Why is cervical erosion dangerous? Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment methods. Cervical erosion - signs, symptoms, treatment and possibilities for timely diagnosis

Cervical erosion is one of the most common diseases of the cervix in modern women. However, the clinical symptoms of this pathology are very scarce. Therefore, the main burden “lies on the shoulders” of gynecologists. A woman is only required to periodically visit an obstetrician-gynecologist.

An examination by an obstetrician-gynecologist in a gynecological chair is important. Only periodic examination by a gynecologist can ensure timely diagnosis of cancerous degeneration.

It is the responsibility of every woman to monitor her health, especially regarding reproductive health. This is necessary for both women planning pregnancy and women during menopause. For the first group, this is a guarantee of the birth of a healthy, full-term child; for women over 40 years old, this is a guarantee of protection against cancer in the future.

How to prepare for a visit to the gynecologist?

First of all, it is necessary to “put yourself in order in the intimate sphere.” This does not mean that prolonged douching is necessary. It will be enough to take a shower or bath. Fresh linen is a must. Shaving hair in the intimate area is quite welcome - this will allow the woman herself to remain fresh throughout the day. There is no need to use intimate perfume before visiting a gynecologist. Many of these drugs are irritating to the mucous membranes in the reproductive area. It would be a good idea to take socks and a menstrual calendar to your appointment with the gynecologist. It is important to clearly remember the duration of your menstrual cycle, the date of your last menstruation, the nature of your periods (scanty, heavy, long, painful).

A menstrual calendar will be very useful to a gynecologist when making a diagnosis.

What does a gynecologist pay attention to when detecting erosion?

Different types of erosions have their own characteristics related to the nature of the edges, color, shape of the defect, and the presence of any discharge. Upon examination, the doctor can guess the type of erosion, but, in any case, this is not enough. It is necessary to carry out a series of tests, as well as taking smears from the surface of the erosion. A cytological examination of smears is carried out: in this situation, changes in the cells, their shape and size are determined.

If erosion of a syphilitic or tuberculous nature is suspected, a microbiological examination is carried out. In addition, in this situation, blood tests for pathogens of syphilis and tuberculosis are necessary. Chest X-ray is a mandatory procedure if tuberculosis is suspected. A consultation with a phthisiatrician or dermatovenerologist is indicated.

Colposcopy - what is it?

A modern and effective technique is colposcopy. This technique allows you to assess the condition of the cervix and vagina; identify various changes in, assume the nature of the process. The manipulation is painless and very effective in diagnosing both erosion and other processes on the cervix.

Cervical erosion can be detected using colposcopy

Other research methods

If a malignant process is suspected, then after these measures, a biopsy is performed - taking material from the area of ​​erosion), curettage of the cervical canal, followed by histological examination of the material. If cervical cancer is suspected, consultation with a gynecological oncologist is indicated. Ultrasound of the pelvic organs is not a mandatory research method for diagnosing erosion. An ultrasound is performed if any other process in the pelvis is suspected (

It occurs when small erosions - ulcers - begin to form on the cervical mucosa. It is very important to diagnose this disease on time, because it can eventually develop into cervical cancer. The cervix is ​​a cylindrical cavity filled with mucus that is responsible for connecting the vagina and uterus. If erosion appears on it, many problems arise.

Types of cervical erosion

Gynecology distinguishes three types of erosion - true erosion and congenital erosion.

In childhood or adolescence, the doctor may notice that the girl’s columnar epithelium is displaced. After colposcopy, it is clear that the epithelium is painted bright red, but it cannot be stained with Lugol’s solution. This type of erosion rarely develops into cancer, so it does not need to be treated.

The true type of cervical erosion is a wound that appears on the cervix, it is difficult to miss - this is a pronounced red spot that appears on a light pink membrane, sometimes it can bleed. This type is dangerous because it often occurs, which can cause pus to appear on the affected area. True erosion of the cervix lasts up to two weeks, then becomes covered with adjacent tissues and develops into pseudo-erosion.

Pseudo-erosion is typical for girls who have an increased level of the hormone estrogen in the blood; this erosion extends beyond the cervical canal. It appears as a rounded red area that can reach up to 5 mm. Pus may form on top of the erosion; this type lasts for a very long time, as long as there is inflammation. Pseudo-erosion is dangerous because it can develop into a malignant formation.

The disease may be congenital or occur after an infectious disease or injury.

1. Most often, the cause of cervical erosion is infectious diseases such as trichomoniasis, ureaplasmosis, gonorrhea, herpes virus, papillomavirus, genital herpes.

2. Cervical erosion occurs due to an inflammatory process in the female genital organs.

3. Due to vaginal inflammation - thrush, vaginitis, colpitis.

4. If the mucous membrane of the cervix was mechanically damaged, during childbirth, abortion, due to rough sex.

What factors provoke the development of cervical erosion?

1. Hormonal imbalances.

2. If a woman began to be sexually active early, she often changed partners.

3. Due to disruptions in the menstrual cycle.

4. Reduced immune system.

How does cervical erosion occur?

Erosion is a defective change in the mucous membrane of the cervix. Very rarely does a true type of erosion occur, which heals quickly; most often it becomes permanent. When factors affect the uterine surface of the cervix, epithelial cells cannot normally perceive the acidic environment and harmful microorganisms that live in the vagina for a long time.

The cylindrical epithelium does not have a protective function, therefore, when it is affected by viruses and bacteria, it does not protect itself. Thus, cervical erosion appears.

What causes discharge during cervical erosion?

The disease is always accompanied by an infection that develops in the female genital organs. If you notice, after lifting something heavy or after sexual intercourse, that you have a yellowish, brownish or purulent-mucous discharge, you should immediately contact your doctor.

