What Are the Early Signs of Uterine Inflammation?

Endometritis is a very common gynecological disease, most of which occurs in middle-aged and elderly women. After occurrence, they may feel that their leucorrhea has increased significantly compared to before. Excessive leucorrhea may also stimulate the vaginal area, causing itching in the external genitalia. Additionally, there may be intermittent pain in the waist and abdomen area, which can affect sexual activity and cause symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. Cervical erosion is the most common local feature in the inflammatory process of chronic cervicitis. The surface of the cervix appears red and damaged due to the shedding of squamous epithelium and replacement by columnar epithelium, resulting in exposure of blood vessels under the epithelium. The eroded area has a clear boundary with the surrounding normal squamous epithelium. Since it is not true erosion, it is also known as "pseudo-erosion". Depending on the degree of inflammation and the growth rate of columnar epithelium, leucorrhea may sometimes be the only symptom of chronic cervicitis. It is usually viscous mucus or purulent mucus. Sometimes, the secretions may contain blood streaks or a small amount of blood, and there may also be contact bleeding. Stimulation by leucorrhea can cause itching in the external genitalia. Pain in the lower abdomen or lumbar-sacral region often occurs, and sometimes the pain may radiate to the upper abdomen, thighs, and hip joints. The pain is often exacerbated during menstruation, defecation, or sexual activity, especially when the inflammation spreads backward along the uterosacral ligaments or along the bottom of the broad ligaments, leading to chronic parametritis and thickening of the cervical principal ligament. Touching the cervix can immediately cause pain in the iliac fossa and lumbar-sacral region, and some patients may even experience nausea, which can affect sexual activity. Bladder and intestinal symptoms of chronic cervicitis can spread through the lymphatic system or directly affect the bladder trigone or the surrounding connective tissue. Therefore, patients may feel the urge to urinate as soon as there is urine in the bladder, resulting in symptoms such as frequent urination or difficulty urinating. However, the urine is usually clear, and urinalysis is normal. In some cases, the inflammation may continue to spread or affect the lymphatic pathways connecting the cervix, bladder trigone, and ureters, leading to secondary urinary tract infections. The incidence of chronic pyelonephritis in adult women is several times higher than in men, which may be related to this condition. Intestinal symptoms are less common than bladder symptoms, and some patients may experience pain during bowel movements. Other symptoms may include menstrual irregularities, dysmenorrhea, a heavy sensation in the pelvic region, and infertility.