Gynecological Inflammation in Women

Gynecological Inflammation in Women

Gynecological inflammation refers to inflammation of a woman’s reproductive organs, including the vulva, Bartholin’s glands, vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, and pelvic peritoneum, caused by various pathogens.

Causes

Gynecological inflammation is primarily caused by a combination of physiological and pathological factors.

Physiological factors include:

• The skin of the female vulva is delicate, rich in sweat glands, has many folds, is not exposed, and has poor ventilation, making it susceptible to pathogen attack.

• The female reproductive organs and abdominal cavity are connected to the outside world, allowing pathogens to enter the uterus through the vagina.

• The vagina contains a large number of lactobacilli, which break down glycogen to produce lactic acid, creating an acidic environment that is unfavorable for the growth of harmful bacteria. However, when local resistance is weakened, some bacteria and pathogens can take advantage of the situation.

• The vaginal opening is close to the urethral opening and anus, making it susceptible to contamination from urine and feces, which can easily breed bacteria.

• Due to menstruation, pregnancy, and other reasons, the cervix is immersed in irritating secretions for a long time, leading to epithelial shedding. This can cause various pathogens to hide in the cervical mucosal folds and glands.

Pathological factors mainly include:

• Poor hygiene during menstruation, use of unclean sanitary pads, and sexual intercourse during menstruation.

• Inadequate disinfection during uterine surgery.

• Damage to the cervix and vagina caused by procedures such as abortion and childbirth, leading to infection.

• The female vulva and vaginal mucosa are important organs involved in sexual activity, and sexual intercourse can cause local tissue damage or cross-infection.

Given the physiological and pathological causes of gynecological inflammation, women should address both aspects to resolve or prevent these conditions. Finding the true cause of the disease is crucial for maintaining optimal health when dealing with the troubles of gynecological inflammation.

Harms

Although gynecological inflammation is not a very serious disease, it can be troublesome and prone to recurrence. If not treated in a timely manner, it can also have extremely serious consequences.

• If inflammation is not treated promptly, it may lead to the spread and cross-infection of inflammation between various physiological parts. It can also cause many complications and even lead to malignant lesions in some parts.

• Untreated inflammation will keep the body in an inflammatory environment for a long time, which will have adverse effects on the immune function, metabolism, and endocrine system, and is extremely harmful to health.

• Some gynecological inflammations not only harm the woman herself but also affect her family. If a woman is pregnant, it can also cause intrauterine infection, birth canal infection, and other links to infect the newborn, resulting in miscarriage, premature birth, congenital malformations, mental retardation, and other serious consequences.

• Most gynecological inflammations are caused by problems with the woman’s uterus and ovaries, and the vagina is the only channel leading to uterine and ovarian lesions. Therefore, to have a healthy uterus and ovaries, the vagina must be healthy. Using a female care solution with a pH of 3 weak acid formula can better ensure the cleanliness and lubrication of the vagina. In this regard, the husband has an inescapable responsibility. Maintaining clean sexual life is also an important factor in protecting women. If you find that you have gynecological inflammation, you should seek treatment in time, because in addition to affecting your health, some gynecological inflammations can also make women unable to conceive and have children, causing lifelong regrets.

Treatment

Treating Gynecological Inflammation During Menstruation

(1) Sitz baths and tub baths are not recommended, and vaginal medication is strictly prohibited.
This is because during menstruation, the immune system is weakened due to the influence of hormone levels in the body. In addition, the acidity of the vagina is diluted by menstrual blood, which may promote the growth and reproduction of bacteria. Furthermore, during menstruation, the pelvic cavity is congested and the uterine lining sheds, which will form some wounds in the uterine cavity, making it easier for bacteria to invade.

(2) Various hormonal drugs should not be taken casually.
Otherwise, it will lead to a disordered endocrine system in the body, which will cause abnormalities in the menstrual cycle, duration of menstruation, and the amount of menstrual blood.

(3) Some anticoagulant drugs or drugs that inhibit platelet function, such as heparin and aspirin, should also be used with caution, as these drugs can also have the above effects.
However, for patients with gynecological diseases, they can take advantage of the menstrual period to use systemic medication to enhance the therapeutic effect. The vagina with accumulated blood during menstruation is very suitable for the growth and reproduction of bacteria, and even the original inflammation may be aggravated. At this time, the blood vessels in the uterus are full and open. If systemic medication can be used, a higher local drug concentration can be achieved. Therefore, for chronic pelvic inflammatory disease and other gynecological diseases that are more likely to recur, systemic medication can be continued during menstruation to consolidate the therapeutic effect.

The Best Time to Treat Gynecological Diseases

(1) Gynecological examinations are generally not performed during menstruation. This is because the cervix is slightly open and the uterine lining has wounds during menstruation. Performing a gynecological examination at this time can easily bring bacteria into the uterine cavity and cause inflammation of the reproductive organs such as the uterine lining and fallopian tubes.