Often, discharge due to cervical erosion often bothers a woman; it leaves large stains on clothes, and is also accompanied by pain and itching, severe burning, and irritation. The discharge smells unpleasant.

Also, discharge appears after treatment of cervical erosion; after cauterization, bloody discharge may appear for the first few days, and over time it becomes transparent.

Please note that if cervical erosion lasts a long time, discharge may indicate that it is degenerating into a malignant form. If you have any discharge, you must undergo all necessary tests.

A woman often finds out about erosion after examining a gynecologist; it usually does not manifest itself in any way. Women do not feel pain and continue to have sexual intercourse normally, although some may not discharge after intercourse. a large number of blood, ichor, in this case you should immediately contact a gynecologist.

Methods for diagnosing cervical erosion

The gynecologist immediately sees erosion of the cervix - a bright red area, but if one examination is not enough for the doctor, he will definitely prescribe a diagnostic method - colposcopy. When the cervix is ​​examined using a special device, with which you can magnify the affected area up to 30 times. It is after this method that the doctor can clarify exactly what kind of erosion you have and what to do with it in the future. This examination lasts a short time, up to 15 minutes, and is not painful.

After a colposcopy, the doctor may take a section of the cervix for a biopsy if the doctor suspects it is malignant. The biopsy is performed on the seventh day after menstruation. Please note that the vaginal microflora should be normal and there should be no inflammatory process. Therefore, it is very important to immediately contact a gynecologist with suspicious discharge and itching so that it can be treated in time, and then you can examine the cervix. For histological examination, the doctor will need a small tissue section of the cervix. Using it, you can study all the cells in detail, find out about the depth of the lesion, and then select an effective course of treatment.

Additionally, it is very important to take smears to check the flora, as well as blood tests for infections such as syphilis, viral hepatitis, HIV. It is very important to check if you have sexually transmitted infections - trichomonas, papillomavirus, chlamydia, ureaplasma, papilloma, trichomonas.

Do not think that if the disease occurs without symptoms, it does not need to be treated, this is a big mistake that many women make, and then have a lot of complications. With pseudo-erosion of the cervix, an epithelium appears that does not have a protective base, so the infection can easily penetrate into the uterine cavity and vagina.

Also, when erosive epithelization occurs, the epithelium begins to form incompletely. When a woman has erosion for a long time and is not treated, this leads to the fact that the uterine cells begin to change significantly, thus cervical cancer can occur. Therefore, it is very important to consult a gynecologist twice a year for preventive purposes.

After the woman has completed a full course of examination, the doctor will select an effective and suitable treatment method for her, this is especially important if the woman has not yet given birth and plans to have a child in the future.

Most often, erosion on the cervix is ​​cauterized using electric current, but this procedure has a lot of side effects, such as long healing, the appearance of rough scars, and the opening of the canal in the cervix may be narrowed. Because of this, it will be difficult for a woman to get pregnant, and even more difficult to give birth. Therefore, gynecologists use this method only in extreme cases.

Modern medicine offers such innovative methods as cryodestruction - freezing, radio wave method, laser coagulation.

Please note that as a result of freezing, the cervix may be greatly shortened, and then the external os will begin to narrow. It is for this reason that gynecologists use the radio wave method; for this they use special devices - a laser.

In some cases, cervical erosion is treated with surgery; it is performed when, after a biopsy, it is seen that cells of an atypical nature have appeared.

Also, surgical intervention is required if a woman has had a difficult birth; in some situations, plastic surgery on the cervix is ​​necessary.

In case of this disease, it is very important to immediately consult a gynecologist and never self-medicate, as this can lead to serious consequences.

Cervical erosion after childbirth

This disease very often appears after a complicated birth process, when the cervix did not open well during childbirth, ruptures in the internal tissues begin to occur, if the doctor does not notice this in time, cervical erosion may develop in the future.

Erosion is caused by childbirth that took place quickly and rapidly; also, if the fetus was quite large, this disease cannot be avoided. Also, cervical erosion occurs as a result of cesarean section if the woman has previously had many abortions. It can occur due to infectious diseases that worried the woman during pregnancy, because during this period the woman’s immune system is weakened, and it is easy for a woman to catch any infectious disease that is sexually transmitted. Harmful bacteria affect not only the cervix and cause erosion. Also, cervical erosion during pregnancy can appear as a result of hormonal imbalance.

How to treat cervical erosion after childbirth?

A month after giving birth, the doctor can diagnose the disease, so it is recommended that you visit a gynecologist after two months to find out what changes have occurred in you.

The gynecologist will definitely take a smear to determine if you have any disease. Most often, cervical erosion after childbirth has no symptoms, only infectious diseases can manifest themselves, with pain in the lower abdomen, severe itching, and a strong burning sensation in the vagina; in this case, you should immediately consult your doctor.

Often a woman notices that she is constantly bothered by thrush, which cannot be cured; this indicates erosion of the cervix, which cannot be cured on its own. Very rarely, erosion is treated with medications; most often, other methods are used. Medicines are necessary when cervical erosion is a consequence of an infectious disease.

How might treatment affect subsequent births?

Very often a woman worries about how the next birth will go if she has treated cervical erosion. Please note that everything will depend on the treatment method; it is very important that there are no scars left on the cervix, because they prevent the cervix from fully opening during childbirth. It is also very important, when you are still planning your next pregnancy, to pay attention to the condition of the cervical tissue. Sea buckthorn oil softens scars well.
Constantly consult with a gynecologist, who will definitely prescribe you a rehabilitation course of therapy, with the help of which you can quickly recover.

