Leiomyomas or Uterine Fibroids, are non-cancerous tumours formed from tissues & muscles around the Uterus in females. These tumours are formed either outside the Uterus, within the Uterus or inside the Uterus's cavity.
Fibroids can either grow in clusters or as a solo tumour with a size reaching upto 20 cm. Generally, the symptoms, size & number of Fibroids vary from person to person. So each individual needs a unique treatment plan for their symptoms and conditions.
The Common Symptoms of Uterine Fibroids
Patients with Uterine Fibroids may experience Severe or Mild Symptoms. On the contrary, some patients do not experience any symptoms at all.
Here is the list of some common symptoms of Uterine Fibroids:
Excessive Vaginal Bleeding: A lot of patients experience excessive bleeding during their menstrual cycles. The bleeding is so heavy in some cases that patients cannot leave their homes due to weakness. Some patients experience passing blood clots too.
Bladder Issues: This is one of the most common symptoms among all patients. In some cases, patients have to urinate multiple times in a single night, while some patients can't urinate, even with a full bladder, due to the Fibroid Blocking the urine outflow.
Abdominal/Pelvic discomfort: This symptom is more common if the patient has a large Fibroid. Such a Fibroid puts pressure on the pelvis or abdomen, causing some discomfort. Although the pain is bearable, repeated occurrence might causes irritates the patient.
Rectal Pressure: In some patients, the Fibroid pushes the rectum, making the patient feel the urge to excrete. While some patients face difficulty during excretion & struggle to empty their bowels.
Pain during Sexual Intercourse: Fibroids often cause pain during sexual intercourse in certain positions. Many patients complain of pain during a specific period of the Menstrual cycle.
Pain in Lower Back: This is one of the uncommon symptoms of Uterine Fibroids and occurs when the size of the Fibroid is large. Such pain occurs when the Fibroids compress the nerves or muscles in the spine, causing pain in the lower back.
What Causes Uterine Fibroids?
The exact cause of Uterine Fibre is not known yet & is still a subject of research. But as per some researchers, the primary factors that cause Uterine Fibroids are Genetic and Hormonal factors. Uterine Fibroids typically occur in patients who have reached reproductive age.
Moreover, the size of Uterine Fibroids shrinks with the consumption of anti-hormone medications. So researchers believe it is related to Oestrogen & Progesterone, the female reproductive hormone.
When to see a doctor?
As the symptoms of Uterine Fibroids are mild in the initial stages, patients often ignore them. Moreover, some symptoms like Lower Backpain are very common, resulting in the patient ignoring them.
But if you experience multiple symptoms mentioned above, especially severe vaginal bleeding, bladder issues & abdominal pain, it’s time to consult the doctor. At Apollo Fertility, Guwahati, our doctors are always available to assist you. You can give us a call & book schedule a consultation.
Treatments
There are numerous treatment options available for Uterine Fibroid. The treatment depends on the number of Fibroids, their size & the severity of symptoms. If a patient is not experiencing Mild or Severe symptoms, our doctors recommend leaving it undisturbed. But, it’s important to monitor the Fibroid with regular checkups.
In case the size & number of fibroids are large, there are two treatment options available:
a. Medication: OTC pain management medications, Iron Supplements, Birth Control pills and Ganadotropin-realising hormone (GnRH) agonists medicines can help manage heaving bleeding and other symptoms.
b. Fibroid Surgery: Fibroid surgeries to remove Fibroid include Myomectomy, Hysteroscopy, Laparoscopy, Laparotomy, Hysterectomy and Uterine fibroid embolization.
However, it's critical to consider multiple factors before undergoing surgery. The reason is, in some surgeries, doctors remove the whole Uterus. So patients undergoing such surgery can't conceive in future. So it's better to consult our doctors at Apollo Fertility, Guwahati, for further details & consultation.
We understand dealing with Uterine Fibroids can be challenging. But we can assist you in battling this problem with better care.
There is no specific way to prevent Fibroids. But sticking to a healthy lifestyle & healthy diet can reduce the risk.
No, they don’t. But in some patients, the size of fibroids reduces, resulting in the disappearance of the symptoms. In such cases, generally, treatment is not required.
Just like every other treatment, Fibroid treatment too carries some risk. Our doctors will give you an in-depth idea of the risks during your initial consultation.
In most cases, Fibroids are diagnosed during regular body checkups. For further confirmation, your doctor might conduct a Pelvic or Gynaecologic exam.
Some Fibroid surgeries leave the Uterus as it is, while the Uterus is removed during some surgeries. In the latter case, it's not possible to conceive. So consult your doctor about this before undergoing surgery.
