How Can Uterine Fibroids Affect Women?
Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous tumors that grows inside the wall of uterus, on the surface of uterus by muscles or sometimes stick to the uterus. They are often called as myomas, fibromas or leiomyomas. There are quite rare chances that they turn into cancer.
Fibroids can be of different size, shapes and can be at different locations. Some fibroids are so small that they cannot be seen with naked eye and some are quite big that can enlarge the uterus and sometimes it changes the shape of uterus.
Fibroids are commonly found in women at child-bearing age or women by the age of 50 but are rare in women under 20. However, fibroids can be found out at any age. Most fibroids do not come up with symptoms and are known as asymptotic. You may not feel anything even in the presence of fibroids. While, there are some fibroids which shows different symptoms in different women.
Symptoms:
Many women don’t feel any symptoms; however, some may experience which are influenced by size, shape, location and number of fibroids.
The most common signs and symptoms of uterine fibroids women can feel are,
- – Heavy menstrual bleeding
- – Painful periods
- – Menstrual periods last for so long
- – Excessive pelvic pain
- – Back and legs ache
- – Constipation
- – Spotting or bleeding between periods
- – Unexplained reduced red blood cells count
- – Trouble emptying the bladder
- – Frequent pee time
Causes:
Sometimes, the cause of fibroids can’t be detected and the causes are not specified, but following can be the factors behind its growth,
- – Hormonal changes in the body
- – Genetic changes
- – Extracellular matrix
- – Pregnancy sometimes
Types of uterine fibroids on the basis of their location:
Fibroids can be grown on the different location inside or outside the uterus. It is quite important to identify the location of the fibroids in order to treat them. What is the location, how big they are in size, what type of treatment can be done, are pretty important matters to be considered before its treatment.
- – Submucosal fibroids: it grows inside the uterus where baby grows during pregnancy
- – Intramural fibroids: fibroids are implanted inside the muscular wall of the uterus itself or under the surface of the uterine lining
- – Subserosal fibroids: In this case, fibroids are bit attached to the outer wall of the uterus
- – Pedunculated fibroids: These are the mushroom like fibroids located outside the uterus with a thin stem
Who are at risk for fibroids?
When women have more than one factors are at risk for fibroids,
- – Pregnancy
- – Women with family history of fibroids
- – Women above 30 years
- – Obese or overweight women
How are uterine fibroids diagnosed?
Well, the reason behind the fibroids is not known but whether a woman has fibroid or not can be detected through various diagnosis techniques. In order to get a proper diagnosis, it is must to have pelvic examination in conjunction with other tests,
- – Ultrasound
- – Hysteroscopy
- – Hysterosalpingography
- – Lab Test
- – Magnetic Resonance Imagining
It is quite important to get regular checkup as a part of healthy lifestyle. There are various conditions which leave us unsuspecting about it, if you get check up on regular basis for early detection, it can be prevented or treated on the right time. Contact us! If you have any query!