Uterine fibroids are common, affecting up to 80% of women by the age of 50. They’re highly prevalent and are a type of noncancerous tumor in the uterus.
Not all women with fibroids experience symptoms, but when they do, they're often tricky to deal with. But many women don't even know they have fibroids due to lack of symptoms.
If you have bothersome symptoms or are worried about fibroids, Darin L. Weyhrich, MD, in Boise, Idaho, offers various treatment options, including hysterectomy and myomectomy.
Uterine fibroids are noncancerous tumors that form inside the uterus. They contain muscle and other tissues and develop on the uterine wall. These growths aren't typically cancerous and are prevalent in women as they age.
Many women aren't aware of fibroids because they don't always cause symptoms. We often find them by accident through ultrasounds or other diagnostic tools.
When fibroids do lead to symptoms, they're difficult to deal with. Before menopause, fibroids cause bleeding between periods and heavy or painful menstrual cycles.
After menopause, symptoms usually go away or improve due to decreased hormone levels. Symptoms can still develop, even after the fibroid has been asymptomatic. An increase in estrogen and progesterone worsens uterine fibroids.
Fibroids are usually harmless but can come with complications like anemia, severe pain, and swelling in the pelvis or abdomen.
Fibroids are a scary diagnosis, but if you're asymptomatic, do you still require treatment? The good news is that many asymptomatic fibroids require routine visits and watching them to see if they grow.
Asymptomatic fibroids don't risk your health, so we evaluate them yearly through pelvic exams and ultrasounds. It's rare for a fibroid to become cancerous, but it can grow and cause painful symptoms.
Treatment is only necessary for women experiencing bothersome symptoms with fibroids. Several treatment options are available, including hormonal birth control and a hysterectomy. The therapy a woman requires depends on the severity of symptoms and where the fibroid is in the uterus.
Women who are in menopause may not require any treatment, even with symptoms, due to declining hormone levels. The fibroids typically shrink with lower estrogen levels.
Even if your fibroids cause no symptoms now, they can become symptomatic if they grow more prominent, so we watch them through ultrasonography. Discuss any new symptoms with Dr. Weyhrich at your yearly appointment.
Symptoms may develop suddenly with uterine fibroids, especially if they outgrow their blood supply. The result is sudden and severe pain in the pelvis, abdomen, and lower back.
It's essential to report any new symptoms, such as fullness in the abdomen, irregular or heavy vaginal bleeding, or trouble urinating. Pain during sex and an enlarged abdomen are also signs of a growing fibroid.
Call our office in Boise, Idaho, today or book an appointment online to see Darin L. Wehyrich, MD, for fibroids.
