Cervix Symptoms: Causes

What causes cervix symptoms?

A variety of conditions can cause cervix symptoms including inflammation, infection, injury, allergy, precancerous cellular changes, and cervical cancer.

Infectious causes of cervix symptoms

Cervix symptoms may be caused by infections including:

• Bacterial vaginosis (an imbalance of bacteria in the vagina leading to overgrowth of certain types of infections)
• Chlamydia (sexually transmitted disease caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis)
• Gonorrhea (sexually transmitted disease caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae)
• Herpes simplex virus (HSV) type I or II infection
• Human papilloma virus (HPV, the virus that causes genital warts) infection
• Streptococcus or Staphylococcus infection
• Trichomoniasis (sexually transmitted disease caused by the protozoan parasite Trichomonas vaginalis)

Other causes of cervix symptoms

Cervix symptoms can also be caused by conditions including:

• Allergic reactions (often due to latex or spermicide allergies)
• Cervical cancer
• Cervical dysplasia (precancerous changes of the cervical cells)
• Cervical ectropion (extension of the glandular tissue that line the cervical canal onto the surface of the cervix)
• Chemical irritation due to exposure to components in spermicides, lubricants or feminine hygiene products
• Mechanical irritation due to a device resting on the cervix, such as a diaphragm, cervical cap, or pelvic support device (pessary)

Serious or life-threatening causes of cervix symptoms

In some cases, cervix symptoms may be a symptom of a serious or life-threatening condition that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting. These include:

• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID, infection of a woman’s reproductive organs)
• Pelvic trauma

Questions for diagnosing the cause of cervix symptoms

To diagnose your condition, your doctor or licensed health care practitioner will ask you several questions related to your cervix symptoms including:

• When did you first notice your cervix symptoms?
• How often do they occur?
• Do you have any other symptoms?
• Have you experienced any vaginal or pelvic trauma?
• Are you sexually active?
• Have you ever had an abnormal Pap smear?
• Have you ever been diagnosed with cervical cancer?
• What medications are you taking?

What are the potential complications of cervix symptoms?

Because cervix symptoms can be due to serious diseases, failure to seek treatment can result in serious complications and permanent damage. Once the underlying cause is diagnosed, it is important for you to follow the treatment plan that you and your health care professional design specifically for you to reduce the risk of potential complications including:

• Deterioration of bowel or bladder function
• Ectopic pregnancy (life-threatening pregnancy growing outside the uterus)
• Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome (inflammation around the liver)
• Infertility
• Permanent of chronic pelvic pain
• Spread of cancer
• Spread of sexually transmitted infection to a partner
• Tubo-ovarian abscess (abscess of the ovary and fallopian tube)

References:

Cervicitis. PubMed Health. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002464/. Accessed May 13, 2011.

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment/2010/default.htm. Accessed May 13, 2011.