What is Uterine fibroids?
Uterine Fibroids are benign, noncancerous, nodules, even sometimes small or large rounded bag types tumors which observed to grow inside or outside of the uterus. Though, in most cases this is asymptomatic, but in others, very few are symptomatic. Some factors may contribute to fibroids such as genetical factors, hormonal changes, GnRH, Pregnancy, obesity etc.
Despite of having the super progression of modern sciences, the
reason behind fibroids onset is till now undiscovered. Good news is that, not
all fibroids are harmful and required treatments, in case of severity, need to
take some medications or surgery.
At the beginning of reproductive life, mostly this problem
is not detected among women or adult ladies but after menopause or certain age,
particularly near to 50 years of old, fibroids appear almost 50-80% women as a
single entity or cluster forms. Fibroid clusters may different in size, range
from 1 mm to 200 mm in diameter, or even bigger look like a watermelon.
Types of fibroids:
Fibroids can be different types and vary from one individual
to another individual. The most common types of fibroids are Subserosal fibroids
(Outside uterus), Intramural fibroids (most common type of fibroid which
normally look in the muscular wall of the uterus), Submucosal fibroids (unusual
and least common type of fibroid appears in the middle muscle layer of uterus),
Pedunculated Fibroids.
Signs and Symptoms of fibroids:
- Excessive bleeding before, during and after
menstrual cycle.
- Expansion and bloating of the lower abdomen and always feelings full of lower tummy.
- Frequent micturition (Urgency to urinate).
- Urinary tract infections.
- Pregnancy related problems, for examples preterm baby birth, miscarriage, delivery problems, growth retardation of fetus.
- Constipation may occur due to having large in size of the fibroids.
- Pain in the lower back, legs or pelvis area.
- Severe pain during intercourse.
- Anemia may appear due to loss of huge quantity of blood from the body.
Diagnosis:
Generally, it is first diagnosed by the gynecologist during
pelvic checkup of women. Some tests are very helpful to clearly observe
the fibroid location, condition, number, shape and sizes, even fibroids are
present or absent as well as these are harmful or harmless fibroids. Among
them, the following tests can aid a health care provider for detecting fibroids
readily:
- Ultrasonography: Either Transvaginal or transabdominal route, both approaches are taken to take a picture by producing ultrasound inside uterus which helps a healthcare provider to detect everything clearly inside your genital organs related any difficulties.
- Hysteroscopy: one scope is inserted into the uterus through the vaginal or cervix way to scrutinize fibroids. The scope is made of in such a way that a tiny camera placed at the termination of a flexible tube.
- Laparoscopy: one scope is passed through the incision point of lower abdomen to examine problems related to the internal organs.
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): By using the effect of magnets and radio waves together, one can get the full image of internal organs such as uterus, ovaries which assists to find out the location, size, shape, numbers of fibroids.
- Computer Tomography (CT): This is done by using X-ray which takes images of internal organs from different position.
- Hysterosalpingography: Though, this is
commonly used in infertility evaluation, it is also used for diagnosing fibroids.
A complete X-ray image of uterus are taken by the help of a contrast material.
- Sonohysterography: A saline solution through catheter is given by using transvaginal route to the uterine cavity to take a transparent image of uterus.
Treatments:
It’s entirely relied on a doctor after monitoring everything thoroughly either it will be treated with medications or need surgery.
- Use the Over-the-counter painkiller medications such as paracetamol or Ibuprofen to reduce abdominal cramps or pain or bleeding. Hot water bag is also effective for relieving the abdominal cramp.
- To shrink fibroids, use the GnRH agonist for short periods of time which contains a low level of estrogen and progesterone. In most cases, this is recommended before surgery to reduce the size of fibroids.
- To treat moderate to severe pain in endometriosis by using GnRH antagonists (Elagolix).
- Sometimes low dose of birth control pills as well as IUD are very helpful to diminish pain and bleeding during menstrual period.
- In case of severity, some surgeries are recommended, for instances, Myomectomy, Hysterectomy, Endometrial ablation, Uterine fibroid embolization, and so on.
- To do some change of the food habits (By consuming more and more vegetables and fish than high calorie foods e.g., red meats) and life styles (By working out regularly to reduce the obesity and maintaining standard weight according to the individual BMI).
- Use iron supplements if any anemia looks due to excessive bleeding. An antifibrolytic oral medicine, Tranexamic acid (Tafixyl) is very decent product for stopping the bleeding in relation to the fibroids.