Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) symptoms, like lower abdominal pain, can mimic many conditions, most commonly appendicitis, ectopic pregnancy, and ruptured ovarian cysts, but also endometriosis, ovarian torsion, urinary tract infections (UTIs), and digestive issues like IBS/IBD, requiring careful diagnosis with exams and tests like pregnancy tests to rule out serious causes.
It is possible for a woman to have PID and be asymptomatic (without symptoms), or symptoms too mild to notice, for an unknown period of time. PID can be misdiagnosed as appendicitis, ectopic pregnancy, ruptured ovarian cysts or other problems.
Symptoms Of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Pain in the lower abdomen or pelvis, which may be sharp or dull and come and go. Fever and chills. Nausea and vomiting. Dizziness or fainting.
PID may sometimes be mistaken for a UTI because both conditions share similar symptoms, such as painful urination, lower abdominal pain, and pelvic pain.
Risk factors for pelvic inflammatory disease development include maternal pelvic structural anomalies, a history of sexually transmitted infections, recent pelvic surgery, and in vitro fertilization or oocyte retrieval. Pelvic inflammatory disease can coincide with pregnancy and can occur in the second trimester.
However, a swab test can't be relied on to diagnose PID, as some women with PID have a negative swab result. You may have an ultrasound scan. Scans can identify severe PID but will not show up mild disease. It's possible to have a normal scan and still have PID.
How does PID impact pregnancy? PID can increase the risk of ectopic pregnancies (where the fertilised egg implants outside the uterus), preterm birth, and infertility. Seeking early treatment is crucial for minimising these risks.
During the exam, your provider will check your pelvic region for tenderness and swelling. Your provider may also use cotton swabs to take fluid samples from your vagina and cervix. The samples will be tested at a lab for signs of infection and organisms such as gonorrhea and chlamydia. Blood and urine tests.
What are the signs of a urinary tract infection?
Girls under 15 may sometimes experience PID due to hematogenous spread from gastrointestinal infections such as appendicitis [24], while women aged ≥35 years are more likely to develop PID due to BV, intrauterine device (IUD) use, and postpartum infections [12,16,17].
The provider will most likely order blood tests to check for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and a urinalysis to check for a urinary tract infection (UTI). A Pap smear is not used to diagnose pelvic inflammatory disease.
Adenomyosis, often referred to as the 'evil sister' of endometriosis, is a uterine condition in which endometrial cells from the inner lining of the uterus (the endometrium) migrate from that lining into the muscle wall of the uterus (the myometrium).
Painful Intercourse: Pain or discomfort during sexual intercourse is common among women with PID. Fever and Fatigue: In severe cases, PID can lead to fever, fatigue, and general malaise.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends oral doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for 14 days, along with a second- or third-generation cephalosporin administered parenterally, for mild PID in ambulatory patients. Metronizadole can be added at the provider's discretion.
Beyond ovulation, endometriosis and the abnormal reproduction of cells, a pelvic infection like pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) can also cause ovarian cysts. Ovarian cysts are usually small enough that most people with ovaries don't even realize they have one.
An infection of the reproductive organs, PID can cause, along with other symptoms, severe pelvic pain. This is a similar symptom to endometriosis pain, which, contrary to popular belief, does not occur only during period days.
To check for a kidney infection, you may be asked to provide a urine sample to test for bacteria, blood or pus in your urine. Your health care provider might also take a blood sample for a culture. A culture is a lab test that checks for bacteria or other organisms in your blood.
Interstitial Cystitis (IC) or Bladder Pain Syndrome (BPS) or IC/BPS is an issue of long-term bladder pain. It may feel like a bladder or urinary tract infection, but it's not. It is a feeling of discomfort and pressure in the bladder area that lasts for six weeks or more with no infection or other clear cause.
Doxycycline is an antibiotic sometimes used as a UTI treatment. It works by killing the bacteria that cause the infection and controlling their growth. Cephalexin can kill bacteria that cause UTIs and prevent their growth. This drug may cause diarrhea.
Other ancillary tests (Table 2) that can be useful in diagnosing PID include a complete blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), or C-reactive protein (CRP). These tests are recommended for patients with clinically severe PID.
A bimanual exam is done to check the pelvic organs (such as the uterus and ovaries). The doctor places two gloved, lubricated fingers into the vagina while pressing on the abdomen with the other hand (bimanual means with two hands). This allows the doctor to check the size and shape of the pelvic organs.
Most cases of PID are presumed to occur in 2 stages. The first stage is acquisition of a vaginal or cervical infection. This infection is often sexually transmitted and may be asymptomatic.
Other tips for taking care of yourself include:
Pelvic inflammatory disease can cause pelvic pain that might last for months or years.