Many women are mistaken when they think that cervical erosion is a death sentence and it is impossible to get pregnant with it. This is a false opinion. Indeed, it is not recommended to treat nulliparous women, because many methods leave behind scars, which can cause problems with conception, pregnancy and childbirth.

In women who have not given birth, the doctor treats cervical erosion using gentle methods. But you need to remember that if you have this disease, then remember that often because of it, various viruses, infections, and sexually transmitted bacteria begin to actively multiply.

How can cervical erosion affect the conception of a child?

Gynecologists are convinced that this disease does not affect the conception of a child in any way, and some say that when planning, it is very important to first cure this disease and then think about conception, because it is under no circumstances possible to treat the disease during pregnancy.

It is very important, if you want to get pregnant, to first consult a doctor to find out in what condition your cervix arrives, because in some situations, erosion quickly develops into cancer, and it needs to be treated as quickly as possible, because it is fatal .

Therefore, it is possible to conceive a child with erosion, but how it will manifest itself in the future during pregnancy and childbirth, no one can tell you for sure, it all depends on the individual characteristics of the body.

Is it possible to get pregnant after the moxibustion procedure?

Gynecologists say that a woman can become pregnant only if there are no malignant neoplasms. But this can only be done a year after the procedure. If cauterization was gentle, it does not leave scars on the uterus. But still, it’s best not to rush if you have never given birth before.

Remember that cervical erosion is not the cause of infertility or miscarriages.

Because it is located on the cervix, the fetus is located in the uterine area, it is reliably protected by amniotic fluid. The erosion does not come into contact with the fetus.

This disease occurs quite often in gynecology, it cannot be ignored, it must be treated, despite the fact that it is a small defect in the mucous membrane of the cervix and does not cause discomfort.

Modern medicine offers a large number of different innovative methods to choose from, but cauterization is still most often used. This method has been known since the 18th century; then use a special device that was well heated.

Now this method has been improved; it is safe, effective, and most importantly painless.

What types of moxibustions exist?

1. Laser coagulation.

2. Chemical coagulation.

4. Treatment of cervical erosion using electric current and radio waves.

A modern method of treating erosion is laser coagulation

A modern method is laser treatment, the procedure consists in the fact that a laser beam acts on the affected area in the mucous membrane of the cervix, as well as on the liquid that evaporates from the erosion cells. After the procedure, a crust forms, it heals completely within a week. Laser cauterization does not have side effects such as bleeding, scarring, or pain. Therefore, it is safe for women who have not yet given birth.

But the laser method is not available to everyone, because it is considered expensive; high-quality equipment is available only in a modern gynecological clinic.

Another innovative and effective method is the treatment of cervical erosion using high-frequency waves. With their help, the affected tissue is first cut and then cauterized, and painful cells are destroyed. Using this method, you can control the depth of the cut. With the radio wave method, a special radio knife, Surgitron, is used; it is an excellent disinfectant and pain reliever; with its help, the wound heals faster. Cauterization with radio waves protects against scarring.

Cryodestruction as a method of treating erosion

Cauterization with liquid nitrogen (cryodestruction) is often used; with the help of low temperatures, water, which is part of the affected cells, crystallizes, and they begin to die. Nitrogen is applied carefully and gradually, in a targeted manner, to keep tissues healthy. After cauterization with liquid nitrogen, a large amount of discharge and swelling may be observed. But this method is often used for women who have not yet given birth, because it does not create scars.

This method also has its drawbacks; it does not affect all affected tissues, so a woman cannot fully recover after it. Cryodestruction is contraindicated in cases of deep erosion and if the wound has an irregular shape.

Chemical coagulation for the treatment of minor erosion

In this case, erosion is cauterized with concentrated acids - nitric, acetic, oxalic, zinc salt. Chemical coagulation affects only the affected area and does not affect the healthy one. In this case, the affected tissues die.

After this procedure, various complications and inflammations do not occur, because dead tissue is healed and restored.

Cauterization of cervical erosion using argon

In this case, ionized gas is used; an electromagnetic field begins to actively act on the tissue that is affected, then it heats up well and is thus cauterized.

Cauterization with argon is an effective non-traumatic method, it is used for women who have not given birth, the formation heals well, no scars form on it, the procedure is painless and lasts a short time.

This procedure must be carried out immediately after menstruation. After it, dead tissues are formed, they are rejected and due to this, healthy ones are restored. The person recovers after two months.

Electric current is an affordable and effective method, but it has a big drawback: it causes scarring, so it is contraindicated for women who have not yet given birth.

What is the danger of untimely cauterization?

It is very important to do everything on time, and never self-medicate, because this will only worsen your situation and can lead to the formation of a malignant tumor.

If cervical erosion is not cauterized in a timely manner, large scars may form in the future, which will affect the process of childbirth.

Modern doctors select a treatment method that is individually suitable for the patient; reproductive function is preserved and the patient is protected from malignancy.

To prevent cervical erosion from reoccurring after cauterization, it is necessary to be constantly observed by your doctor for preventive purposes, and also not to be promiscuous, in this way you can protect yourself from infectious diseases.

It all depends on what type of cauterization was used for you, how the disease progressed, and how individually your body perceived this procedure. To avoid serious consequences after cauterization, you need to follow these simple rules:

1. You cannot engage in sexual relations for up to one month; if the procedure was complex, the period may be extended.

2. After cauterization, you should not wash with hot water or take a bath; it is best to take a warm shower.

3. Under no circumstances should you lift anything heavy.

4. For some time you should not be physically active or play sports.

6. You cannot go to the solarium, sauna, or swimming pool. It is also prohibited to sunbathe under ultraviolet rays and swim in different types of water.

7. You cannot use tampons, only those prescribed by your doctor.

8. Ultrasound for which a vaginal sensor is used, as well as other procedures in which something is inserted into the vagina, are prohibited.

