Can cervicitis be detected through vaginal discharge examination? What are the diagnostic methods for cervicitis

The occurrence of cervicitis causes special distress for many women, affecting their normal life and health. After experiencing physical abnormalities, we should first undergo an examination, and the correct examination method is also important.

Can a vaginal discharge test detect cervicitis

One of the most typical symptoms of cervicitis is an increase in vaginal discharge. Therefore, when women discover this abnormal condition in their bodies, they believe that they can undergo a routine examination for cervicitis through vaginal discharge. Routine examination for vaginal discharge is a type of gynecological examination. However, routine examination of vaginal discharge is not a method for detecting cervicitis, but a method for detecting vaginitis.

Examination methods for cervicitis

1. Ask the patient about their clinical manifestations: The main symptom of cervicitis patients is an increase in vaginal discharge, with some patients presenting as the only symptom. In addition, there are also some symptoms of acute and chronic cervicitis. Usually, acute cervicitis with vaginal discharge is purulent, and patients often have bladder irritation symptoms such as lower abdominal and lumbosacral pain, frequent urination, urgency, and pain. Chronic cervicitis with vaginal discharge is milky white, mucous or light yellow, purulent. Some severe patients also have bleeding symptoms, mostly worsening after defecation and sexual intercourse.

2. Normal gynecological examination: Cervicitis is a local inflammation of the cervix. Usually, patients have a lot of purulent secretions in the lower vagina, which are mostly discharged from the cervical canal. Additionally, during gynecological examinations, if the cervix is touched, the patient may experience pain. If accompanied by cervical erosion or polyps, there may be contact bleeding.

3. Smear examination of cervical secretions: For patients with cervicitis, a large number of pus cells can be seen during examination and culture of the smear, and bacteria can be found during Gram staining; Secretion culture can cultivate pathogenic bacteria. The main operation is to wipe off the secretions on the outer surface of the cervix, insert a small cotton swab into the cervical canal to remove an appropriate amount of secretions, and paint the secretions with blue staining to help identify the pathogen causing cervicitis.

4. Pathological examination of cervical tissue: According to gynecological experts, cervicitis is caused by the shedding of cervical squamous epithelium, excessive secretion of endometrial glands, and infiltration of a large number of neutrophils in the stroma and around the glands. Neutrophils in patients with severe cervicitis can invade the surface layer and also reach glandular epithelial cells. The examination results showed tissue edema, vascular dilation and congestion. In clinical practice, pathological examination is generally not performed during acute inflammation.