Symptoms of inflammation in the tubes can be abdominal pain on both sides and bleeding outside the menstrual period. The main signs and symptoms of acute fallopian tube inflammation are:
- Changes in the color or smell of the vaginal discharge; Pain during intimate contact; Pain in the pelvic region; Bleeding outside the menstrual period; Pain when urinating; Fever above 38 ° C; Pain in the back; Frequent urge to urinate; Nausea and vomiting.
Usually, the signs and symptoms of inflammation in the tubes come after menstruation in women with an active sex life, as they are caused by bacterial infections or sexually transmitted diseases, such as contamination by Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae . However, they can also appear before menstruation, after childbirth, in cases of abortion, after IUD placement or as a complication of gynecological surgery, for example.
In some cases, the infection may take a long time to pass, being called chronic salpingitis, which generates symptoms similar to those of acute salpingitis, but which last longer or appear recurrently after menstruation. Learn more about chronic salpingitis.
Main causes of salpingitis
Salpingitis can be a consequence of abdominal infections, in which the agents causing the infection, usually bacteria, reach the fallopian tubes, causing their inflammation and giving rise to symptoms. Usually the bacteria that cause salpingitis are the same bacteria that cause Chlamydia and Gonorrhea, for example, which are sexually transmitted diseases.
Women who use the Intrauterine Device (IUD) as a contraceptive method, have multiple partners or have undergone a pelvic procedure, are more likely to develop salpingitis.
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is closely related to salpingitis, however in addition to inflammation of the tubes, the uterus and ovary are also affected. The history of PID in women may increase their predisposition to salpingitis. Learn more about pelvic inflammatory disease.
How the diagnosis is made
The diagnosis of salpingitis is made through laboratory tests, such as checking the amount of white blood cells and C-reactive protein (CRP), which are increased when there is an infection, in addition to the microbiological analysis of vaginal secretion in order to verify the presence and identify the bacteria.
A pelvic exam is also performed by the gynecologist, such as hysterosalpingography, which is an image exam in which the fallopian tubes are visualized. Learn all about hysterosalpingography.
It is important that the diagnosis is made as soon as possible, so that treatment can begin and avoid complications, such as sterility, ectopic pregnancy and generalized infection. Therefore, it is important for women to undergo routine gynecological examinations, even if there are no symptoms of illness. See which are the 7 main exams requested by the gynecologist.
How to treat inflammation in the tubes
The inflammation in the tubes is curable and its treatment must be done with the use of antibiotics according to the orientation of the gynecologist and for about 7 days.
Thus, a woman with symptoms of inflammation in the tubes should immediately consult the gynecologist to start treatment and avoid complications such as infertility, hydrosalpingitis, generalized infection, ectopic pregnancy or abscesses in the ovaries and tubes.
In the most severe cases, it may be necessary to have surgery to remove organs that may be affected by the infection of the tubes, such as ovaries, uterus or tubes. See how the treatment for inflammation of the uterine tubes is done and what are the signs of improvement.
