The Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Uterine Fibroids
Uterine Fibroid - What are they?
Uterine fibroid are the benign (non-cancerous) growths or tumors inside or
just outside the uterus. The uterus is the female reproductive organ.
The fibroid develop when the normal uterine muscle cells start growing
abnormally forming a tight mass almost like a tumor.
Types
Depending upon the position, the uterine fibroids can be of 4 types:
- Myometrial (in the uterine wall)
- Submucosal (under the lining of the uterus)
- Subserosal (under the outer uterine covering)
- Pendunculated (growing on a stalk outside or inside the uterine cavity)
Possible Victims
The
uterine fibroids occur in the women of childbearing age, i.e., those
between post puberty and premenopause. They mostly develop in women in
their thirties. The growth is common and occurs in up to fifty percent
of all women.
Causes
Medical research
proves that the uterine fibroid growth depends upon the levels of female
hormone estrogen. The factors that may influence their development
include:
- Early menstruation
- Women who have never given birth
- Women with a family history
Symptoms
Most
of the time, the uterine fibroids do not cause symptoms or problems. A
woman with these tumors is usually unaware of their presence. The
fibroids, particularly when small, may be entirely asymptomatic.The
symptoms depend largely on the location of the lesion and its size. In
the victims, the fibroids continue to grow slowly until menopause.
However, in certain cases, these fibroid can cause major health issues like:
- Prolonged or excessively heavy periods (menorrhagia)
- Bloating in the belly
- Pain or heaviness in the lower abdomen
- Frequent urination
- Painful intercourse
- Reproductive problems including infertility and pre term labor
The persisting symptoms certainly call for medical attention and treatment.
Diagnosis
Pelvic
examination or a trans-vaginal ultrasound helps confirm the presence of
these tumors by showing an enlarged or irregularly shaped uterus.
Treatment
The fibroid often shrink or completely disappear in the affected women,
once they reach menopause and the estrogen levels fall. Magnetic
resonance guided focused ultrasound may also be needed sometimes.
However, medical therapy and surgical procedures can shrink or remove
the fibroid if the patient has discomfort or troublesome symptoms. The
treatment often depends upon several factors, like age, severity of
symptoms, and general health conditions. While surgery may be needed in
extreme cases, noninvasive procedures like prescription drugs are often
sufficient to hamper the fibroid promoting hormones. Fibroid may
require emergency treatment if they cause sudden, sharp pelvic pain or
profuse menstrual bleeding.
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