Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment for Salpingo-Oophoritis
Inflammation spreading to the fallopian tubes and further extending to cause oophoritis. Due to combined inflammation of the fallopian tubes and ovaries, it is called salpingo-oophoritis or adnexitis. This condition commonly occurs in reproductive-age women. It has acute and chronic forms. Acute presentation includes high fever (up to 40°C), chills, severe pain in both lower abdomen, abdominal distension, increased leukorrhea, fatigue, poor appetite, sometimes constipation and painful urination. Chronic form presents with abdominal pain and distension, soreness and heaviness in the lower back and sacrum, early menstruation, excessive menstrual flow, dysmenorrhea, infertility, increased leukorrhea, painful intercourse, fatigue, etc. Chronic cases often develop from acute ones, frequently persisting without cure, prone to acute exacerbation after fatigue, affecting overall health.
Western medicine believes this condition arises from infection during menstruation or postpartum, or spread from adjacent organ inflammations.
Diagnosis should be based on medical history: recent childbirth, abortion, other intrauterine procedures, or history of sexual intercourse during menstruation. Combined with symptoms such as fever, abdominal pain, increased leukorrhea, menstrual irregularities, and physical examination findings including enlarged uterus, tenderness, thickened adnexa, masses, and tenderness confirms diagnosis. In acute adnexitis, laboratory tests show elevated white blood cell count, increased neutrophils, and accelerated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, which aid diagnosis.
Western medicine treatment typically involves sulfonamides, antibiotics, and hormone therapy if necessary. For chronic cases with tubal or ovarian abscess, surgery is recommended due to risk of acute flare-ups.
This condition belongs to the categories of “leukorrhea,” “abdominal pain,” and “fever” in traditional Chinese medicine. TCM attributes it to invasion by pathogenic toxins, accumulation of damp-heat, disharmony of nutritive and defensive Qi, and stagnation of blood and Qi, leading to fever, abdominal pain, and increased leukorrhea.<Salpingo-Oophoritis>