What is Cervical Erosion?
The cervix is the neck or narrow end of the uterus where it meets the vagina. Outside, the cervix is normally covered by a pink tissue called squamous (SKWAY-muss) cell, while the tissue inside the canal is a red, glandular (GLAND-you-ler) tissue. These two different tissues converge at the opening of the cervical canal, known as the os(OAS/long o). A cervical erosion occurs when some of the cells on the opening have eroded, exposing the raw surface of the cervix. The effect is similar to a scrape on the skin of the arm or other outer body surface. There may be a red or dark pink spot on the cervix, and sometimes a white discharge is present. Erosions are quite common, and thought to occur in 95 percent of women at some point. Typically, they cause no symptoms, and require no treatment, unless there’s also an infection. A related condition is cervical eversion. This describes red columnar tissue that grows beyond or drops out of its normal place in the cervical canal, onto the cervix.
Cervical erosion is a gynecological condition in which the squamous cells which normally cover the surface of the cervix are replaced with columnar cells from inside the cervical canal. These cells appear red and inflamed, but they are not cancerous, and the cervix itself does not literally erode. Generally, cervical erosion is very easy to treat, as it usually resolves itself once the cause of the abnormal cell growth has been addressed. Many people with cervical erosion do not experience symptoms, and they learn about the condition during a routine pelvic examination. Sometimes, cervical erosion is accompanied with abnormal bleeding or a vaginal discharge. The issue with cervical erosion is that since the columnar cells do not belong on the surface of the cervix, they can sometimes become infected, which is why routine pelvic examinations are important, as they allow doctors to catch such conditions early. There are four primary potential causes for cervical erosion: pregnancy, chemi
