Uterine Fibroids - What To Do….
by Anne Wolski
Uterine growths can be either harmless or dangerous. Harmless growths or benign growths are non-cancerous and does not pose a threat. One such uterine growth is a polyp of the cervix. Another benign growth is a uterine fibroid though it can still cause annoying problems such as bleeding.
The cause of uterine fibroids is unknown. Family history may be involved, as there is often a history of women in the same family developing these fibroids. Another unknown matter is why fibroids are three times more common in non-Caucasian women. Another factor is that overweight women are more likely to develop fibroids.
A fibroid is medically known as a leiomyoma, which is an unusual growth of smooth muscle tissue. Uterine fibroids arise from the tissue in the myometrium, which is the muscle layer in the wall of the uterus. They are benign.
For most women with fibroids, there are generally no problems and they usually only become aware of their presence when they are detected during other diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.
Fibroids often cause no symptoms. However, larger fibroids may cause pressure, pelvic pain, pressure on the bladder, difficulty in passing urine, and pressure on the rectum causing pain during bowel movements.
Abnormal bleeding is a common symptom of a fibroid. This may be in the form of heavy or painful periods, lengthy periods or spotting between periods. If there is severe localised pain, it generally means that the uterine fibroids are deteriorating.
Although uterine fibroids are benign, they are commonly the reason for hysterectomy because of the bleeding. Sometimes the bleeding can be so significant as to cause anaemia. . Luckily, there are numerous non-surgical means on hand to treat fibroids. Although fibroids do not need treatment, complications may develop. These include recurrent miscarriages, infertility, and complications in childbirth. However, these are usually only if there is unusual distortion of the uterus.