Last Updated on June 4, 2020 by Nancy Carteron, MD, FACR
STD Symptoms – PID
Many women do not know that they have pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Some cases of PID may have no symptoms at all. It is possible for a woman to have PID and be asymptomatic or have symptoms too mild to notice for an unknown period of time.
People who experience an ectopic pregnancy or infertility often have had silent PID (asymptomatic PID).
PID can also be misdiagnosed as appendicitis, ectopic pregnancy, ruptured ovarian cysts or other problems.
When PID symptoms do occur, they can include:
- Bleeding after intercourse
- Bleeding between menstrual periods
- Burning or pain when urinating
- Chills
- Fatigue
- Fever (not always present; may come and go)
- Frequent urination
- Increased menstrual cramping
- Increased or changed vaginal discharge
- Irregular menstrual spotting
- Lack of appetite
- Long periods
- Nausea, with or without vomiting
- No menstruation
- Pain during vaginal intercourse
- Pain or tenderness in the lower abdomen or back
- Pain or tenderness in the pelvis
- Vaginal discharge with abnormal color, texture, or smell
If PID is not treated, it can cause serious problems such as infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and chronic pain.
The more times a woman has PID, the greater are her chances of becoming infertile.
PID is often difficult to identify because the symptoms seem like those of other conditions, such as appendicitis, urinary tract infections, ovarian cysts, and endometriosis.
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