Intimate Health Care For Women |
Beating Your PID : How Your Doctor Can Help - And What You Can Do ! |
When it comes to treating pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) there are a number of antibiotics that can help. Often the drug your doctor chooses will be based on your personal health history and your test resutls. Broad-spectrum antibiotics are the most commonly recommended treatment, as they can cover the likely pathogens or germs causing your infection. Treatment may sometimes include antimicrobial agents to treat gonorrhea, chlamydia, streptococci and other gram-negative bacteria.· Ofloxacin (oh-flox-ah-sin) tablets (FLOXIN) can be used alone to treat PID. · Aggressive treatment of PID is recommended for women with HIV who may be more likely to require surgical intervention. · Sex partners of patients who have PID should be examined and treated if they have had recent sexual contact to avoid re-infection. Your Follow Up Care: What To Do Take all medications as directed. You may need a follow-up exam 48 to 72 hours after start of treatment to make sure the medicine is working. · You should also return for another exam after completion of treatment to make sure the infection is completely gone. In addition, be certain to tell your partner to get tested and treated, since your infection could be linked to an infection he harbors in his body. Remember, too, not to have sex until you have both been tested and treated. Reducing Your Risk of PID: What You Can Do Abstain from sex Use latex condoms for vaginal, oral and anal sex from the very beginning of sexual contact until there is no longer skin contact. · Mutual monogamy (have sex with only one uninfected partner). Multiple sex partners can increase your risk for getting any STD and developing PID. · Have regular check-ups if you are sexually active · If you have an STD, do not have sex (oral, vaginal or anal) until all partners have been treated and cured. Treatment and follow-up are important steps in breaking the disease cycle. · Water-based spermicides (foams, jellies, creams, or suppositories) can be used along with latex condoms for additional protection during vaginal intercourse. Use of spermicide is not recommended nor found to be effective for oral or anal intercourse.· Since PID can be transmitted even if the penis or tongue does not completely enter the vagina, mouth or rectum, using latex condoms from the beginning of sexual contact until there is no longer skin contact is the best form of prevention. Protection From PID: What It's Important One important reason to protect yourself from PID is that it can be a leading cause of infertility. Even if you are not interested in getting pregnant right now, you should always keep your options open by protecting your reproductive system. Currently, as many as 10 percent of women infected with PID will not be able to have children as a result of scarring or damage to cells lining the fallopian tubes. · PID can also increase your risk of: Cystitis (inflammation of the urinary bladder) · Ectopic (tubal) pregnancy · Recurrent episodes of PID · Chronic pelvic pain Talking To Your Partner About PID Telling a partner can be hard, but keep in mind that most people with an STD don't know they have it. It's important that you talk to your partner as soon as possible so she or he can get treatment. Men are more likely than women to have symptoms of chlamydia or gonorrhea (two STDs that cause PID). It is also possible to pass PID back and forth, so if you get treated and your partner doesn't, you may get infected again. You should also talk to your doctor if you think you could be at risk for PID. Because this disease often does not have symptoms, you may need to talk to your doctor or nurse about whether or not you should be tested. If you are having unprotected sex or discover that your partner is having unprotected sex with another person, you may want to ask your doctor or nurse about being tested. More information If you have additional questions about PID, call the CDC National STD and AIDS Hotlines at 1-800-342-2437 or 1-800-227-8922. The hotlines are open 24 hours per day, seven days a week. For information in Spanish call 1-800-344-7432, 8:00 AM to 2:00 AM Eastern Time, seven days a week. For the Deaf and Hard of Hearing call 1-800-243-7889, 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. Find information about other STDs Adapted From : American Social Health Research |
