{"id":1271,"date":"2022-06-14T13:39:13","date_gmt":"2022-06-14T13:39:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/?p=1271"},"modified":"2022-06-14T13:45:53","modified_gmt":"2022-06-14T13:45:53","slug":"uterine-fibroids-symptoms-causes-and-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/uterine-fibroids-symptoms-causes-and-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"Uterine Fibroids: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Although having any sort of a tumor-like growth on your body can cause discomfort and stress, there are some cases when those growths are benign and should not be considered as dangerous as malignant tumors.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Uterine fibroids are one example of many where the condition demands treatment and care but can be successfully handled, without much stress and anxiety, with the proper approach.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/services\/#Fibroids\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Uterine fibroids treatment<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> at <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">ACE OBGYN<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is an excellent example of a successful approach to caring for and treating this medical issue. The expert medical staff ensures proper follow-up and a close watch over the further developments of the condition.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What Are Fibroids?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Benign tumors of the uterus or uterine fibroids are tumor-like growths that are non-cancerous and seldom develop into cancer. Although they are benign, they are still prevalent (70-80 percent of women have them at a certain period of their life), and scientists do not know the reason why they develop in women\u2019s bodies during childbearing years.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There are several terms used for this medical condition:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Uterine fibroids<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Uterine myomas<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Uterine leiomyomas\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fibromas\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fibroid cysts<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When it comes to the shape of the fibroid cysts in the uterus, they are round and, in most cases, do not cause any pain or discomfort. Sometimes the size can be problematic because it puts pressure on other organs around it. The size of the cysts goes from a few millimeters to very large, grapefruit-sized examples.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The location of the fibroids is used to differentiate and describe them:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Subserosal fibroids can be found underneath the lining membrane on the outside of the uterus<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Submucosal fibroids are located inside the uterus, underneath the inner lining<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Intramural fibroids are within the muscular wall of the uterus<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pedunculated fibroids are found on the stalk of the pedicle and can extend to the inside or outside of the uterus\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The fibroids can be diagnosed through a pelvic exam, an ultrasound, a CT, or an MRI.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1273\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/211\/2022\/06\/What-Are-Fibroids.jpg\" alt=\"Gynecologist Doctor Examines Showing the Reproductive System of Women\" width=\"1000\" height=\"644\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/211\/2022\/06\/What-Are-Fibroids-200x129.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/211\/2022\/06\/What-Are-Fibroids-300x193.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/211\/2022\/06\/What-Are-Fibroids-400x258.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/211\/2022\/06\/What-Are-Fibroids-460x295.jpg 460w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/211\/2022\/06\/What-Are-Fibroids-600x386.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/211\/2022\/06\/What-Are-Fibroids-768x495.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/211\/2022\/06\/What-Are-Fibroids-800x515.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/211\/2022\/06\/What-Are-Fibroids.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><b>Uterine Fibroid Symptoms\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As said, the uterine leiomyoma or fibroids, in most cases, do not cause any symptoms or pain, so women tend not even to be aware of their existence in the body. When this is not the case, there are signs which can indicate the presence of this condition, and they are:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Abnormal uterine bleeding (the most common symptom)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Heavy and painful menstrual cycles caused by the interference of the tumor with the blood flow to the uterine lining<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Spotting between two periods\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Prolonged periods\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Iron deficiency anemia caused by extensive bleeding\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The size of the fibroids can create problems such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pressure on the bladder causing frequent or obstructed urination<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pelvic pain (and pain during sexual intercourse)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pressure on the rectum causing a painful bowel movement\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>What Causes the Uterine Fibroids?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Interestingly enough, even though scientists have conducted substantive research on the causes of uterine fibroids, the reasons for the development or changes in size are still not fully understood. The hormones estrogen and progesterone are known to affect their growth, considering that they do get bigger during pregnancy and shrink afterward. However, still, nothing has been officially proven.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Some of the possible causes that experts are leaning towards are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Genetics (hereditary conditions)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Alterations in growth factor expression (proteins developed in the body)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Abnormalities in the vascular system\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Response of the tissue to an injury<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Race<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">First menstruation before the age of 10<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Overconsumption of alcohol<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Elevated blood pressure<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Uterine infections<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Birth control usage<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Unhealthy diet<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Vitamin D deficiency<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Bear in mind that none of these causes have been officially confirmed, so these are all speculations and assumptions which are yet to be further researched.