Fibroids are non-cancerous growths that occur in a women’s uterus. They usually appear during the childbearing years and grow slowly over time to an average size of six centimeters (2 1/5 inches) across. The tumor consists of muscle and fibrous tissue, which accounts for a jelly-like softness. Fibroids are found in anywhere from 5-20% of women during their reproductive years but rarely go away after that point. Common symptoms include abnormal uterine bleeding, pain during intercourse, infertility, and pelvic pressure or heaviness. If you have fibroids, you must seek treatment from a Miami fibroids specialist to avoid more serious complications and improve your quality of life. Here, we look at some of the most common treatments for fibroids.
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Medication
Medication is used to help minimize the symptoms of fibroids. Fibroid tumors may shrink with a course of birth control pills or specific other hormone treatments. Anti-inflammatory drugs can also relieve some of the pain and discomfort, while some women use over-the-counter pain relievers containing ibuprofen.
Pain from uterine fibroids occurs because of the organ’s location, pressing on other organs. This can be relieved with pain medication through either pills or shots. Your doctor may prescribe birth control pills to women who want to know that they are not going to get pregnant during treatment and decrease a woman’s estrogen levels, which reduces the size of the tumor(s).
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Myomectomy
Myomectomy is the safest surgical treatment for uterine fibroids. This surgery may be performed even during pregnancy, but that should only be done if necessary. It involves a large enough incision in the uterus to remove the tumor while leaving other healthy tissues intact.
Fibroid tumors are removed through either the vagina or via the laparoscope inserted through the abdomen. After surgery, many women resume normal activities within a week and usually return to work after two weeks. A myomectomy is considered the best option for older women who wish to maintain fertility since it keeps their uterus.
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Endometrial Ablation
Endometrial ablation uses heat energy to destroy the uterus lining where retrograde flow occurs. It may be an option for those women who do not wish to have their uteruses removed or those whose uterine size does not allow for a myomectomy procedure. Because this procedure does not remove the uterine fibroids, it is usually less effective. Some women choose this method to avoid using hormones.
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Hysterectomy
This is the most common treatment for uterine fibroids. The entire uterus and its adnexa (appendages) are removed permanently. Hysterectomy possesses the highest success rate in treating fibroids and curing women of their complaints. Sometimes you can do it in minimally invasive ways that allow for a much faster recovery time (one or two days compared to six).
In summary, fibroids are non-cancerous growths or tumors found in a woman’s uterus. They can cause pain, uterine bleeding, infertility, and pelvic pressure. Luckily, you can treat fibroids using medication. If it does not work, you can use procedures such as hysterectomy, which removes the uterus, and myomectomy to remove the tumors surgically. Endometrial ablation can also treat fibroids by using heat energy to destroy the uterine lining affected by the retrograde flow.
Johnson