Infection through sex is usual cause of cervicitis
DEAR DR. K: My doctor diagnosed me with cervicitis. What is this? And how did I get it?
DEAR READER: Cervicitis is an inflammation and irritation of the cervix, the doughnut-shaped opening to the uterus, and is usually caused by a sexually transmitted infection ( STI). Most common are chlamydia and gonorrhea.
Trichomoniasis and genital herpes can also cause the condition . In some cases, cervicitis may result f rom trauma, frequent douching or exposure to chemical irritants.
Cervicitis often causes no symptoms but, when they do occur, they include pain during intercourse, vaginal itching, a bloody vaginal discharge or vaginal spotting or bleeding between periods. If the urethra becomes infected, you may feel burning when you urinate or you may urinate more often.
Cervicitis can spread to your uterus, fallopian tubes or ovaries which can cause abdominal pain or fever.
Treatment will depend on whether you have an infection and, if so, what type. Gonorrhea, for example, is usually treated with an injected antibiotic. For chlamydia or trichomoniasis, you will take antibiotics by mouth. Cervicitis caused by trauma or an intrauterine device ( IUD) is also treated with an antibiotic. If you have genital herpes, your doctor will prescribe an antiviral medication.
Once cervicitis is diagnosed and you have started treatment, your symptoms should start to improve within a few days. It may help to avoid sexual intercourse until symptoms improve.
Because cervicitis is usually caused by an STI, your recent sexual partners should get tested and treat, even if your partners have no symptoms. The STI germs that cause cervicitis can live inside a man (or a woman’s) body without causing symptoms.