As women reach the age of 50, half of them develop small to large uterine fibroids. While some fibroids are asymptomatic and can shrink on their own after menopause, others are large enough to affect a woman’s daily life, especially their menstrual cycles.
At Women’s Healthcare Physicians of Naples, FL, women are encouraged to share their symptoms so that their doctors can perform diagnostic tests to analyze their condition and their suffering. Compassionate care is the cornerstone of this center who understands that most women do not prioritize their needs over their families.
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Fibroids – Causes, symptoms, and treatment
These are benign fibrous growths in the uterine walls and are mostly non-cancerous. You can have single or multiple fibroids in many sizes. Some fibroids are very small and get resolved independently, while others can be melon-sized and need surgical removal.
There are three types of uterine fibroids:
- The most common type is subserosal fibroids that can grow on the surface outside the uterus and can be pedunculated.
- The second common uterine fibroid is the intramural fibroid developing in the uterine muscular wall.
- Lastly, submucosal fibroids are uncommon and can grow inside the uterus in its open space.
While half of the women with fibroids will show no symptoms, others can show the following symptoms in mild to a moderate degree:
- Heavy bleeding during the menstrual cycle is accompanied by pelvic pain.
- The bleeding can even lead to anemia requiring transfusion of blood.
- Frequent urination because the large size of the fibroid puts pressure on the bladder.
- Chronic constipation.
- Back pain.
- Bloating is a common complaint of women having fibroid growth in their uterus.
- Painful intercourse.
- Bleeding occurs in between the periods.
Fibroids can be diagnosed by physical examination, an abdominal and transvaginal ultrasound, or MRI scans.
Treatment of fibroids depends on several factors like your age, the severity of symptoms, the size of the fibroid growth, and your plans of conceiving.
Most doctors in Naples, FL, follow an observational approach to managing asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic fibroids. Medicines can be given to control the blood flow during your periods.
For large symptomatic fibroids, the following treatment can be provided:
- Iron supplements are given to treat anemia related to blood loss.
- Pain medicine is given to treat pelvic and back pain, especially during periods.
- Birth-control pills or IUDs are often used to control heavy menstrual bleeding.
- For larger fibroids, a myomectomy can be performed to remove the growth from the uterus.
- The embolization procedure can make the fibroids shrink in size.
If none of these treatments provide relief, you can get your uterus removed with a hysterectomy unless you are planning a pregnancy.