Definition
Cervical pain is an unpleasant sensation in the area of the uterus which, anatomically speaking, extends into the upper part of the vagina and merges into the cervix. The cervix serves to close and protect the uterus. It can be painful and malfunctioning, as potentially any part of the body. Often the pain is not just limited to the cervix, but also involves the adjacent organs. There are many possible causes for cervical pain or abdominal pain in general.
Causes
Cervical pain has many possible causes. For example, inflammatory processes in the abdomen can also affect the cervix due to its anatomical proximity. For example, an inflammation of the vagina (colpitis) or the cervix (cervicitis) can spread to the cervix.
Mechanical processes can also lead to its irritation, with the smallest micro-injuries of the tissue causing pain. This can be the case, for example, in gynaecological examinations where the cervix is penetrated, such as a PAP smear as part of cervical cancer screening or a cervical endoscopy. In some cases, sexual intercourse is the cause of the pain.
This can be due to a hardened cervix or a position where the vagina is penetrated particularly deeply, causing the penis to come into contact with the cervix and irritate it. In addition, the cervix can be painful during premenstrual syndrome (PMS), which is usually accompanied by other symptoms and is not the only source of pain mentioned by patients. Mechanical processes can also lead to its irritation, with the smallest micro-injuries of the tissue causing pain.
This can be the case, for example, in gynaecological examinations where the cervix is penetrated, such as a PAP smear as part of cervical cancer screening or a cervical endoscopy. In some cases, sexual intercourse is the cause of the pain. This can be due to a hardened cervix or a position where the vagina is penetrated particularly deeply, causing the penis to come into contact with the cervix and irritate it. In addition, the cervix can be painful during premenstrual syndrome (PMS), which is usually accompanied by other symptoms and is not the only source of pain mentioned by patients.