If these rules are not followed, the epithelium may be damaged and blood vessels will be damaged.

It is very important to pay attention to the discharge that appears after cauterization; it can be watery or bloody. If there is a lot of bloody discharge and severe pain occurs in the lower abdomen or lower back, you should immediately consult a doctor, because this indicates damage to the blood vessels.

Please note that often after cauterization the menstrual cycle may be disrupted, this is normal, this is how the body reacts to the procedure. But, if the cycle does not return to normal within two months, this is already a deviation from the norm.

After cauterization, you need to constantly visit a doctor to monitor your health.

There are many traditional treatment methods that can be used to cure cervical erosion.

1. Treatment with honey, for this you need to wrap one teaspoon of honey in a bandage or gauze, make a tampon from it, tie it with a thread, insert it inside the vagina as deep as possible. This should be done at night, in the morning you will notice a little blood, this is normal.

2. One of the healing remedies is pumpkin, it should be consumed in different forms - boiled, raw, steamed, it is good to drink freshly squeezed juice on an empty stomach, cook porridge, jam, compote with it, make assorted salad. In case of cervical erosion, you need to peel the pumpkin from the pulp, rid it of the seeds, then put it in gauze and insert such a tampon into the vagina. Leave it overnight. This procedure must be done up to four times a week, and do not forget to consume pumpkin internally. Often, in addition to erosion, a woman is accompanied by cystitis, to get rid of it, you need to prepare a decoction of pumpkin seeds, to do this you need to grind 200 grams of them, pour 500 ml of boiling water, leave for 10 hours, and drink 100 ml 3 times a day.

3. An effective folk remedy for cervical erosion is a tincture based on. To prepare it, you need to take 50 grams of the plant - stems and leaves, and chop them finely. Pour 500 ml of vodka, leave for 14 days, be sure to stir every day. Then strain, drink before meals up to three times a day, a tablespoon.

4. This recipe treats cervical erosion well; for it you need to heat 100 grams of butter, wrap a long onion with a bandage, and tie a thread. After the butter has completely melted and is hot, you need to lower the onion into it for 8 minutes. Then use it as a tampon in the vagina at night. The course of treatment is 10 days. Before this procedure, it is very important to douche with an infusion based on calendula; to prepare it, you need to pour boiling water over the calendula flowers and leave for up to 4 hours. After douching, two hours should pass before inserting the bulb. In the morning it is very important to wash yourself well; it is recommended to use an infusion of onion peels. To prepare it, you need to pour 500 ml of boiling water over the husk and leave for one hour. This method helps to forget what cervical erosion is.

5. An effective recipe is this one, it will require aloe juice - 3 teaspoons, castor oil, honey. Prepare the mixture and insert a tampon overnight. The course of treatment is 15 days.

6. In the morning, douche well with the infusion, it will require a tablespoon of calendula flowers, 400 ml of boiling water, leave for 20 minutes, strain.

7. This mixture has a healing effect; to prepare it you will need rose hips, flour, and vegetable oil. Heat everything for 3 hours, don’t forget to stir. Strain and put tampons on overnight. The course of treatment is up to two weeks.

8. You can get rid of cervical erosion using blue water, for this you need to take one liter of purified water, pour it into an enamel bowl, add a tablespoon of burnt alum, ground copper sulfate powder, mix everything thoroughly, bring to a boil, boil for 15 minutes , cool. Blue water should come out; pour it into a dark bottle and store it in a cool place. Douche for up to 10 days before bed; you cannot douche during menstruation.

9. Cervical erosion can be cured using propolis; to do this, you need to moisten a tampon in a 3% propolis solution in alcohol. You need to press the tampon to the cervix, before the procedure, be sure to remove the mucus. You need to leave the tampon in for up to 12 hours. You need to be treated for 10 days. Please note that 10% propolis tincture must be diluted with water.

10. An effective remedy for cervical erosion is the following recipe; it requires a teaspoon of chopped onion, a tablespoon of chopped viburnum, add honey and vegetable oil. Place everything on a bandage, mix it in the mixture and place it in the vagina before bed. You need to perform the procedure 10 times every other day. If the number is odd, you need to insert butter into the vagina.

11. It’s good to douche with this solution; it will require St. John’s wort – 4 tablespoons, two liters of water, boil everything for up to 15 minutes, leave for half an hour.

12. For this recipe, you need to brew the bergenia root in a glass of boiling water, boil over low heat, and cook until all the liquid has completely evaporated. Drink 25 drops in the morning, afternoon and evening half an hour before meals. Can be used for douching; for this purpose, be sure to dilute with two glasses of warm water.

13. You can get rid of cervical erosion using this folk method; for it you need to mix oak bark, yarrow herb, rosemary leaf, and sage. Pour water over everything and boil for 20 minutes. You need to douche three times a day.

14. For douching, you can use nettle juice; for this, a tampon is moistened and inserted as deep as possible into the vagina.

14. You can douche every day with a decoction prepared on birch buds.

16. Since ancient times, the disease has been treated using this recipe. For it you need to take calendula tincture, propolis, lanolin, and mix everything. Put a tampon on at night, don’t forget to tie a thread to it.

18. This is an effective recipe, for it you need to take crushed peony root, pour in 500 ml of vodka, leave for one month in a dark and cool place. Drink the tincture up to three times a day 30 minutes before meals. The course of treatment is 40 days.

19. A decoction based on elm bark helps. To prepare it, you need to brew the bark in a glass of boiling water, strain, then dilute with a glass of water. Douche with this infusion.

20. For douching, you can also use this herbal mixture; it will require bird cherry, chamomile, wormwood, lavender, birch leaves, oak bark, sage, marigold flowers, cudweed. Brew everything in one liter of boiling water, leave for 3 hours.

