Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) refers to the inflammation of a woman's upper genital tract and surrounding tissues, mainly including endometritis, salpingitis, tubo-ovarian abscess, and pelvic peritonitis. PID mostly occurs in women who are sexually active and have menstruation; it rarely happens in women before their first period, after menopause, or in unmarried women. PID is divided into two categories: acute PID and chronic PID. If left untreated during the acute phase, it can progress to diffuse peritonitis, sepsis, and infectious shock, which can be life-threatening in severe cases. If not thoroughly cured during the acute phase, it may turn into chronic PID, which often persists for a long time and can recur, leading to infertility, ectopic pregnancy, chronic pelvic pain, and other conditions.
The symptoms of acute PID are characterized by its sudden onset and severe condition, with symptoms such as lower abdominal pain, fever, chills, headache, and loss of appetite. Upon examination, patients may present with an acutely ill appearance, high body temperature, rapid heart rate, and signs of muscle tension, tenderness, and rebound tenderness in the lower abdomen.