A fibroid is one of the significant gynecological conditions affecting most women today. The problem is that most of them do not know they have the condition until sure signs and symptoms start manifesting. Others will not tell they have fibroids because some types are symptomless. That is why women should undergo an annual examination to diagnose conditions like fibroids early. Therefore, if you are experiencing heavy periods, among other symptoms of fibroids mentioned in this article, and you are seeking relief, uterine fibroids Houston, TX gynecologists are the solution to all your concerns. They are experienced in offering various treatment options to get rid of fibroids. Let’s learn more about fibroids’ signs, risk factors, and treatment options below.
What are uterine fibroids?
Uterine fibroids describe fibrous tissue and muscle growing inside the uterus. Generally, there are four types of fibroids. They are as follows:
- Sub-serosal – refers to fibroids found in the perimetrium.
- Intramural – they are fibroids found in the myometrium.
- Pedunculated – refers to fibroids attached to the uterine wall using a peduncle or stalk-like growth.
- Submucosal – are fibroids located in the endometrium.
Even though fibroids are not considered cancerous, they can still cause serious problems such as long periods and heavy bleeding. A fibroid can be big compared to a grapefruit, tinny like an apple seed, or somewhere between the two. In other cases, they can be found in cluster form. Fibroids are pretty uncommon among women in their menopause phase but are common in women in their 40s, 30s, or 50s.
What are the signs of fibroids?
There are some types of fibroids that you do not experience any symptoms of, yet you have them. In most cases, you will find out you got them during your routine women’s wellness examination. Other types also cause various symptoms, including bloating, leg pain, backache, prolonged periods, painful periods, fatigue, frequent pelvic pressure, clotting, pain during sex, anemia, constipation, urinary incontinence, or frequent urination. They also cause heavy menstrual periods that require both tampons and pads or changing your tampons or pads frequently. Fibroids cause infertility in some cases. However, if you have fibroids and you are pregnant, you are most likely to undergo a cesarean section during delivery to have the fibroids removed too.
What risk factors contribute to you developing fibroids?
Typically, the cause of uterine fibroids is unknown, but a few factors contribute to their occurrence. They include weight, hormones, genetics, age, and ethnicity increase the severity and risk of having fibroids. Others are lifestyle and reproduction, with few women who have had children who do not get fibroids.
What treatment is available for uterine fibroids?
Fibroid embolization is one of the treatment options used to shrink fibroids by cutting off blood supply to the fibroids. This treatment is recommended before opting for other treatments like hysterectomy.
Fibroids can cause various symptoms that disrupt your daily living and cause infertility. Therefore, if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms and seek treatment, you can get started by calling or booking your appointment online at Alate Health today.