22. Douching with eucalyptus tincture helps; for this you need to dilute a teaspoon of tincture in a glass of warm water.

23. For cervical erosion, an infusion prepared from mistletoe helps well.

An effective folk remedy for erosion - oil-based tampons

It is good to make tampons with sea buckthorn oil and linseed oil. Also, douche with an infusion based on yarrow. To prepare it, you need to pour 400 ml of boiling water over the herb, let it sit for 20 minutes, and wrap it in a towel. It is effective to alternate flaxseed and sea buckthorn oil.

Solar cure for cervical erosion

It will require 250 grams of calendula, 500 ml of vodka or alcohol. Leave for 14 days, always in the sun. Strain, in the morning dilute a teaspoon of tincture in 250 ml of warm water, douche for 20 minutes every day. This should be done after menstruation. Treated until the next menstruation.

Cervical erosion - consequences

If the disease is not treated in time, there can be disastrous consequences. Cervical erosion is quite common in females. Erosion is initially a benign pathology that forms in the cervix. This disease does not threaten a woman if it is treated in time, if she visits her doctor for preventive purposes, and does this up to twice a year.

First, the doctor may prescribe medications that can help relieve inflammation, then he will think about what to do in the future. Only a gynecologist will help you find out the cause of cervical erosion and select an individual method that will help you get rid of it - cryodestruction, laser, radio wave method, liquid nitrogen, etc.

Why can’t you start cervical erosion?

Due to the disease, various bacteria can multiply - chlamydia, candida, trichomonas, which begin to settle first in the ovaries, then in the uterus and cause the development of serious female diseases. It is because of this that a woman can develop infertility, because cervical erosion is a barrier and prevents normal conception.

Cervical erosion is dangerous because it can lead to the development of a malignant neoplasm. Cervical cancer is often observed at a young age, because many do not pay attention to cervical erosion and consider it a frivolous type of disease, but this is far from the case.

Of course, erosion is not a serious disease, but remember, this is a place where pathogenic microflora can settle, then it begins to penetrate into the ovarian area, into the uterus.

How to protect yourself from complications of cervical erosion?

In order to prevent infectious diseases and infertility, it is very important to constantly see a gynecologist and periodically undergo all tests prescribed by the attending physician. In order to detect pathology in a timely manner, it is necessary to undergo a biopsy, calposcopy, and cytological examination; with their help, you can clarify the diagnosis. If you have been diagnosed with cervical cancer, there is no need to worry, the initial stage is treatable.

Thus, cervical erosion in itself is not a life-threatening disease for a woman, but if an infection begins to accompany it, there can be serious consequences. It is very important to constantly monitor it with a doctor, especially for women who have not yet given birth, because cervical erosion can complicate conception, pregnancy, and most importantly, labor. Modern medicine offers safe methods for treating cervical erosion that can also be used by nulliparous women. This disease should not be taken lightly, because it can lead to the formation of a malignant tumor.

Some gynecological diseases do not have clear symptoms. How to detect signs of cervical erosion yourself?

is a defect in the mucous membrane of the cervix in the form of wounds and small ulcers. Erosion is a benign tumor and does not pose a clear threat to a woman’s health, subject to timely diagnosis and treatment.

Read our article about why the disease is dangerous and how to detect signs of cervical erosion.

Causes of erosion

First of all, it should be noted that erosion can be congenital or acquired.

Congenital erosion (pseudo-erosion of the cervix) occurs in teenage girls or young adults. It is believed that its appearance is caused by high levels of progesterone in the blood. This type of erosion can heal spontaneously on its own, or may worsen with the onset of sexual activity.

The most common causes of acquired erosion are sexually transmitted infections and inflammatory diseases in women; early onset of sexual activity; injuries during sexual intercourse, operations, childbirth; hormonal and immune disorders.

Cervical erosion is one of the most common diagnoses in the practice of obstetricians and gynecologists.

What does this mean?

Deformation of the mucous membrane of the cervix - opening the “gate” for pathogens. Ideal conditions are created on the affected tissues for the proliferation of candida, chlamydia, trichomonas and other pathogenic microflora. They can easily penetrate the uterus and ovaries.

In addition, damage to the cervix can prevent pregnancy or cause spontaneous miscarriage.

On the other hand, there is a possibility of oncological transformations in the tissues of the cervix, i.e., the degeneration of a benign process into cancer. Overall this risk is low. But an advanced, chronic inflammatory process, especially if a woman has the human papillomavirus HPV (types 16, 18, 31,33), the possibility of cervical cancer increases significantly.

Timely diagnosis and proper treatment allow you to avoid complications.

How to detect the disease?

Erosion itself is usually asymptomatic and is discovered by chance during a routine visit to the gynecologist. But the absence of any noticeable symptoms is characteristic only of a disease caused by mechanical damage.

A woman can detect signs of cervical erosion on her own. After all, erosion often occurs against the background of infectious processes, which are characterized by various secretions. This may be profuse leucorrhoea with an unpleasant odor, purulent, cloudy mucous or bloody discharge. They are found on underwear, appear after sexual intercourse, or lifting weights, and are often accompanied by itching, burning, and pain when urinating. During sex, slight pain may occur. If a woman is concerned about such symptoms, she should not postpone a visit to the gynecologist.

Reader Questions

18 October 2013, 17:25 Hello! I'm 14 days late. I took 3 pregnancy tests, all positive. From time to time there is a small light beige discharge, nagging pain and in general the abdominal pain does not bother me, the body temperature is normal. A month and a half ago, during an examination, I was diagnosed with erosion, they did a colposcopy and all the tests, they said that there was nothing wrong. Could I be pregnant in this case and could this discharge be due to erosion?

