Uterine fibroids are common, non-cancerous growths that develop in the muscular wall of the uterus. You can have fibroids on the inside, outside, or in the wall of your uterus. Your doctor may call them fibroid tumors, leiomyomas, or myomas.
Fibroids are not cancerous, and they do not increase your risk for uterine cancer. You may not need to do anything about them unless they are causing difficult or painful symptoms that affect your quality of life.聽
Patients in their thirties and forties typically seek help for fibroids. Doctors are not sure what causes fibroids, but the hormones estrogen and progesterone seem to make them grow. Your body makes the highest levels of these hormones during the years when you have periods. Fibroids usually shrink or stop growing after menopause, and often the symptoms stop or improve.
Signs and Symptoms of Uterine Fibroids
While fibroids do not always cause symptoms, their size and location can lead to problems for some. Symptoms may be mild, like periods that are a little heavier than usual. However, if the fibroids are large or in a particular location that presses on other surrounding organs, the symptoms may include pelvic pressure and pain in addition to abnormal bleeding.聽
Symptoms may include:聽
鈼徛犅犅犅犅 Heavy, irregular, or prolonged menstrual bleeding
鈼徛犅犅犅犅 Fatigue or low energy from heavy periods and excessive bleeding
鈼徛犅犅犅犅 Pelvic pressure or pain
鈼徛犅犅犅犅 Abdominal swelling and constipation
鈼徛犅犅犅犅 Low back or leg pain
鈼徛犅犅犅犅 Pain during sexual intercourse
鈼徛犅犅犅犅 An urge to urinate often
鈼徛犅犅犅犅 Difficulty emptying the bladder
鈼徛犅犅犅犅 Miscarriages
鈼徛犅犅犅犅 Difficulty getting pregnant
Treatments for fibroids include:
鈼徛犅犅犅犅 Hormonal and non-hormonal therapies
鈼徛犅犅犅犅 Uterine fibroid embolization
鈼徛犅犅犅犅 Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound
鈼徛 聽 聽 Uterine fibroid radiofrequency ablation
鈼徛犅犅犅犅 Hysteroscopic procedures
鈼徛犅犅犅犅 Laparoscopic or robotic myomectomy
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