Definition and symptoms of salpingo-oophoritis

Salpingoophoritis, or adnexitis, is a disease characterized by inflammatory processes in the uterine appendages.

Salpingoophoritis: causes

It is an infectious disease caused by viruses or protozoan microorganisms (chlamydia, mycoplasmas, bacteroids, etc.) penetrating various pathways into the ovaries and fallopian tubes. The disease can affect only one or at once two appendages. In the latter case, doctors diagnosed "bilateral salpingo-oophoritis". Most often, bacteria and viruses enter the appendages through the vagina during intercourse, childbirth, or in the conduct of therapeutic or diagnostic procedures. Also, the infection can be entered from the side of the abdominal cavity, for example after an appendicitis rupture, or through the vessels of the lymphatic or circulatory system in diseases such as angina or tuberculosis.

In most cases, microorganisms (50-80%) become the cause of the development of the disease: mycoplasmas, E. coli, chlamydia, gonococci, aerobic streptococci. Most often (in 70% of cases) the symptoms of salpingo-oophoritis are manifested in women younger than 25 years. The risk factors for this disease include:

• bad habits;
• Frequent changes of sexual partner;
• Use of intrauterine caps;
• Wearing too tight underwear;
• Frequent stress;
• Physical and mental stress;
• Supercooling;
• Presence of other chronic diseases;
• Sexual intercourse during menstruation.

The disease can occur in both acute and chronic forms. In almost 20% of cases, the disease becomes the cause of infertility. In addition, it increases the risk of an ectopic pregnancy in a woman 6-10 times. The reason for this is the obstruction of the fallopian tubes caused by the formation of adhesions in them or in the ovaries.

Common symptoms of salpingoophoritis:

• Increased body temperature;
• headache;
• drowsiness;
• Lethargy;
• Influenza-like condition, which, however, does not have any symptoms of respiratory damage.

As mentioned earlier, this disease has a sharp and chronic form. What is characteristic, the symptoms of both are very similar, differ only in severity. However, there are some differences.

Symptoms of salpingo-oophoritis with acute course

The main symptom of this disease is a pulsating, spasming or stitching pain in the lower abdomen. In chronic salpingo-oophoritis, the general symptoms described above are more pronounced, including a sudden increase in body temperature to 38-39 degrees. Blood tests indicate changes in the leukocyte formula and an unreasonable increase in the rate of erythrocyte sedimentation.

Symptoms of salpingo-oophoritis with chronic course

The manifestations of chronic salpingo-oophoritis are more lubricated. Even the pain in the lower abdomen does not have a specific localization, giving simultaneously to the vagina, groin or sacrum. Often there are discharge of a different etiology. In the period between exacerbations, the disease manifests itself in various disorders of the menstrual cycle: irregularities, changes in the number and nature of secretions, soreness.