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At the first visual examination using a gynecological speculum, the doctor will confirm or deny the presence of erosion in the patient. To clarify the diagnosis and determine treatment tactics, it is necessary to take tests and undergo additional examinations. These include:

• Regular smear on flora
• Cytological examination (allows you to detect an inflammatory process or malignant formation)
• PCR diagnostics for basic
• Extended colposcopy
• Bacteriological culture of the vaginal microflora (shows the state of the microflora, helps to identify the culprit of the infection and determines the most effective medicine against it)
• Tests for HIV, hepatitis
• Biopsy (if malignancy is suspected)

Treatment of cervical erosion

Treatment tactics depend on the type, size of erosion and concomitant infections.

Congenital erosions require dynamic monitoring and most often disappear on their own. Acquired ones are treated using conservative and surgical methods.

To eliminate inflammation and infection, the patient is prescribed antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial drugs (chlorophyllipt, etc.), immunomodulators. For benign formations, the cervix is ​​treated with drugs that cause chemical coagulation at the site of the lesion.

Surgical methods include cauterization (diathermocoagulation, cryotherapy, laser therapy), radio wave surgery. Modern treatment methods can cure 99% of cases of erosion, but relapses are possible. Regular visits to the gynecologist allow you to promptly detect signs of cervical erosion or its relapse and take action.

What diagnosis does a gynecologist most often make for women? It will not be a secret to anyone that this is erosion or ectopia of the cervix.

The latter occurs in both adolescents and adult women. Moreover, the presence or absence of children is not decisive.

Is it possible to recognize the prerequisites for an incipient disease on your own, or is only an experienced doctor able to point out the advanced process?

It’s worth clarifying right away that you cannot put an equal sign between erosion and ectopia of the cervix, although together with endocervicosis in some sources these definitions are considered synonymous.

The first concept implies the presence of an ulcer or wound around the opening of the cervix. Ectopy refers to the replacement of one type of epithelium by another. In this regard, the symptoms and signs of cervical erosion and ectopia will differ.

How do diseases manifest themselves, their signs?

Considered the most harmless. No symptoms will indicate its presence. This form is detected only at the first appointment with a gynecologist. However, its diagnosis is complicated by the hymen.

Ectopia is characterized by a shift in the gap between the columnar and squamous epithelium. It is also called .

Upon examination in this case the cervix has a red “ring”. It clearly stands out against the background of the rest of the pink epithelium.

This form is caused by hormonal changes. This species does not particularly need treatment, but a routine examination by a female doctor is required 2 times a year. This is necessary to track the progress of this process.

A harmless form can, under the influence of certain factors, turn into true erosion, which entails unpleasant consequences.

The acquired form occurs due to the following factors:

• early and promiscuous sexual relations;
• mechanical damage, including consequences of abortion;
• hormonal disorders;
• consequences of endocrine and immunological changes;
• inflammatory processes and infectious diseases.

Depending on the nature of the disease, various symptoms occur. Thanks to the latter, a woman thinks about changes in the functioning of her body.

During examination, the gynecologist determines true erosion by characteristic manifestations– ulcers on the surface of the cervix.

The color will no longer be a uniform red, but interspersed. The affected area has an irregular shape.

What does cervical erosion look like during a chemical examination (for example, colposcopy): the affected areas will be clearly visible due to a change in color.

Gynecologist D. Lubnin about erosion and ectopia of the cervix:

Discharge and pain as companions of pathology

A little leucorrhoea is normal. in the functioning of the female reproductive system. Often they do not cause any discomfort.

But this happens exactly until they change in appearance or begin to be accompanied by a slight odor.

Depending on the color there are:

• brown or streaked with blood;
• white;
• yellow;
• green with an admixture of pus.

Brown or bloody discharge signal damage to the mucous membrane. They may indicate a transition from congenital erosion to true.

Often such phenomena occur due to damage to the epithelium due to rough sexual intercourse or careless douching.

In addition, the presence of blood may indicate incipient inflammation of the endometrium. Brown discharge is also dangerous because it can be the first signal.

Erosion is most often accompanied by the addition of other diseases. Thrush is a frequent companion. You will be notified of its occurrence white curd-like discharge. They are often accompanied by a characteristic sour odor.

With ectopia of the cervix, a decrease in immunity occurs. This phenomenon is a haven for the occurrence and progression of fungal diseases.

Yellow discharge indicate the addition of infection. This may be a staphylococcal pathology or a progressive one.

Green discharge– a consequence of the inflammatory process. Thick discharge occurs when purulent inflammation starts. They may appear due to trichomonas or gonorrhea.

What other symptoms are observed with cervical erosion, how does the disease manifest itself? In addition to discharge Pain may also be a warning sign of cervical erosion.

They are often not harsh. This may be a nagging pain in the lower abdomen. They may be accompanied by bleeding or may be avoided.

usually short in duration. They occur in influxes and often do not cause severe discomfort.

However, in any case, this is an alarm bell that you need to immediately contact a specialist.

Pain may also occur during sexual intercourse. It could be just discomfort or, conversely, a sharp outbreak that lasts about 30 seconds.

Tugging sensations can also bother you after intimacy. They are often accompanied by spotting brown discharge or small spots of blood in the general mass.

Changes in menstruation - another danger or normal

This disease is typical for women of reproductive age. Later, a natural replacement of one epithelium by another occurs.

Primary ectopia of the cervix cannot occur after 45-50 years, only consequences can come back to haunt you. The disease can cause disruptions in the menstrual cycle and even lead to infertility.

It often occurs due to changes in hormonal levels. However, at this stage, due to the peculiarities of development, she practically does not need treatment, but only observation.

