Cervicitis

What is cervicitis?

Cervicitis is inflammation of your cervix due to infection or other irritants. When the tissue of your cervix is inflamed, it becomes swollen and may bleed more easily. It can cause symptoms like a pus-like vaginal discharge, irregular vaginal bleeding or pain during sex. Some people don’t experience any symptoms at all. Most cases of cervicitis happen due to a bacterial infection, but you can get it anytime something irritates your cervix.

Keeping tabs on what’s normal for vaginal health may feel weird. But it’s important because it helps you notice when something is unusual. Since cervicitis is a common condition, healthcare providers can usually identify it easily during an examination. And because cervicitis may not give you symptoms, seeing your provider regularly for exams (even when you think nothing is wrong) is important.

Types of cervicitis

Cervicitis can be acute or chronic:

• Acute cervicitis starts suddenly. Sexually transmitted infection (STIs) or other infectious bacteria are the most common causes of it. Symptoms may be more noticeable. Treatment typically involves antibiotics.
• Chronic cervicitis lasts several months. Symptoms may be more mild or not noticeable at all. It’s usually not caused by STIs or infection. Rather, the causes are irritants (or allergens) in things like feminine products and latex condoms, or from leaving things like cervical caps inside your vagina too long.

How common is cervicitis?

It’s hard to say exactly how common cervicitis is, but healthcare providers know it’s very common. Some studies suggest that up to half of all people assigned female at birth (AFAB) will have cervicitis at some point in their lives.

How do you know if you have cervicitis?

The only way to know for sure if you have cervicitis is to have an evaluation from your healthcare provider. Cervicitis symptoms to watch for include:

• Abnormal vaginal discharge that may be yellow (pus-like), white or gray and have an unpleasant odor.
• Itching.
• Unexpected light vaginal bleeding between periods or after sex.
• Painful sexual intercourse (dyspareunia).

Not everyone gets symptoms of cervicitis or knows they have it. That’s why regular gynecological exams and testing for STIs (if necessary) are essential so that your healthcare provider can detect cervicitis.

What is the main cause of cervicitis?

Infections that pass from person to person through sexual activity cause most cases of acute cervicitis. Common causes of acute or infectious cervicitis include:

• Chlamydia (About 40% of cervicitis cases are related to chlamydia).
• Gonorrhea.
• Genital herpes.
• Trichomoniasis.

Causes of noninfectious or chronic cervicitis have little or nothing to do with sexual activity. Common causes are:

• Chemical irritation from spermicides or douches, or the latex in condoms.
• Reaction to things that go inside your vagina like diaphragms, tampons or vaginal pessaries.
• Bacterial imbalance or bacterial vaginosis. This is when bacteria in your vagina are off balance and cause an infection.

Is cervicitis contagious?

Yes. You can pass acute (infectious) cervicitis to your sexual partners. You can avoid spreading it by not having sex for at least seven days after receiving treatment or being completely symptom-free.

Can you get cervicitis without an STI?

Yes. An STI isn’t the only cause of cervicitis. Allergies, irritants and bacteria that naturally occur in your vagina (noninfectious cervicitis) can cause some cases.

Is cervicitis a type of HPV?

No. But HPV (human papillomavirus) can cause cervicitis.

Who is at risk for cervicitis?

People who have multiple partners or who don’t use condoms or dental dams during sex are at a higher risk for cervicitis. Those with a history of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), or who have partners with a history of STIs, are also more likely to get cervicitis.

What are the complications of cervicitis?

Cervicitis isn’t usually life-threatening, but getting proper medical care can help you avoid complications.

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is one of the more serious complications of cervicitis. This type of infection can cause scarring in your uterus, ovaries or fallopian tubes. Scarring can cause complications like pelvic pain, infertility or ectopic pregnancy.

Your risk of STIs (including HIV/AIDS) also increases if you have untreated cervicitis. This is mostly because an irritated or inflamed cervix may let viruses and bacteria into your body and bloodstream more easily.

How is cervicitis diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider can diagnose cervicitis during a pelvic exam. During your appointment, your healthcare provider will look for:

• Any redness or inflammation on your cervix.
• Pus-like discharge.
• Inflammation of your vaginal walls.

Your provider will also take a sample of your vaginal discharge and send it to a lab for analysis. To do this, they place a cotton swab into your vagina and collect fluid. Then, a pathologist tests the discharge for infection.

Does cervicitis show up on a Pap smear?

A Pap test can offer clues that could lead to diagnosis, but it’s not a test for cervicitis. A Pap smear is helpful in that it allows your healthcare provider to see changes in the cells of your cervix that may point to dysplasia or cancer. But it can’t diagnose cervicitis or what’s causing it.

What can be mistaken for cervicitis?

Many other conditions have similar symptoms to those of cervicitis like inflammation, irregular discharge, odor and itching. Some of these conditions are:

• Vaginitis.
• Yeast infection.
• Bacterial vaginosis.

How do you treat cervicitis?

Cervicitis treatment usually includes antibiotics to eliminate any bacterial infections or STIs that may be causing the condition. Antibiotics successfully treat cervicitis in most cases. Antivirals may be helpful in managing symptoms of cervicitis if genital herpes is the cause. If an STI was the cause, be sure to tell your sexual partners so they can also receive treatment.

You may not need any treatment if allergens or other irritants are the cause of cervicitis. Simply eliminating the product or irritant is usually enough. If the cause was due to leaving something inside your vagina, your healthcare provider will remove the object and recommend further treatment if necessary.

What antibiotic treats cervicitis?

The antibiotic your provider prescribes depends on the cause of cervicitis. For example, doxycycline treats chlamydia. Ceftriaxone treats gonorrhea. A medication called metronidazole is effective when the cause is due to bacterial vaginosis or trichomoniasis.

How long does it take for cervicitis to heal?

It can take up to two weeks for cervicitis to clear up. You should take your antibiotics exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider to ensure the infection is completely gone. Follow your provider’s instructions about when you can engage in sexual activity again.

How can I reduce my risk of cervicitis?

Though you can’t always prevent cervicitis, you can reduce your risk by practicing safe sex. Using condoms every time you have intercourse will drastically reduce your risk of sexually transmitted infections. You can also make sure to visit your healthcare provider on a regular basis for a gynecological exam and STI testing (if you’re sexually active).

If you insert things like tampons or diaphragms into your vagina, be sure to remove them when it’s time (according to the directions). You should also avoid using any personal care products that irritate your vagina.

What can I expect if I have cervicitis?

Cervicitis is a common and treatable condition that goes away within a few weeks with proper treatment. Noninfectious causes may not need any treatment. Follow your healthcare provider’s treatment instructions, even if you don’t have symptoms or your symptoms go away. While receiving treatment, avoid having sex so that you don’t spread the infection to your partner. To prevent cervicitis in the future, practice safe sex and be diligent about visiting your gynecologist for routine exams and STI testing.

When should I see my healthcare provider?

Anytime you notice unusual symptoms, such as unusual vaginal discharge, irritation or painful sex, you should make an appointment with your healthcare provider. Additionally, be sure you’re scheduling routine exams with your gynecologist. Some people don’t experience cervicitis symptoms, so regular checkups are important.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

You know your body and what’s normal for you. If you think you may have cervicitis, schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider right away. Not everyone has symptoms, though. For this reason, prioritize seeing your healthcare provider regularly so they can detect signs of cervicitis or other conditions that affect your vagina. Left untreated, cervicitis can cause complications. The good news is that cervicitis is treatable with antibiotics. You can reduce your risk of getting cervicitis by practicing safe sex.