Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (cont.)

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) Slideshow Pictures

Medical Author:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

View Full Profile

Medical Editor:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

View Full Profile

Next Steps

Follow-up

Take all medications the health care practitioner prescribes. Symptoms may resolve before the infection is cured and the person may feel much better, but they should still finish taking all the antibiotics prescribed. Patients should follow-up with the doctor or in a clinic within 3 days to monitor improvement. Whether on oral or IV therapy, most individuals usually improve within 72 hours.

If symptoms worsen, even with treatment, prior to the 72-hour follow-up appointment, the individual should return to the doctor's office or hospital. Additional testing, treatments, and surgery may be required to effectively reduce symptoms and eliminate PID.
Patients should not have sexual activity until the infection is cured. Any sexual partners the patients have had within 2 months of becoming infected with PID should also be treated.

Prevention»

«Previous

...

(Page 8 of 14)

Glossary