Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Uterine Fibroids and Their Symptoms Minimize

Fibroids are benign, non-cancerous growths in or on the walls of the uterus, or womb. They can range from less than an inch around to more than six inches. African-American women and those with a family history are more likely to develop fibroids.

Most fibroids cause no symptoms, and are only discovered when a woman has a routine pelvic examination. If you do experience fibroid symptoms, they may include: 
 

  • Heavy, prolonged monthly periods, sometimes with clots 
  • Anemia (fatigue due to low red blood count) 
  • Pain or pressure between the hip bones or in the back of the legs 
  • Pain during sexual intercourse 
  • Frequent need to urinate 
  • Constipation or bloating 
  • An enlarged belly


If you suspect you have fibroids, your doctor should conduct an ultrasound or other imaging tests to be certain.
  

Fibroid Treatment Options Minimize

If you do not have symptoms, treatment is probably unnecessary. Your doctor may want to continue to monitor your fibroids. If you do have symptoms, several options are available.

Medical Treatments
Birth control pills can often decrease heavy bleeding. Other hormone treatments can shrink fibroids, but these treatments may cause menopause-like side effects such as hot flashes and bone loss. Fibroid symptoms usually return when medical treatment stops.

Uterine Fibroid Embolization
Uterine fibroid embolization, or UFE, is a minimally invasive option that preserves the uterus and greatly reduces recovery times compared to surgical procedures. It is described more fully on the next pages.

Surgical Treatments
Surgical treatment options include hysterectomy, which is the removal of the uterus, and myomectomy, the removal of just the fibroids. While these options are generally effective, they require anesthesia and lengthy recovery times and carry a risk of surgical complications. Many women are not candidates for myomectomy because of the size, number, or location of their fibroids.

Endometrial ablation is sometimes suggested by physicians, which may cause confusion as it sounds similar to “fibroid embolization” (or UFE). Endometrial ablation only treats the endometrial lining and not specifically fibroids. Endometrial ablation is best performed for women who do not have fibroids, but are suffering with heavy bleeding for other reasons and do not desire future fertility.
  

Copyright 2010