Fibroids are non cancerous tumors in the womb.
Without any symptoms, they may go unnoticed by any average woman. They are
names as Myomas, Fibromyomas and Leiomyomas. But all mean the same- Fibroids.
Their sizes can vary according to an individual and their relative health
standard. And their occurrence and position does not signify or characterize
anything or has nothing to do with a person’s health or habits
Mostly, they are caught unsuspected, and once
diagnosed, the gynecologist generally starts with a series of intricate tests
and scans, just to be sure about any further complications in the treatments,
if at all.
Cause:
More often caused by the female hormones, Oestrogen,
the main reason or cause of fibroidal activity and formation is unknown.
Oestrogen is produced by the reproductive endocrine gland of females, the
ovaries, and is approximated to be released only after 14-15 years of a females
age. But, they are directly affected by the oestrogen levels. The higher the
oestrogen level, the larger they get, and the lower the levels, the smaller
they become.
And, having fibroids is nothing to be ashamed of.
Atleast, 1 out of 4 women, more often than not develop fibroids atleast once in
their lifetimes. Sometimes, they have a genetic medical history, and sometimes,
they are developed due to over or under secretion of hormones. It is also
common and available in more than a single number and also in various sizes in
a single individual. Also common in overweight or obese women after their 30’s,
oestrogen production in such cases is higher resulting into the extra
production of the hormone, which in turn affects the natural working of the
endocrinal glands and regulated organ and body working.
Treatment:
Mostly, not all fibroids need treatment, or are at
all harmful. Neither do such harmless tumors cause any symptoms or discomfort,
nor do they affect the daily lifestyle of any individual. But still, sometimes,
like in around 1 out of every 3 women, fibroids act up and cause discomfort and
pronounced symptoms in the female body. They may cause pain, heavy bleeding and
some mood swings too. If not treated with proper medications, surgery can be
used to get rid of this tumor once and for all. Sometimes, due to unique
individual complications, fibroids can in fact affect the fertility of few
women, which can cause a lot of stress for them.
Types:
There are distinctively, 5 types of fibroids-
Intramural (tumors within womb muscle tissue), Subserous – (tumors from outside
of womb wall), Submucous (tumors in the middle of the womb wall) and
Pedunculated (tumors on the outside womb wall, attached to the wall with a thin
tissue stem). Cervical fibroids develop in the neck of the womb, in the wall of
the cervix.
Symptoms:
Many women have painless tumors, that they are not even
aware of. These tumors dissolve within themselves, without needing any
treatments as such too. Symptoms occur only in 1 out of every 3 women and that
too are mild ones. Lets look into the symptoms here-
Heavy and painful periods - Fibroids do not affect
the menstrual cycle, but cause heavy and painful bleeding during menstruation.
Is someone already suffers from Menorrhagia, it does not imply that they have
fibroidal tumors. However, alteration in any menstrual discomfort can cause
mental and physical discomfort and stress.Excess bleeding can cause anaemia,
which can result in tiredness, lethargy and dyspnoea.
Abdominal and back pain – If the fibroids are large
enough, they may cause bloating and discomfort in the stomach. Other than that,
they may also cause pain in the stomach, back, lower back, and legs.
Frequent urination and constipation – If the
fibroids induce pressure on the bladder, they may irritate them more
frequently, hence creating the need to urinate more often. Just like that, if
they irritate the rectum and the large intestine, that can cause regular
constipation.
Pain or discomfort during sex – Tumors developed
near the vagina or cervix, can cause discomfort and pain during sexual
intercourse (dyspareunia).
Diagnosis:
As fibroids don’t cause any specific symptom or
discomfort, they are usually discovered during a routine gynecological check
up. Once discovers, the gynecologist suggests some tests to confirm the
diagnosis, like-
Ultrasound Scan- They can easily confirm the
presence of tumors of any kinds. Further, they can also rule out any other
possible causes and symptoms caused by the tumors. Further intricate diagnosis
need- Transvaginal ultrasound (Probe
insertion in the vagina to discover any timorous growth), Hysteroscope usage to
examine the inside of the womb, laparoscopy (a laparoscope is introduced
through the incision within the skin, to examine any tumors outside the womb)
and Biopsy ( tissue sample from inside the womb is taken for closer examination
under the microscope).
After successful discovery of fibroids, the
treatment is followed according to the gynecologist’s guidance. Mostly, they do
not choose any treatments, but for more severe symptoms, medications and even
surgery is recommended.
Treatment with medications:
For severe symptoms, medications like Levonorgestrel
Intrauterine system, Tranexamic acid, anti inflammatory medications,
contraceptive pills and Gonadotropin releasing hormonal analogues.
Surgical procedures:
Surgery is strongly suggested, only if the symptoms
are completely severe and too much extreme. Some of the surgical procedures
are-
Hysterectomy (removal of the whole womb, if there is
severe bleeding or extremely large fibroids), Myomectomy (for women who wish to
have children, only the fibroids are removed from the walls of the womb),
Endometrial ablation (removal of lining of the womb, specially for fibroids
located near the inner surface of the womb), Uterine Artery Embolisation or UAE
(performed by expert radiologists, where the blood supply to the fibroids is
blocked by blocking the blood vessels) and lastly, the latest MRI guided
percutaneous laser ablation and the MRI guided transcutaneous focused
ultrasound.
So, its safe to conclude, having fibroids is pretty
normal, but getting depressed, scared or confused only distresses oneself. The
best way to stay safe and healthy is to eradicate the fear of timorous fibroids
by getting a complete gynecological check up, and keeping up with the medications.
In fact fibroids can be cured too by surgeries. So, there is nothing to worry
about. Stay calm, stay positive and get yourself thoroughly diagnosed.
