more per day);
frequent change of partners, unprotected sexual intercourse;
if the husband's previous partner had dysplasia or cervical cancer.

Although in general any woman, especially with a violation of the mucosa, can get dysplasia.

You can learn more about what cervical erosion is and about oil treatment in the video.

Dear women, careful attention to health and timely visits to the doctor will help maintain health. Remember this and take care of yourself.

See you!
With wishes of health and longevity, Elena Muzychenko,
obstetrician-gynecologist, author of the blog School of Women's Health

I thank Elena for providing us with such necessary and useful information. Also for blog readers, I want to tell you that Elena holds webinars that help women regain not only health, but also the joy of intimacy.