Erosion is a defect in the epithelial cover of the vaginal part of the cervix.
There are true and false erosion of the cervix.
True erosion refers to acute inflammatory diseases of the female genital organs and is a frequent companion of cervicitis and vaginitis. It occurs, as a rule, against the background of general inflammation in the cervix caused by sexual infections or the conditionally pathogenic flora of the vagina, under the influence of mechanical factors, malnutrition of the cervical tissue, menstrual disorders, hormonal levels, etc.
Erosion is located within the opening into the uterus and proceeds, most often, asymptomatically. Less often, pathological discharge (leucorrhoea) may appear due to the addition of an inflammatory process, bloody discharge after intercourse. If true erosion is not treated for several days or treated incorrectly, then it becomes false. This usually happens after 7-10 days.
False erosion (pseudo-erosion or ectopia) is, as it were, a response of the body to the appearance of erosion. The body tries to replace the defect in the mucous membrane of the vaginal (outer) part of the cervix due to the growth of the cylindrical epithelium lining the uterine (inner) part of the canal.
It includes the obligatory exclusion of sexual infections, such as chlamydia, ureaplasma, mycoplasma, Trichomonas, gonococcus, papillomavirus, etc. A smear is taken for the purity of the vagina, bacteriological culture for opportunistic pathogenic flora, oncocytology to exclude cancerous degeneration of altered tissue, and some others.
Local and general anti-inflammatory therapy is prescribed, if an infection is detected, antibacterial and immunostimulating therapy is prescribed. As a rule, vaginal treatments and tampons with medicinal products, as well as all kinds of physiotherapy techniques, especially laser magnetic and ultrasound therapy, give a good effect.
In the absence of the effect of conservative therapy, diathermocoagulation and the radio wave method (“burning out” of damaged tissues with the help of electric current), cryodestruction (freezing of altered tissues with liquid nitrogen), and laser coagulation are used. The duration of healing is traditionally 6-10 weeks. At this time, “sexual” rest is needed to prevent the recurrence of the disease, local healing therapy, vitamin therapy.
In case of violations of the menstrual cycle, a properly selected hormonal (oral) contraception can give a good effect. The drugs normalize the recovery processes and heal the epithelium (mucosa) well.
You can read more about the methods of treatment of cervical erosion in the material“Best Treatments for Erosion” .