I have chronic cervicitis. Should I consider a hysterectomy?

Question

Hello doctor,

I have had chronic cervicitis for one and a half years. Recently, I received the first cryotherapy sitting, but I guess it is not working. The doctors have recommended a hysterectomy, which I do not want.

I have already consulted six different doctors during this time, and I am unsure what to do next.

Should I give up and accept the hysterectomy recommendation, or continue exploring other medical opinions and treatment options?

Kindly suggest.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Chronic cervicitis that persists for more than a year and does not respond to multiple treatments can be very frustrating and emotionally draining.

However, it usually does not require a hysterectomy unless there are serious findings such as precancerous changes, cancer, severe recurrent bleeding, or other uterine problems that cannot be controlled with conservative treatment.

I understand cryotherapy is a freezing procedure to destroy abnormal tissue. But this may require more than one session and often takes several weeks before improvement becomes noticeable.

If your cervical smear and high-risk HPV (human papillomavirus) tests are normal, removing the uterus is generally not considered a first-line approach for treating cervicitis.

In many cases, chronic cervicitis can still be managed with targeted antibiotics, hormonal therapy, or repeat local treatments. Given your reluctance to undergo a hysterectomy, it is sensible first to confirm if you have any infections, such as:

Chlamydia.
Gonorrhea.
Trichomonas.
High-risk HPV.

Have you had a recent Pap (Papanicolaou) smear and HPV test to check for any high-grade cervical changes or persistent viral infection? This information could significantly influence the best treatment strategy moving forward.

I hope this information helps you.

Thank you.