Understanding Uterine Fibroids

What You Already Know About Uterine Fibroids

If you’re a woman and you’re reading this, you probably already know a little bit about uterine fibroids. You already understand that they are abnormal, yet typically non-cancerous, growths in the uterus. The risk factors for getting them, as you may know, include a family history of fibroids, obesity, or early onset of puberty. Additionally, the symptoms may include heavy menstrual bleeding, prolonged periods, and pelvic pain. But just to add some mystery into the mix, some cases present no symptoms. With that said, let’s get a more medical definition of uterine fibroids from the experts at the Mayo Clinic.

Uterine Fibroids, Medically-Speaking

According to the Mayo Clinic…

Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths of the uterus that often appear during childbearing years. Also called leiomyomas (lie-o-my-O-muhs) or myomas, uterine fibroids aren’t associated with an increased risk of uterine cancer and almost never develop into cancer.

Fibroids range in size from seedlings, undetectable by the human eye, to bulky masses that can distort and enlarge the uterus. You can have a single fibroid or multiple ones. In extreme cases, multiple fibroids can expand the uterus so much that it reaches the rib cage and can add weight.

Many women have uterine fibroids sometime during their lives. But you might not know you have uterine fibroids because they often cause no symptoms. Your doctor may discover fibroids incidentally during a pelvic exam or prenatal ultrasound. (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/uterine-fibroids/symptoms-causes/syc-20354288#:~:text=Uterine%20fibroids%20are%20noncancerous%20growths,almost%20never%20develop%20into%20cancer.)

What To Do About Uterine Fibroids

If you have uterine fibroids, or feel you are at-risk, the best thing to do is to schedule an appointment to speak with our doctors. From there, they will give you the next steps on possible prevention or management of the fibroids. In some cases, they will discuss minimally invasive surgical options to help eliminate the uncomfortable side effects fibroids can bring.