What is the difference between cervicitis and cervical erosion in women? How to prevent cervical erosion and cervicitis?

In life, cervical erosion is the "darling" of female gynecological diseases, and cervicitis is also a common disease in women of childbearing age. Many people cannot tell the difference between cervical erosion and cervicitis, and mistakenly think that the two are the same disease. In fact, there are two types of cervicitis: acute and chronic. Chronic is more common in clinical practice. Cervical erosion is a manifestation of chronic cervicitis. What are the obvious differences in the pathogenesis and symptoms of cervicitis and cervical erosion?

Is cervicitis the same as cervical erosion?

Cervicitis is not necessarily cervical erosion, but incomplete treatment of acute cervicitis can lead to cervical erosion. In addition to affecting women's pregnancy, cervicitis may also cause cancer. Therefore, it is recommended that patients choose a regular hospital for thorough treatment as soon as possible. Cervical erosion is different from cervicitis. Cervical erosion is a manifestation of chronic cervicitis.

Cervicitis is medically divided into acute cervicitis and chronic cervicitis. Improper or incomplete treatment of acute cervicitis may lead to chronic cervicitis. Chronic cervicitis is the most common type of inflammation of the female reproductive organs, with a high incidence rate, accounting for more than half of married women.

The difference between cervicitis and cervical erosion

1. Different clinical symptoms

The main symptom of cervicitis is increased vaginal discharge. Due to different pathogens, the scope and degree of inflammation, the vaginal discharge can be milky white mucus, or light yellow purulent, sometimes bloody or bleeding after sex. When the inflammation spreads to the pelvic cavity, back pain and lower abdominal pain may occur. Gynecological examinations can show varying degrees of erosion, hypertrophy, glandular cysts or polyps on the cervix.

Cervical erosion is one of the most common lesions in uterine inflammation. Clinically, it is divided into three degrees according to the size of the cervical erosion area: mild, the erosion area does not exceed 1/3 of the entire cervical area; moderate, the erosion area accounts for 1/3-2/3 of the entire cervical area; severe, the erosion area accounts for more than 2/3 of the entire cervical area. According to the depth of the erosion, it can be divided into three types: simple type, granular type and papillary type. Cervical erosion and early cervical cancer are difficult to distinguish from the appearance, and a cervical smear examination must be performed, and a biopsy must be performed if necessary to confirm the diagnosis.

2. Different causes of disease

Cervicitis is caused by childbirth, abortion or surgical injury to the cervix. The main pathogens are staphylococci, streptococci, Escherichia coli and anaerobic bacteria, followed by gonorrhea and tuberculosis. Among the protozoa, there are trichomonas and ameba. In special cases, it is caused by chemical substances and radiation.

The causes of cervical erosion include mechanical stimulation or injury, such as cervical inflammation caused by sexual intercourse, miscarriage and delivery lacerations and bacterial invasion; pathogen invasion, commonly common pyogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus aureus, Gonorrhea, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, viruses, actinomycetes, Trichomonas, and Ameba can all cause cervical erosion.

How to prevent cervical erosion and cervicitis

1. Eat a healthy diet

Pay attention to nutrition in your diet, make a reasonable combination, and don't eat partial food. Drinking tea in daily life can prevent and improve gynecological inflammation. Herbs such as Cistanche deserticola, Epimedium, and Lithospermum officinale have the effects of anti-inflammatory and sterilization, clearing dampness and heat, removing odor, relieving itching, and replenishing qi and blood.

2. Pay attention to hygiene during menstruation and sexual life

Sexual activity should be moderate and not too frequent. Twice a week is appropriate for young women. Sexual intercourse is prohibited during menstruation. It is not advisable to have sex too early after abortion, childbirth, or uterine surgery. Both men and women should develop the habit of cleaning their external genitalia before and after each sexual intercourse.

3. Avoid sexual disorder

Many reports have shown that early sexual age and disordered sexual life are direct high-risk factors for cervical cancer. Early sexual age refers to having sexual life before the age of 18, and the incidence rate is 13.3 times higher than those who have sexual life over the age of 25, while disordered sexual life refers to having multiple sexual partners.

4. Late marriage and late childbearing

Cervicitis and neck cancer mostly occur in married women and rarely in unmarried people, which shows that it is closely related to sexual life. Delaying the age of sexual life can reduce the relative risk.

5. Regular gynecological examinations

The benefit of women developing a habit of regular gynecological examinations is to effectively prevent the occurrence of gynecological inflammation and to treat it in time. Since cervical erosion and early cervical cancer are difficult to distinguish with the naked eye, if cervical inflammation is found during the examination, timely treatment should be given to avoid cervical erosion.