While many women do not produce uterine fibroids symptoms and may not even be aware that they have these tumors, many others experience various symptoms. Although what causes fibroids remains unknown, it has been noted that women with a family history of fibroids tumors are at greater risk. In addition, black women have been found to develop these tumors in greater numbers than women of other races.
The great news is that fibroids are usually benign (no cancer properties) growths that are found on or in the uterine wall and may navigate in a few cases outside the uterus. Believed to be a reaction to the high estrogen levels during childbearing years, these growths are common to women of childbearing age which may explain why menopausal women experience a reduction in these tumors.
The types of fibroids that a woman can develop include submucosal fibroids that develop on the inner uterine wall which can cause heavy periods that last longer than normal and subserosal fibroids that develop on the outside of the uterine wall and lead to pressure on various organs such as the bladder, rectum and various nerves in the spine leading to back pain which are some of the uterine fibroids symptoms.
Uterine Fibroids Symptoms
As mentioned, some women may not experience any uterine fibroids symptoms at all or any problems related to the tumors. For many other women, a few uterine fibroids symptoms include pelvic pain and pressure, heavy periods, the need to urinate frequently, problems being able to urinate due to pressure on the bladder by the fibroid tumor, being constipated from the pressure of the tumor on the rectum, back pain, pain in the upper thighs, periods that last beyond seven days, etc.
With the various uterine fibroids symptoms and not knowing when to seek treatment, the following signal that you should seek medical care immediately;
- If your pelvic pain or discomfort does not dissipate
- If you experience bleeding or spotting between menstrual cycles
- Prolonged constipation or difficulty urinating
- Painful and heavy menstrual cycles
- If you experience any pain during sexual intercourse
- Fever or fainting spells
Conventional Treatment
In the cases that treatment is necessary, you doctor will begin by simply monitoring the fibroids using an ultrasound to determine whether there is any change in the properties or the size of the fibroids. Medication to regulate the hormones and estrogen production may be suggested for less severe fibroids in order to shrink them or reduce the various uterine fibroids symptoms.
For more serious fibroids and uterine fibroids symptoms, a doctor will usually recommend a hysterectomy which is a form of surgical procedure that removes a woman's entire uterus which means that this woman will not be able to physically get pregnant and carry a child which may be more than most women who wish to procreate can bear. Without a uterus resulting from a hysterectomy, no fibroids can be produced. Besides the cessation of childbearing, this surgery is also expensive and can lead to various side effects including the premature start of menopause.
Another surgical procedure that is used in cases of less severe fibroid tumors is a myomectomy that removes the tumors while leaving a woman's uterus intact. A newer surgical procedure also for less severe tumors that will allow them to shrink is to clot the blood supply to the tumor in order to starve it which should hopefully cause it to shrink in size.