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When it comes to preventing fibroids, the lack of information and knowledge on this topic makes preventive measures scarce and very vaguely defined. A healthy diet, exercise, and a limitation on the alcohol and cigarettes intake is always a positive step toward the general well-being of a person, so we should all, regardless of the diagnosis, follow a healthy routine.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Treatment\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There are quite a few ways of treating the condition at hand, and most of them have a very high success rate. The treatment is recommended only when the fibroids are causing pain or physical discomfort. Usually, the growth of the fibroids stops when women are going into menopause, and that is why some doctors recommend that their patients wait before surgical treatment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">One can take several directions for treating uterine fibroids, but it is essential to always consult a gynecologist before starting the treatment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You can get medication for the fibroids\u2019 symptoms and treatments for the shrinkage of the uterine leiomyoma.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>For symptoms, you could use:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Levonorgestrel intrauterine system, which resembles an IUD and is used to release the hormone progesterone into the body<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Anti-inflammatory medicines for heavy period pains and discomfort<\/li>\n<li>The contraceptive pill for reducing period pains and heavy bleeding during cycles<\/li>\n<li>Tablets for stopping the womb\u2019s blood vessels from bleeding<\/li>\n<li>Progestogen (injected or oral) which is helpful for reducing heavy period pains and can reduce the chances of getting pregnant while taking it also<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1274\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/211\/2022\/06\/For-symptoms-you-could-use-.jpg\" alt=\"Woman Using Contraceptive Pill\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/211\/2022\/06\/For-symptoms-you-could-use--200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/211\/2022\/06\/For-symptoms-you-could-use--300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/211\/2022\/06\/For-symptoms-you-could-use--400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/211\/2022\/06\/For-symptoms-you-could-use--600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/211\/2022\/06\/For-symptoms-you-could-use--768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/211\/2022\/06\/For-symptoms-you-could-use--800x534.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/211\/2022\/06\/For-symptoms-you-could-use-.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>All of the medication mentioned above has specific side effects, so be sure you are aware of them before starting the process:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Indigestion<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Diarrhea\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Acne<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Headaches\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Breast tenderness<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Absent periods<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Weight gain<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Irregular bleeding<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Bloating\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Treatments to shrink fibroids:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRH) are hormones given with an injection or oral to stop the ovaries\u2019 estrogen production. This treatment will stop your menstrual cycle, but there will still be a possibility of conceiving, so do not consider this as contraception. It can also help with easing period pains and pressure.\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Surgery is advised when the fibroid symptoms are very severe and no medicine has resolved the issue. The person can have:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">a hysterectomy (surgical removal of the womb)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">myomectomy (surgical removal of the fibroids from the wall of your womb)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">hysteroscopic resection (removal of fibroids with a thin telescope and tiny surgical instruments)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">hysteroscopic morcellation (removal of fibroids with a special device called <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Morcellator\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">morcellator<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">)\n<p><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Non-surgical options:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Uterine artery embolization (UAE) is a procedure of blocking blood vessels that supply fibroids. This is done by injecting a solution into the blood vessel, guided by an X-ray.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Endometrial ablation, which includes the removal of the lining of the womb<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">MRI procedures use tiny needles to target the center of the fibroid and destroy it with laser or ultrasound energy<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, uses an ultrasound probe to determine the location and the size of the fibroids in the womb and guide the placement of an electrode close enough to the fibroid that will generate heat and local destruction of the fibroid<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Side effects of these treatments can be many but are not limited to stomach pains, cramps, yellowing of the skin and eyes, dark urine, tiredness, vomiting, loss of appetite, loss of libido, vaginal bleeding, and for some, the risk of miscarriage after the procedure.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Uterine fibroids and pregnancy<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Usually, fibroids do not affect the pregnancy. Women can naturally conceive even when fibroids are present in the body. However, the size of the growths and specific procedures can cause preterm births or miscarriages.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">We are here if there is something additional you would like to know. Making sure your reproductive health is taken care of should be your priority, so feel free to reach out and schedule an appointment with us.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Although having any sort of a tumor-like growth on your body can cause discomfort and stress, there are some cases when those growths are benign and should not be considered as dangerous as malignant tumors.\u00a0 Uterine fibroids are one example of many where the condition demands treatment and care but can be successfully handled, without  [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1272,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[36,33,32,35,34],"class_list":["post-1271","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uterine-fibroids","tag-fibroid-cyst-in-uterus","tag-fibroids-symptoms","tag-uterine-fibroids","tag-uterine-leiomyoma","tag-what-are-fibroids"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1271","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1271"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1271\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1272"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1271"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1271"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/novac-md\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1271"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}