PID can be diagnosed with a vaginal examination and vaginal and cervical swabs. Other tests include a blood test, a urine test and an ultrasound. More rarely, a laparoscopy (using a camera to look inside your abdomen) is needed.
As PID can be difficult to diagnose, other tests may also be required to look for signs of infection or inflammation or rule out other possible causes of your symptoms. These tests may include: a urine or blood test.
Testing for PID
When your doctor examines you, they'll look for tenderness in your pelvic region and an abnormal vaginal discharge. This will usually involve a gentle internal examination by the doctor or nurse. The doctor will usually take swabs from inside your vagina and cervix.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention makes no specific recommendation for the use of specific blood tests in the diagnosis of PID. The Association for Genitourinary Medicine states that an elevated ESR or CRP supports the diagnosis of PID.
On a complete blood count (CBC), fewer than 50% of women with acute PID have a WBC count higher than 10,000/µL. Because of its poor sensitivity and specificity, an elevated WBC count is not among the diagnostic criteria for PID formulated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Sexually transmissible infections (STIs) - chlamydia, mycoplasma genitalium and gonorrhoea are the most common cause of PID. Use condoms with any new partner and get regular testing for STIs (at least once a year) can reduce your risk of PID.
Many women do not know they have PID because they do not have any signs or symptoms. When symptoms do happen, they can be mild or more serious. Signs and symptoms include: Pain in the lower abdomen (this is the most common symptom)
PID symptoms can appear shortly after being diagnosed with an STD such as chlamydia or gonorrhea. It may take upwards of a year for most people to develop PID, but others can develop it earlier, depending on the severity of the infection.
Sometimes PID can lead to long-term (chronic) pain around your pelvis and lower abdomen, which can be difficult to live with and lead to further problems, such as depression and difficulty sleeping (insomnia). If you develop chronic pelvic pain, you may be given painkillers to help control your symptoms.
To learn if you have PID, your gynecologist or other health care professional will start by asking about your medical history, including your sexual habits, birth control method, and symptoms. If you have PID symptoms, you will need to have a pelvic exam. This exam can show if your reproductive organs are tender.
Pain in the lower abdomen is the most common symptom of pelvic inflammatory disease. 2 The pain can feel like dull pressure or a more intense cramping-type pain. In chronic PID, the pain might be mild but is present all the time.
A pelvic ultrasound is a helpful procedure for diagnosing PID. An ultrasound can view the pelvic area to see whether the fallopian tubes are enlarged or whether an abscess is present. In some cases, a laparoscopy may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis.
PID can permanently scar and damage the fallopian tubes, causing blockage of the tubes. About 12% of women suffer enough tubal damage from one episode of PID to become infertile. After three episodes of PID, the infertility rate reaches 50%.
What are the symptoms of PID? Most women with PID have no symptoms. For example, 70-80% of women with Chlamydia have no symptoms at all. Therefore PID can go unnoticed for years.
PID occurs most frequently in women ages 15 to 25 years.
The main cause of PID is through a sexually transmitted infection (STI) such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea or mycoplasma genitalium. These bacteria usually only infect the cervix, where they can be easily treated with antibiotics.
In about 10% of cases, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) may occur without having an STD. PID is the infection and swelling of the female reproductive organs. It can involve the vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries.
Sexually active women of childbearing age are most at risk for PID. The more sex partners a woman has, the higher her risk of getting PID. Women who are 25 or younger are more likely to get PID than those older than 25. Women who douche may be at higher risk for PID than women who don t douche.
PID can also be caused by other untreated infections, like bacterial vaginosis.
Pelvic inflammatory disease causes different symptoms in different women. These may include: A dull pain and tenderness in the lower abdomen. Vaginal discharge that is yellow or green and may have an unpleasant smell.
Common symptoms of PID include: Fever. Pain or tenderness in the pelvis, lower belly, or lower back. Fluid from your vagina that has an unusual color, texture, or smell.
People with PID might notice a fishy vaginal odor during sex, along with bleeding triggered by intercourse. Consult your health care provider if you see any such symptoms.