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Best gynecologist in Atlanta and Alpharetta, GA: what is pelvic inflammatory disease?
The best gynecologist and pelvic inflammatory disease
The best gynecologist, in Marietta and Atlanta GA, can diagnose and treat many conditions, particularly pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID is an infection of a female’s reproductive organs. In the lower abdomen is the pelvis, which includes the ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, and cervix.
There are a number of various types of bacteria that can cause PID, including the same bacteria that cause STDs, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea. Bacteria will first enter your vagina, causing an infection. As time goes on, this infection will move into your pelvic organs.
Pelvic inflammatory disease can become very dangerous; it can even be life-threatening if the infection spreads into your blood. You should see a medical doctor as soon as possible if you believe that you have an infection.
Who can be at risk?
Pelvic inflammatory disease can happen to women at any age who are sexually active. It is most common among women who are younger than 25. There are also other risk factors that can make a woman more likely to have PID, including:
- Multiple sex partners
- STD infection
- A partner who has sex with others
- A past PID
What are the symptoms?
There are many women who have the pelvic inflammatory disease and show no symptoms. However, the symptoms can vary from mild to severe if they do appear. When left untreated, PID can have severe consequences.
Possible symptoms that are associated with PID include:
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Pain, especially in the pelvic area
- Irregular menstruation
- Spotting or bleeding between periods
- Pain during sex
- Pain in the rectum and lower back
- Frequent urination
- Unusual vaginal discharge
- Vomiting
How is pelvic inflammatory disease diagnosed?
To properly diagnose PID, your doctor will usually need to perform a physical exam to see any signs of PID and test for any STDs.
If you are experiencing any pain in your lower abdomen, a nurse or doctor will check for:
- Any abscesses near your fallopian tubes or ovaries
- Unusual discharge from your cervix or vagina
- Pain or tenderness in your reproductive organs
Your doctor may also do some examinations to determine whether you have a pelvic inflammatory disease or a different problem that can resemble PID. These tests can include:
- Tests for STDs that can cause PID, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea.
- A UTI test or test for other conditions that may be causing the pelvic pain
- Ultrasound or possibly other imaging tests that your doctor can use to look at your organs
Best gynecologist in Atlanta and Alpharetta, GA, treats pelvic inflammation
The best gynecologist can treat pelvic inflammatory disease. But, any PID treatment will not reverse any scarring that has been caused by the infection. You can run a greater risk for long-term problems, such as infertility, the longer PID is untreated.
Pelvic inflammatory disease is initially treated with antibiotics; these alone will usually get rid of the infection. You may be given two or more antibiotics. Someone in your health care team may schedule a follow-up visit to their office 2-3 days after your treatment to monitor your progress. Once in a while, the symptoms of the infection will go away before it is appropriately treated; if this happens, you should still be taking all of your medicine for the length of time that is prescribed.
Contact your top Alpharetta and Atlanta OBGYN for your obstetrics and gynecology care.
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