Uterine fibroids are a prevalent type of non-cancerous tumour that develops in the uterus, an integral part of the female reproductive system. Around 25-30% of women are diagnosed with this condition. Uterine fibroids may occur as solitary growths or clusters—nodules from 1 mm to 8 inches in diameter. In the past, the only way to address uterine fibroids was through removing the whole uterus, but now there are many alternatives for treating this health issue. This post discusses causes, symptoms and treatment options for uterine non-cancerous growth.

Causes of Uterus Fibroids

The exact cause of uterus fibroids is not fully known, but the most common cause or risk factors of uterus fibroids include family history, age, and genetics.

No one knows exactly what causes fibroids or what causes them to grow or shrink. Also, it is unclear if the hormones - oestrogen and progesterone control them. They multiply during pregnancy when hormones are high. Conversely, they shrink when using anti hormonal drugs and grow or shrink when a woman goes through menopause.

Symptoms of Uterus Fibroids

Symptoms of uterine fibroids can vary from woman to woman, and some may not even experience any symptoms. Fibroid symptoms rely on the location and size of the tumour. Therefore, your symptoms can be influenced by the various types of tumours you have and their location and size. Sometimes these fibroids show no symptoms and shrink after the body is immobilised.

Fibroid symptoms may include:

Heavy bleeding
Lower back pain
Frequent urination
Engagement of the lower abdomen
Pain during sex
Constipation
Enlarged uterus
Miscarriage

Diagnosis of Uterine Fibroids

Symptoms of uterine fibroids depend on various conditions; some women may not notice any symptoms. These fibroids are often found after having a routine pelvic exam. If a doctor feels abnormalities in the uterus that indicate the presence of fibroids, then he will recommend the following tests:

Ultrasound: If confirmation is required, the doctor may order an ultrasound. Ultrasound is a commonly used imaging test for the diagnosis of uterine ﬁbroids.
- Ultrasound is a non-invasive and painless test that uses sound waves to create images of the inside of the body.
- Ultrasound can also help differentiate between uterine ﬁbroids and other conditions, such as ovarian cysts or uterine cancer.
- Ultrasound is often the ﬁrst imaging test used to diagnose uterine ﬁbroids. Still, it may be followed by other imaging tests, such as MRI or hysteroscopy, to conﬁrm the diagnosis or provide more detailed information.
- Ultrasound is a safe and effective diagnostic tool for uterine ﬁbroids and can monitor ﬁbroid growth over time.
Lab tests- If your menstrual bleeding is unusual, your doctor will add additional tests to check the underlying cause. These could include a complete blood count (CBC). It will help check anaemia, blood disorders and thyroid issues.
Other Imaging Test-
- Magnetic resonance imaging
- Hysteroscope
- Hysterosalpingography
- Hysteroscopy
- Endometrial biopsy

Treatment of Uterine fibroids

The type of treatment you will get depends on the following:

Age
Symptoms
Pregnancy
Types of fibroids
If you want children in future

Noninvasive treatment

Medication for Symptomatic relief:

Pain killers: They can control discomfort and pain from fibroids
Iron supplements can treat diabetes caused by excess blood
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists can shrink fibroids

Magnetic resonance imaging-guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) uses high-frequency ultrasound waves to heat and destroy the fibroid tissue. MRgFUS is a non-invasive procedure that does not require incisions or anaesthesia.

Invasive Treatment:

Surgery:

Some surgical options may aim to preserve the uterus, while others may damage or remove it. Therefore, the desire to preserve the uterus or the possibility of pregnancy in the future is also an essential factor in determining the type of surgery to treat uterine fibroids for surgeons to remove them.

Myomectomy- It is a surgical procedure that removes uterine fibroids from the uterus. This option is better and chosen by those women who still want to have children in the future. There are various categories of myomectomy, such as:
Abdominal myomectomy: This is an open surgery on the abdomen to remove the fibroids.
Laparoscopic myomectomy: This is a minor surgery that involves several small incisions made in the abdomen, and the surgeon uses a laparoscope (a small camera) to remove the fibroids.
Hysteroscopic myomectomy involves removing fibroids in the uterus using a hysteroscope (a thin, lighted tube) inserted into the vagina and uterus.

Surgical Options for Patients who do not desire to Protect the Uterus

Hysterectomy- Hysterectomy is a surgical procedure involving uterus removal.
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive procedure using heat to destroy fibroids. During the procedure, a small needle is inserted into the fibroid under ultrasound guidance. The needle sends out radio frequency waves that heat and destroy tissue.

Complications:

Severe pain or heavy bleeding that requires emergency surgery.
Fibroid Disruption - This causes occlusion of the blood vessels that feed the tumour. If this happens, surgery is required.
Anaemia due to heavy bleeding (lack of red blood cells).
Urinary Tract Infection - If fibroids press on the bladder, it may be difficult to empty it.

Risk of developing new fibroids

In all surgeries except hysterectomy, tumours that doctors miss seeing at the time of surgery have the chance of growing and causing symptoms that require treatment. This is often referred to as recurring costs. New fibroids may also develop, which have a chance of not requiring any type of treatment.

Certain medical procedures, such as laparoscopic or robotic myomectomy, radiofrequency ablation, or MRI-guided focused ultrasound surgery (FUS), are designed to target and remove only a select number of the fibroids present at the time of treatment.

When to Consult a Doctor

You can also get in touch with the expert Gynecology doctors at Narayana Healthcare based in your city to get immediate attention and medical support during injuries, health disorders or any other health concern.