A brief guide on Uterine Fibroids?

What are uterine fibroids?

• A fibroid (myoma) is a benign (harmless) tumor made up of muscle tissue that grows in the womb.
• When muscle tissue and connective tissue starts to multiply, a fibroid grows.
• The size of a fibroid varies from as small as a pea to as large as a football.
• There are different types of fibroids, depending on their size, location and growth rate: the intramural myoma, the subserous myoma, and the submucous myoma.
• These fibroids grow during the fertile age of women.
• These are relatively common and usually do not cause problems.
• Their diagnosis can be made by laparoscopy, an ultrasound of the uterus or curettage.

 

All about fibroids-

A fibroid is a benign tumor muscle tissue that grows inside a woman’s womb. Fibroids are also called "uterine myomas" or "fibromas." The growth and size of these differ greatly. Some grow rapidly to the size of an orange, or even a football and fill the entire womb whereas others remain as small as a pea. This condition only affects the women of childbearing age.

A fibroid can lead to heavier periods as their presence can cause the uterine surface to stretch. During menstruation, rejection of newly formed uterine mucosa and blood loss occurs. Consult a doctor (also with minor complaints) as therapy becomes very necessary sometimes.

Uterine fibroids Causes-

It is quite unclear that what causes a fibroid? It has been discovered that they grow particularly with a higher level of estrogen in the blood. Estrogens are female sex hormones that are produced in the ovaries. As a result, fibroids are relatively common, but they usually grow without causing any problems, fortunately. Many women over the age of thirty have the presence of one or more fibroids.

As soon as the ovaries produce few estrogens, especially after the menopause, the fibroids almost always disappear on their own. Muscle tissue growths are benign in most cases. Only if a fibroid grows very fast, this can indicate the presence of a malignant tumor. The above mentioned are the major causes of uterine fibroids.

Uterine fibroids symptoms-

Different women can have different symptoms of fibroids. Most women don't even have any complaints regarding the same. This majorly depends on the location and size of the fibroids. Symptoms of Uterine fibroids include-

Location of the fibroids

The location plays an important role if a fibroid obstructs another organ. For example, if it presses the bladder, it can cause a woman to pee a lot. If it presses the rectum, it can cause pain in sexual intercourse. Large fibroids can cause backache or stomachache.

 

Type of fibroids-

The type of fibroid also determines the extent to which its symptoms occur. For example, subserous myomas (which grow just below the mucous membrane on the outside of the womb) do not give any complaints at all. On the other hand, submucous myomas (which grow under the mucous membrane on the inside of the womb) are more likely to cause complaints. Even with a small size, they can cause blood loss. Impatient myomas (which grow in the muscle wall of the womb) can lead to heavy blood loss.

A fibroid that grows to the outside of the uterus (a subserous myoma) can grow in such a way that it is only attached to the uterus with a stalk. Such a stalked myoma can rotate on its own axis. If it does not turn back by itself, the tissue may die because the blood vessels are pinched. This causes a very severe abdominal pain and must be operated soon with the various treatment of uterine fibroids options available. Other uterine fibroids problems include pain attacks caused by fibroids when they become so large and hinder the blood supply.

 

Pregnancy and fibroids-

A fibroid can complicate the normal birth of a child. Therefore, a fibroid can be a reason for the caesarean section during delivery. They can also lead to spontaneous miscarriage. It’s better to treat them timely with various options available.

 

Uterine fibroids treatment and tests-

Most fibroids cause no problems. They are often discovered by chance during an internal investigation. To confirm the diagnosis of a fibroid, the doctor at top fertility clinics in India carries out the further examination, often an ultrasound, when he notices the uterus has become enlarged or lumpy. This can also be a vaginal ultrasound, in which a rod with a push-button is inserted into the uterus to view the uterus and ovaries closely. A vaginal ultrasound is needed if the fibroids are still very small or grow at the bottom of the womb.

Another investigation is the usage of curettage. Hereby, the uterus is only touched, not viewed. Here, irregularities and thickenings indicate the presence of fibroids. By removing a little womb lining, the presence of certain fibroids can also be discovered including submucous myomas, which grow inside of the womb.

With laparoscopy, a tube is inserted into the abdominal cavity to view the internal sexual organs. Or a doctor inserts a "Hysteroscope" into the uterus under local anesthesia, to study it more closely. In this fertility test, contrast fluid is poured into the uterus, which runs out again through the fallopian tubes. A photo is then taken to discover adhesions, but also irregularities and thickenings that indicate the presence of a fibroid. These are the major tests used to diagnose and treat uterine fibroid problems.