Fibroids

What are uterine fibroids?

Uterine fibroids are lumps of tissue that develop in your uterus. The good news is that fibroids are almost never cancerous.

Many women aren’t even aware they have fibroids until they’re detected during an ultrasound or pelvic exam. For some women, however, uterine fibroids bring on a range of painful and disruptive symptoms.

How are uterine fibroids diagnosed?

Your gynecologist has a number of diagnostic tools to choose from. An ultrasound is often the starting point and uses sound waves to create a “picture” of your uterine tissue. Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, can give a clearer idea of the size and location of fibroids.

Hysterosonography, hysteroscopy, and hysterosalpingography are procedures that allow your practitioner to inspect your reproductive organs and other pelvic tissues. There are pros and cons to each option, and your doctor discusses all available options before moving forward.

What are the symptoms of uterine fibroids?

Some fibroids don’t present any symptoms at all. When symptoms are present, they include:

• Heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding
• Pelvic pain
• Backache
• Frequent urination
• Sensation of pelvic pressure
• Constipation

Any time you experience significant pelvic pain or unexplained changes in your menstrual pattern, schedule a visit with your gynecologist. Many gynecologic conditions share the same symptoms, and effective treatment often relies on taking a proactive stance.

How are uterine fibroids treated?

Not all fibroids require treatment. If your fibroids aren’t causing symptoms, a wait-and-watch approach may be called for.

For fibroids that cause symptoms, certain medications can alter your hormonal balance and shrink the fibroids. Other drugs address heavy bleeding or pain. None of these options will eliminate fibroids, but they can make symptoms easier to manage.

Another option is cutting off the blood supply that nourishes uterine fibroids. Some procedures introduce material that blocks off blood supply, while others use electric current or cold temperatures to stop blood flow.

Surgical removal is another option and can be a good fit for large fibroids or those that don’t respond to other treatments. Most procedures can be performed laparoscopically and require little recovery time.

If you’d like to learn more about uterine fibroids, schedule a visit today. Online booking is one option, or you can call to check availability.