Often she disappears, unless factors arise for its degeneration into a complicated form.

With this disorder, shortly before the onset of menstruation, bloody or brown spotting may bother you. It is small in volume and does not cause much inconvenience.

However, these factors may lead to increased pain during menstruation. The duration of the latter or the volume and nature of menstruation may increase.

With cervical erosion, the monthly cycle may be disrupted. The interval between the arrival of day “X” increases or, conversely, decreases.

Such changes may not be caused by ectopia as such, but by concomitant diseases - infectious, fungal or viral.

Cervical ectopia is not a death sentence. With the congenital form, constant preventive measures are necessary to help contain pathological changes in the woman’s reproductive system.

It would not be amiss to take measures to strengthen the immune system. Do not forget about constant monitoring under the mandatory supervision of a doctor.

Only a competent specialist will be able to see changes in time. The latter may entail degeneration of congenital erosion into acquired, and the stable course of the disease may give way to a complicated form.

Cervical erosion symptoms- this is a set of signs indicating the presence of a limited epithelial defect covering the vaginal surface of the cervix.

The part of the cervix accessible to normal external inspection, similar to the surface of the vagina itself, is covered with several layers of flat-shaped epithelial cells, and the cervical canal is lined from the inside with one row of columnar epithelial cells. The junction of the stratified epithelium of the cervix with the single-layer columnar epithelium of its canal is called the “transformation zone” or “transformation zone”. As a rule, it is not normally visualized, since it is located inside the external pharynx - a physiological narrowing of the cervical canal, accessible to external inspection.

Erosion is understood as the presence of a wound surface (ulcer) on the neck of a traumatic or inflammatory origin. However, the same term is often used to refer to false erosion - ectopia of the cervix. This confusion of terms is not a mistake, since both states represent different stages of the development of one process.

With the participation of traumatic factors (abortion, incorrect instrumental gynecological manipulations) or severe local infectious inflammation, a section of the integumentary epithelium on the cervix is ​​destroyed, exposing the underlying layers, that is, an open wound appears - true erosion. Like all other wound surfaces, it exists for a short time (no longer than 2 weeks), and then gradually begins to epithelialize.

Epithelization of the eroded surface is carried out from the reserve cells of the multilayered epithelium surrounding the erosion zone. However, sometimes restoration of the integrity of the epithelium covering the uterus occurs incorrectly - with the participation of columnar epithelium. It literally “slides out of the cervical canal and covers the resulting ulcer. Thus, a pathological area appears on the neck, but no longer a wound one, but formed by “wrong” cells - false erosion, or ectopia.

Since the cause of ectopia is true erosion, they are sometimes simply called “erosions.” True erosions heal quickly and are rarely diagnosed (2%). can exist on the cervix for years, they are found in every fifth patient with gynecological pathology.

The causes of erosion are not all known, but analysis of existing cases allows us to reliably confirm the influence of infection, mechanical damage and hormonal dysfunction.

Ectopia also includes congenital erosion. It appears in girls in utero and can go away on its own after puberty.

Uncomplicated erosions are rarely diagnosed, since most heal without external involvement and do not manifest clinically. More often (80%) doctors have to deal with complicated erosions (more precisely, ectopia).

Any erosion is clearly visualized during a simple examination; it looks like a spot of various sizes and shapes on the neck around the external pharynx, differing in color from the surrounding tissues. However, the presence of a modified area on the cervix may indicate many pathologies. For a detailed study of all the features of the pathological process, additional examination is required.

Symptoms of inflammation during cervical erosion correspond to the infection that caused them. Complicated erosion is necessarily accompanied by pathological discharge.

There is a misconception among patients about the mandatory connection between the appearance of erosion and childbirth. Symptoms of cervical erosion in nulliparous women are not associated with birth injuries to the cervix, but do not always differ from those in patients who have given birth. Cervical erosion, the symptoms of which appeared in the first days after childbirth, is always true, that is, it is a superficial wound or ulcer.

Any origin can recur. More often, cervical erosion recurs, the symptoms of which were eliminated incorrectly, regardless of the method. When, during the destruction of a pathologically altered area of ​​the mucosa, an “untreated” edge of erosion is left, the “irregular” cells remaining there become a source of re-formation of ectopia.

Cervical erosion (any) is not a disease, but a condition of the cervical mucous membranes. It occurs in little girls, pregnant women, women in labor and elderly women. Its cause determines what symptoms of cervical erosion are present in the patient.

Cervical erosion symptoms of discharge

Infrequently, true cervical erosion is found in diagnoses, the symptoms of which do not manifest clinically without the presence of concomitant infection. It is present on the cervix for a short time and does not manifest itself until complete healing, and the first signs often appear when an “incorrectly healed” area forms in its place - false erosion of the cervix. Symptoms of false erosion also do not appear clinically and may go unnoticed or be diagnosed accidentally.

The first subjective complaints with any erosion appear after it becomes infected. The patient develops pathological mucopurulent discharge (). The infection on the surface of the cervix comes from the vaginal epithelium with various origins, or “descends” from the overlying cervical canal with endocervicitis. The amount of leucorrhoea depends on the severity of infectious inflammation in the surrounding tissues. The erosion itself is not so large in area as to provoke significant leucorrhoea, but if the vagina and/or cervical canal are involved in the process, they become abundant.

Often, the presence of erosion on the cervix is ​​associated with the appearance of bloody contact discharge. The erosion zone during infectious inflammation becomes swollen, loose, and blood vessels damaged by the infection are exposed. Such erosion bleeds easily during sexual intercourse, douching, contact with gynecological instruments or vaginal tampons.

