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Uterine fibroids are noncancerous muscular tumours that grow in a woman's uterus. Doctors often refer to uterine fibroids as leiomyomas or myomas, which rarely turn into cancer. Furthermore, not all uterine fibroids show symptoms or even require treatment, especially smaller ones.
Keep reading to know what uterine fibroids are and their symptoms, causes, treatment and preventive measures one can adopt.
A woman's uterus is a pear-shaped organ situated between the bladder and rectum in the pelvis. Uterine fibroids are cell growths that develop on the walls of the uterus. However, they are not life-threatening; they can cause heavy bleeding and problems with fertility.
These fibroids can be smaller than a pea or bigger than a melon. In some cases, it is so minuscule that it gets hard for doctors to detect, and they show no signs. On the other hand, bigger ones can change the shape of one’s uterus.
Furthermore, the symptoms depend on the type of uterine fibroids.
Uterine fibroids or Leiomyoma translates to smooth muscle tumours, and it is the most common pelvic tumor in women. These are benign and do not pose any potential threat to the woman's overall health.
These are easily treatable and rarely become cancerous.
Uterine Fibroids can grow both inside and outside of the uterus. Therefore, it is imperative to know the location of these fibroids to determine the treatment for an individual.
The different types of fibroids in the uterus are based on their location. They also describe where and how these fibroids are attached.
The various types are:
Pedunculated fibroids- These fibroids are shaped like a mushroom as they are attached to the uterus with a thin stem and consist of a wider top and a thin stalk. However, these are least common in nature.
Most uterine fibroids do not cause any symptoms. In case of asymptomatic fibroids, the patient does not require any treatment. However, healthcare providers keep the individual under regular observation. Typically the larger fibroids cause symptoms, unlike the smaller ones.
The various symptoms of uterine fibroid are as follows:
However, the symptoms of uterine fibroids diminish after one goes through menopause and the hormone levels decrease as well.
According to doctors and medical practitioners, there is no exact reason that causes uterine fibroids. However, some tentative causes of uterine fibroids are:
The risk factors are as follows:
In most cases, fibroids are detected during a pelvic exam at a gynaecologist consultation. The different kinds of diagnostic methods are:
Treatments for uterine fibroids depend on the size, location, age and whether the individual wants to get pregnant in future or not. Moreover, most fibroids do not show any symptoms and reduce after a woman goes through menopause. The treatment for Uterine fibroid can range from non-surgical to surgical procedures.
However, if one notices only mild symptoms, doctors will suggest waiting and observing changes.
Medical practitioners commonly suggest oral birth control, anti-inflammatory medicines and vitamin and iron supplements to shrink the fibroids. However, one must keep in mind that medication does not get rid of fibroids. They can only reduce its size and their symptoms.
Oral birth control reduces bleeding, and anti-inflammatory medicines like ibuprofen lessen pain. Doctors also suggest medicines like Oriahnn, Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists and Tranexamic acid (Cyklokapron, Lysteda). These either reduce the bleeding or cause temporary menopause.
Furthermore, one can also opt for IUDs to reduce bleeding and prevent pregnancy.
An individual will need surgery when one faces moderate to severe symptoms. Different surgical procedures include:
Uterine fibroids are unavoidable; however, studies suggest that lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of development. Furthermore, incorporating healthy lifestyle habits can help shrink the already present fibroids.
Studies suggest that a high sugar diet and frequent consumption of alcohol and red meat increases risk of developing uterine fibroids. On the other hand, eating fresh fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C, E, K, and other minerals reduces the risk. Furthermore, one should also exercise regularly.
After consultation with their gynaecologist, most women between 30-and 45 years old often come across the term uterine fibroids. Thus, "What are uterine fibroids?" is the most common question for every woman pre-menopause.
A woman should consult a doctor if they see the following signs:
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Disclaimer #2: This information is added only for informative purposes and collected from different sources across the Internet. Digit Insurance is not promoting or recommending anything here. Please verify the information before making any decisions.
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