Howdo You Know if Your Fibroids Shrink or Burst
Slideshow: A Visual Guide to Uterine Fibroids
What Are Uterine Fibroids?
Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths of the musculus tissue of the uterus. Fibroids tin can range in number and size from a unmarried growth to multiple growths, and from very small to big. Every bit many as seventy% to 80% of all women volition have fibroids past age 50. The medical term for fibroids is leiomyoma or myoma.
Symptoms of Fibroids: Pressure
Fibroids may crusade very mild symptoms, none at all or symptoms can exist severe. In women who do feel symptoms, these uterine growths can cause:
- Pressure on the bladder or rectum
- Frequent urination
- Constipation and/or rectal hurting
- Lower back and/or abdominal hurting
If fibroids get very big, they tin distend the tummy, making a woman look pregnant.
Symptoms of Fibroids: Menstruation Changes
Fibroids may also crusade changes to a woman's period, including:
- Balmy to severe cramping and pain
- Heavier haemorrhage, sometimes with claret clots
- Longer or more frequent menstruation
- Spotting or bleeding betwixt periods
Fibroids or Endometriosis?
Fibroids are one cause of severe menstrual pain, just the pain likewise can be caused by endometriosis. Endometriosis occurs when tissue from the inner lining of the uterus grows in other parts of the body -- illustrated here by growths on the exterior of the uterus and float. This tissue breaks down and bleeds during your period, causing pain during your cycle and painful scar tissue. The hurting of fibroids or endometriosis also tin can occur between periods.
What Causes Fibroids?
The exact cause of fibroids is unknown. Their growth has been linked to the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. Studies accept found that women who outset their periods at a younger age are more probable to develop fibroids. Although taking female hormones is linked to fibroids, the employ of nascence command pills is not.
Types of Fibroids
- Intramural fibroids, the well-nigh mutual, grow in the wall of the uterus.
- Subserosal fibroids grow on the outside of the uterus. As they abound larger, they tin can cause pain due to their size or force per unit area put on nearby organs.
- Submucosal fibroids grow but underneath the uterine lining and can oversupply into the uterus cavity and lead to heavy bleeding and other more serious complications.
- Pedunculated fibroids abound on small stalks inside or outside the uterus.
It'due south possible to have more than than one type of fibroid.
Who Gets Fibroids?
While it'southward unclear why women develop fibroids, some patterns take been observed.
- They usually occur betwixt the ages of thirty and 40.
- They are more common in black women.
- They grow more apace and appear at a younger age in black women.
- Having a family unit member with fibroids increases a woman'southward take chances.
- Being overweight or obese and having high claret pressure also may increase your chance.
Complications: Fibroids and Anemia
Some women with fibroids who experience unusually heavy bleeding during their periods may become anemic. Many cases of anemia due to iron deficiency from periods are mild and tin be treated with a change in nutrition and fe supplement pills. Untreated anemia can atomic number 82 to fatigue and languor -- and, in severe cases, heart problems.
Complications: Getting Pregnant
Fibroids commonly do not interfere with fertility and pregnancy. However, some women with fibroids experience more pregnancy complications and delivery risks. Fibroids may cause the baby to be in an abnormal position and tin can cause preterm labor. They may besides cause pelvic pain and heavy bleeding after delivery, which may require surgery. In some instances, fibroids may block your fallopian tubes. Fibroids growing along the inner uterine wall may get in difficult for a fertilized egg to attach.
When to Meet a Md
See your health care provider if you lot take the post-obit fibroid symptoms:
- Heavy menstrual bleeding
- Periods that became more painful
- Frequent urination or inability to control the flow of urine
- A change in the length of your period over three to half dozen cycles
- New persistent pain or heaviness in lower belly or pelvis
Diagnosis: Exam and Imaging
Your doctor may feel moderate and big uterine fibroids during a routine pelvic examination. Tests, such equally an ultrasound, can show information about size and location of other fibroids. For women with fibroids who are trying to become pregnant, a test called a hysterosalpingogram will evidence an outline of the uterus and fallopian tubes and may discover abnormalities. Other procedures to visualize the inside of the uterus or abdomen as well may be needed.
Treatment: Pain Medication
Pain medications, such as acetaminophen, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like as ibuprofen or naproxen, tin help salve menstrual cramping.
Treatment: Birth Control
Oral contraceptives manage levels of estrogen and progestin. This usually leads to lighter periods and can alleviate some of the pain associated with fibroids, such every bit heavy bleeding and cramping. Other hormonal nativity control methods that may lessen fibroid symptoms include progestin injections or progestin-releasing IUDs.
Other Hormone Therapies
Drugs called gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists may offering temporary symptom relief from fibroids by stopping periods and shrinking fibroids. GnRH agonists block the product of estrogen, so they can also cause bone loss, hot flashes, and vaginal dryness. Fibroids will render to their previous size once treatment ends. These may be used to shrink fibroids before coarse removal surgery.
Handling: Embolization
For mild to moderate symptoms, uterine coarse embolization may exist a expert option. A catheter is guided to the uterine artery. Tiny particles of plastic or gelatin are then released into the blood vessels that feed the fibroid, causing it to shrink over time. Embolization should not be an option for women wanting to become pregnant at some indicate later on treatment.
Treatment: Surgery
A myomectomy typically removes the largest fibroids. It's is an option for women who want to still have children. A hysterectomy is when the uterus is removed. There is a pocket-sized chance that what was thought to be a fibroid could instead be a cancer called uterine sarcoma. For this reason, the FDA recommends not cutting the fibroid into small sections before removing it, a process chosen laparoscopic morcellation. Endometrial ablation, which is adept for treating smaller fibroids, destroys the lining of the uterus, so pregnancy is not possible.
Treatment: Ultrasound
Ultrasound is one mode to destroy fibroids without take a chance of damaging the uterus. The treatment uses loftier-intensity ultrasound waves that kill the coarse tissue. Most women recover quickly from this procedure and tin can return to regular activities within 24 hours. The long-term effects are still existence studied, and it is not recommended for women who want to become meaning.
Fibroid Remedy: Exercise
Regular exercise may prevent fibroids. In one written report, women who exercised seven or more hours a calendar week had significantly fewer fibroids than women who exercised less than two hours a calendar week. Obesity besides is a risk factor for fibroids. And then exercising regularly tin can help you maintain a healthy weight and reduce your fibroid risk.
Care for Anemia
Women with fibroids who are not getting enough iron through diet lonely may develop anemia, where the body has fewer carmine claret cells than normal. Symptoms include fatigue, breast hurting, and shortness of breath. Treatment may include eating more atomic number 26-rich foods, such as meats, poultry, fish, leafy greens, legumes, and fe-fortified breads and cereals. Your health care provider too may advise iron supplements.
Source: https://www.webmd.com/women/uterine-fibroids/ss/slideshow-fibroid-overview
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