Often, with abnormal bleeding of any origin, patients believe that they are provoked by cervical erosion. Symptoms of significant bleeding are not typical for erosions.

Symptoms of cervical erosion during pregnancy

Erosion found in a pregnant woman can be:

- Innate. Uncomplicated congenital ectopia is asymptomatic and, if the patient has not been examined outside of pregnancy, is not diagnosed.

— Acquired ectopia of columnar epithelium. Before pregnancy, the patient could have had a true erosion, which subsequently epithelialized on its own and transformed into ectopia. Symptoms of cervical erosion in nulliparous women in the absence of complications do not manifest themselves clinically, so it can remain on the cervix for a long time and appear after pregnancy.

As a rule, when planning, patients come for examination. In this case, any cervical erosion detected in time, the symptoms of which are absent, is treated in advance. Otherwise, the diagnosis is made during pregnancy.

— Physiological, that is, caused by natural causes: estrogen deficiency and weakening of immune defense mechanisms.

The cause of its appearance does not affect what symptoms of cervical erosion are observed in pregnant women. As a rule, subjective signs are pathological, sometimes mixed with a small amount of blood after intimacy.

It is the presence of contact bleeding against the background of ectopia during pregnancy that is associated in patients with the likelihood of early termination of pregnancy, but the presence of erosion on the cervix in a pregnant woman does not pose any threat. Uncomplicated erosion in a pregnant woman is monitored, but does not require special therapy, and the issue of treatment is returned to after childbirth. Much more harm to the fetus can be caused by an infection in the vagina, which complicates the course of erosion. Many pathogenic microbes (especially pathogens of sexually transmitted infections) are able to overcome protective barriers on the way to the fetus, so it must be eliminated in a timely manner. In this case, during pregnancy, any erosion of the cervix, the symptoms of which indicate infectious inflammation, should not be left without treatment.

Symptoms of cervical erosion after childbirth

Postpartum true erosion of the cervix is ​​formed against the background of mechanical trauma, when the fetus passing through the birth canal tears the tissue of the cervix or tears it. In conditions of sharply reduced immunity, an acute infectious-inflammatory process begins on the damaged surface.

The first signs of true erosion after childbirth are found in women in labor at the site of damage to the cervix. After four days, in women in labor with good immunity, a small ulcerated surface begins to epithelialize on its own, and heals completely after 10-12 days. Extensive ulcers are closed with stitches.

Also, at the site of rupture or damage to the cervical mucosa during childbirth, complicated true erosion of the cervix is ​​formed, its symptoms correspond to the signs of infectious inflammation: severe hyperemia, swelling, a dense layer of purulent plaque on the damaged surface, fragility of blood vessels and bleeding.

Severe inflammation in the erosion zone provokes copious purulent discharge. Bloody or bloody discharge from the eroded surface, as a rule, is not noticed by women in labor against the background of physiological postpartum discharge. In the first few days of the postpartum period, healing processes of the wound surface remaining after the separation of the placenta from the uterine wall occur in the uterine cavity; this process is accompanied by bloody or dark spotting discharge - lochia. They “mask” bloody discharge from erosion.

The presence of postpartum erosion is often accompanied by deterioration in health, moderate fever, and vaginal pain.

Complicated true erosions that form in the first days after childbirth heal poorly on their own, so local wound healing and anti-inflammatory therapy is carried out in the postpartum ward. After preliminary cleansing of the wound with disinfectant solutions (Furacillin, Chlorhexidine), it is treated with antibacterial ointments (Sintomycin, Levomekol, Vishnevsky ointment). When the wound is completely free of infection, its epithelization begins.

When the wound surface of true postpartum erosion heals incorrectly, instead of the proper stratified squamous epithelium, columnar epithelium grows, which normally should remain in the cervical canal. Thus, after childbirth, false erosion of the cervix is ​​formed. The symptoms of postpartum ectopia, as well as methods of its treatment, do not have any distinctive features.

Symptoms after cauterization of erosion

“Cauterization” of cervical erosion (diathermocoagulation) is one of the “old” therapeutic methods, but is not inferior in effectiveness (93-98%) and ease of implementation to more modern methods. It is based on the ability of electric current to coagulate biological tissues.

The procedure is practically painless (there are no nerve endings on the cervix) and is performed once. The purpose of diathermocoagulation is complete destruction (destruction) of the surface layer of ectopia.

During the procedure, the electrode moves pointwise along the surface of the erosion. After each touch to the neck, a small burn zone remains; as the electrode moves, the burn zones merge together, and after the end of the procedure, at the site of ectopia on the neck, a scab of equal size remains - a dark crust consisting of burnt columnar epithelial cells. The scab is rejected after two weeks when the wound heals. The process of complete restoration of healthy tissue takes about three months. When epithelization ends, a healthy surface of the cervix remains in place of the former erosion, evenly covered with multilayered epithelium.

Like all other methods, diathermocoagulation is possible when the symptoms of inflammation during cervical erosion are eliminated.

Correctly carried out “cauterization” of erosion is usually not accompanied by serious complications. A small amount of serous or serous-bloody discharge after the procedure is not considered a complication. Sometimes such vaginal discharge may be present until the normal mucous layer is completely restored. If such discharge becomes abundant, before the scab is rejected, the cervix is ​​treated with a disinfectant solution, and after rejection - with wound healing agents.

During diathermocoagulation, a small “rim” of healthy tissue around the erosion is sometimes affected. This leads to minor and short-term (no longer than three days) bleeding.

Diathermocoagulation is not indicated for nulliparous patients. After the procedure, dense scars form on the cervix, and the cervix loses the ability to stretch well during childbirth. Also, complicated cervical erosion is not “cauterized.” Symptoms of infection are previously eliminated.