(2) The best time for a gynecological examination is three days after the end of menstruation. It is best for the patient to wash the vulva with clean water before the visit, and to avoid sexual intercourse and vaginal medication the day before to avoid affecting the examination results.

(3) Special examinations and treatments should also be performed within 3-7 days after the end of menstruation. Women who are undergoing a fallopian tube patency test, inserting or removing a contraceptive ring, undergoing cervical treatment, or undergoing a hysteroscopy or hysterosalpingography should do so within 3-7 days after the end of menstruation, and sexual intercourse is prohibited during this period to prevent infection.

(4) A diagnostic curettage should be performed 12 hours before menstruation (predicted) or at the beginning of menstruation. When infertile patients undergo a diagnostic curettage to check whether the ovaries are ovulating, the uterine lining should be scraped 12 hours before menstruation (predicted) or at the beginning of menstruation, not after menstruation.

(5) A pregnancy test should be performed 50 days after menopause. When checking for pregnancy, you should see a doctor 50 days after menopause. At this time, the accuracy of the pregnancy test is higher, and a gynecological examination can find that the uterus of a pregnant woman is enlarged.

Prevention

Preventing common gynecological inflammations can reduce the harm they cause to women’s bodies in daily life and do the utmost to maintain good health. So, how can we prevent common gynecological inflammations in daily life? The following points should be followed:

(1) Avoid excessive scratching, rubbing, or washing with hot water to relieve itching. Do not use alkaline soaps for bathing, and do not repeatedly clean the vulva or douche the vagina with bath agents, which can cause changes in the vaginal pH, lead to an imbalance of the normal vaginal flora, and thus destroy the acidic antibacterial barrier of the vagina. Do not abuse strong irritating hormonal external medications.

(2) Underwear should be soft and loose, preferably made of cotton. Avoid wearing down, nylon, and wool clothing close to the skin. Avoid washing underwear and socks together. Pay attention to keeping the vulva clean and dry, especially during menstruation. Do not wear synthetic fiber underwear.

(3) Avoid the extensive use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, which can lead to an imbalance of the normal vaginal flora. Give up the abuse of antibiotics: Taking antibiotics for a cough, fever, or headache? Little do they know that antibiotics may inhibit some beneficial bacteria, and mold will take the opportunity to multiply in large numbers. Therefore, use antibiotics with great caution.

(4) Molds can multiply in large numbers on the skin surface, in the gastrointestinal tract, and in the nails. If family members or you have tinea pedis, onychomycosis, etc., it is easy to cause cross-infection of molds.

(5) Be wary of washing machines. Almost every washing machine tub hides mold, and the more frequently the washing machine is used, the more mold there will be.

(6) Pay attention to care during pregnancy. During pregnancy, sex hormone levels, vaginal glycogen, and acidity will all increase, making it easy to be invaded by mold. For pregnant women, it is not advisable to use oral medications, but to choose local prevention and adjuvant treatment plans. If the above preventive measures are taken in daily life, the dark clouds of gynecological inflammation will eventually be broken.

Dietary Considerations

Diet is very important for gynecological inflammation because it is a part of people’s daily lives. Starting with diet, gynecological inflammation can be cured, and those who are not sick can also prevent it. If the diet for gynecological inflammation is well-managed, the disease can be quickly improved and completely recovered. If it is not well-managed or not taken seriously and allowed to develop, the consequences will be unimaginable! Now, let’s talk about the dietary considerations for gynecological inflammation:

Ensure protein supply, providing 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, but animal protein should be limited. Pay attention to the supply of vitamins, such as vitamin E, vitamin D, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin B12, and vitamin B1, which can often avoid urinary tract stones and alkaline urine and reduce the predisposing factors of this disease.

At the same time, the specific foods that patients with gynecological inflammation should avoid are mainly:

• Meats: Cured meat and lamb.

• Aquatic products: Loach, dried shrimp, shrimp skin, abalone, sea cucumber, river shrimp, seaweed, snail, river clam, fat choy, and portunid crab.

• Vegetables: Leeks, crown daisy, cilantro, shepherd’s purse, fennel, wood ear, cirsium, and alfalfa.

• Bean products: Dried tofu.

• Medicinal foods: Houttuynia cordata, cinnamon, glehnia root, cassia bark, panax notoginseng, safflower, plantago, schisandra, and dried ginger.

• Seasonings: Curry, Sichuan pepper, and fennel seeds.

• Fruits: Durian and sour jujube.

• Dried fruits: Sesame and almonds.

• Others: Green tea, flower tea, and black tea.

In addition, we should pay more attention to a light diet and avoid eating stimulating foods such as mutton, shrimp, crab, eel, salted fish, and blackfish. Avoid spicy and stimulating foods and beverages such as chili, Sichuan pepper, raw onions, raw garlic, and white wine. Forbid eating hot, coagulating, and hormone-containing foods such as longan, red dates, ejiao, and royal jelly.