Contents:
- Medical Video: Cervical Cancer Staging
- What is cervical erosion?
- Cervical erosion characteristics that you must know
- Is cervical erosion dangerous?
Medical Video: Cervical Cancer Staging
Cervical or ectropion erosion is a health disorder commonly experienced by young women. Unfortunately, this condition is often overlooked because symptoms that appear tend to be minimal or asymptomatic. However, that does not mean you can take it for granted, because the development of cervical erosion can endanger health. Then, what are the characteristics of cervical erosion? Here's the explanation.
What is cervical erosion?
Cervical erosion is a condition in which glandular cells (soft cells) that line the inside of the cervix spread outside the cervix and become inflamed. In fact, on the outside of the cervix consists of squamous epithelial cells that tend to be harder. The outer area of the cervix that is in contact with glandular cells from inside the cervix is called the transformation zone.
Cervical erosion can be caused by hormonal changes in the body, generally due to pregnancy or the effect of taking birth control pills. Although the name is cervical erosion, this does not mean the cervix is eroding. This is only marked by normal squamous cells outside the cervix alternating with glandular cells from the softer cervix.
Cervical erosion characteristics that you must know
The most common symptom or characteristic of cervical erosion is inflammation of the cervix and transformation zone. Because the transformation zone has gland cells that are red, smooth, and easily eroded. This condition makes the internal organisms in the cervix more easily grow and multiply. As a result, the cervix looks more red and inflamed.
Most women do not experience symptoms of cervical erosion, even if they usually disappear by themselves without any treatment. However, there are also women who experience mild symptoms until they experience more severe discomfort.
The characteristics of cervical erosion that may be experienced by women include:
- It hurts during sex.
- Bleeding during or after sex.
- Very much vaginal discharge and does not smell. Leucorrhoea tends to smell if cervical erosion is infected.
- Blood spots that are not normal even though they are not menstruating.
- Pain and bleeding during or after a pelvic examination or pap smear. This usually occurs when a speculum is inserted into the vagina or during a bimanual examination.
However, it should be noted that the above symptoms do not always lead to cervical erosion. If you experience one or more of the symptoms above, it's best to immediately talk to your doctor to confirm the diagnosis.
Is cervical erosion dangerous?
Because cervical erosion often causes no symptoms, most women are not aware when experiencing it. Usually only known after undergoing a pelvic examination by a doctor. Even though it tends to be harmless, this condition still should not be underestimated. Because cervical erosion can be a result of other conditions, including:
- Infection
- Fibroids or polyps
- Endometriosis
- Problems with IUDs
- Development of cancer, such as uterine cancer or cervical cancer
To confirm the diagnosis, you can consult a doctor to undergo a medical procedure that suits your condition. Some of the examinations that might be offered are as follows:
- Pap smear, which is examination of cervical cells to see the possibility of changes in cancerous or precancerous cells leading to the HPV virus.
- Colposcopy, namely by examining the cervix using bright lighting and a magnifying device
- Biopsy, which is taking small tissue samples to be tested for suspected cancer cells. This procedure usually makes women feel cramps in certain parts.
