Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Pelvic inflammatory disease and several Reference other conditions with similar symptoms require prompt treatment.

Call your doctor right away if you have belly pain and any of the following:

• A positive home pregnancy test
• Fever of 101°F (38.3°C) or higher
• Pain or difficulty urinating

Call your doctor soon if you:

• Have a dull pain, unusual cramping, or a feeling of pressure in the lower belly.
• Have pain during sex, especially in the belly.
• Have abnormal vaginal bleeding, bleeding between menstrual periods, or bleeding after sex or douching.
• Have a vaginal discharge that is yellow or green or smells bad.
• Need to urinate often or have pain, burning, or itching with urination for longer than 24 hours.
• Think you may have been exposed to a Reference sexually transmitted infection Opens New Window, or you have a sex partner who has symptoms, such as discharge, genital sores, or pain in the genital area.

Who to see

The following health professionals can diagnose and treat pelvic inflammatory disease:

• Reference Physician assistant (PA) Opens New Window
• Reference Nurse practitioner Opens New Window
• Reference Family medicine physician Opens New Window
• Reference Internist Opens New Window
• Reference Gynecologist Opens New Window
• Reference Emergency medicine specialist Opens New Window

Complications are usually treated by a gynecologist.

To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Reference Making the Most of Your Appointment.

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