What Are Uterine Fibroids?
Uterine fibroids are benign growths that are made up of the muscle and connective tissue from the wall of the uterus (womb). Fibroids may grow as a...
Who Is at Risk For Uterine Fibroids?
Risk factors for uterine fibroids include obesity, family history, not having children, early onset of menstruation, and late age for menopause. (A...
What Causes Uterine Fibroids?
The causes of fibroids are not known. Most fibroids occur in women of reproductive age, and according to some estimates, they are diagnosed in blac...
What Are The Symptoms of Uterine Fibroids?
Most fibroids do not cause any symptoms and do not require treatment other than regular observation by a doctor. Fibroids may be discovered during...
What are the risk factors for uterine fibroids?
Factors that can have an impact on fibroid development include: Race. Although any woman of reproductive age can develop fibroids, black women are more likely to have fibroids than are women of other racial groups.
Why do fibroid cells shrink?
Fibroids contain more estrogen and progesterone receptors than normal uterine muscle cells do. Fibroids tend to shrink after menopause due to a decrease in hormone production. Other growth factors. Substances that help the body maintain tissues, such as insulin-like growth factor, may affect fibroid growth.
What are the changes in fibroids?
Genetic changes. Many fibroids contain changes in genes that differ from those in typical uterine muscle cells.
What are the three types of fibroids?
There are three major types of uterine fibroids. Intramural fibroids grow within the muscular uterine wall. Submucosal fibroids bulge into the uterine cavity. Subserosal fibro ids project to the outside of the uterus. Some submucosal or subserosal fibroids may be pedunculated — hanging from a stalk inside or outside the uterus.
Do fibroids grow during pregnancy?
Some fibroids go through growth spurts, and some may shrink on their own. Many fibroids that have been present during pregnancy sh rink or disappear after pregnancy, as the uterus goes back to a normal size.
Do fibroids cause menstrual bleeding?
Many women who have fibroids don't have any symptoms. In those that do, symptoms can be influenced by the location, size and number of fibroids. In women who have symptoms, the most common signs and symptoms of uterine fibroids include: Heavy menstrual bleeding. Menstrual periods lasting more than a week.
Can you have multiple fibroid?
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.
How to treat fibroids in the uterus?
Small fibroids can often be left alone. Some women never experience any symptoms or have any problems associated with fibroids. Your fibroids will be monitored closely over time, but there’s no need to take immediate action. Periodic pelvic exams and ultrasound may be recommend by your healthcare provider depending on the size or symptoms of your fibroid.If you are experiencing symptoms from your fibroids — including anemia from the excess bleeding, moderate to severe pain, infertility issues or urinary tract and bowel problems — treatment is usually needed to help. Your treatment plan will depend on a few factors, including:
Where are submucosal fibroids growing?
Submucosal fibroids: In this case, the fibroids are growing inside the uterine space (cavity) where a baby grows during pregnancy. Think of the growths extending down into the empty space in the middle of the uterus.
Why do fibroids get bigger?
This can happen for a variety of reasons, but in most cases this change in fibroid size is linked to the amount of hormones in your body. When you have high levels of hormones in your body , fibroids can get bigger. This can happen at specific times in your life, like during pregnancy.
How big can a fibroid grow?
Fibroids can grows as a single nodule (one growth) or in a cluster. Fibroid clusters can range in size from 1 mm to more than 20 cm (8 inches) in diameter or even larger. For comparison, they can get as large as the size of a watermelon.
What does a fibroid look like?
Fibroids are typically rounded growths that can look like nodules of smooth muscle tissue. In some cases, they can be attached with a thin stem, giving them a mushroom-like appearance. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission.
What happens when a fibroid puts pressure on your bladder?
Frequent urination (this can happen when a fibroid puts pressure on your bladder).
Can fibroids cause pain?
Not all fibroids cause symptoms, but when they do, symptoms can include heavy menstrual bleeding, back pain, frequent urination and pain during sex. Small fibroids often don’t need treatment, but larger fibroids can be treated with medications or surgery.
How old is menopause?
The age of menopause ranges from 44 to 55 years.
What does the nurse suspect when a patient has cervical cancer?
The nurse suspects that the tumor of a patient with cervical cancer has enlarged, resulting in heavy bleeding. Which other late stage symptoms does the nurse expect in this patient?
Summary
Uterine leiomyomas are the most common mesenchymal tumor in the female genital tract; the vast majority are easily diagnosed. Most uterine leiomyosarcomas, although much less common, are also readily diagnosed.
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What is a benign mass that grows in the uterus?
Uterine fibroids are benign masses that grow in the uterus for unclear reasons. Uterine fibroids are commonly called by the shorter name, "fibroids.". The medical term for a fibroid is leiomyoma, which refers to a proliferation or abnormal growth of smooth muscle tissue. Uterine fibroids arise from the tissue in the muscle layer of the wall ...
What is the narrower part of the uterus called?
The narrow, lower portion of the uterus is the cervix; the broader, upper part is known as the corpus. The cervix forms the transition between the uterus and the vagina. The vagina, or birth canal, connects the uterus to the outside of the body.
What are uterine growths?
Uterine growths are tissue enlargements of the female womb (uterus). Uterine growths can be caused by either harmless or dangerous conditions. Growths are sometimes referred to medically as masses or tumors. An example of a harmless (benign or non-cancerous) growth, which does not pose a threat, is a polyp of the cervix. Some growths, such as uterine fibroids, are benign, but they can still cause some annoying problems, such as bleeding. Dangerous growths of the uterus include cancerous ( malignant) tumors.
What are the signs and symptoms of uterine fibroids and what do they look like?
However, fibroids can cause a number of symptoms depending on their size, location within the uterus, and how close they are to adjacent pelvic organs. Large fibroids can cause:
How are uterine fibroids diagnosed?
Fibroids are diagnosed by performing a manual pelvic examination (bimanual examination) and confirmed by ultrasound. Ultrasound is harmless and does not involve radiation exposure. This test is similar to the one performed in pregnant women to view the developing fetus inside the uterus. Rarely, more complex imaging is used, but only in cases wherein the doctor cannot determine the exact nature of the mass found on the physical exam or ultrasound.
What is the treatment for uterine fibroids?
Unusually rapid growth is a sign that a uterine growth may be cancerous. The growth must be removed and examined by a pathologist for signs of more dangerous conditions.
What other medical treatments are available for uterine fibroids?
There are several medical treatments available for fibroids. Birth control pills ( oral contraceptives) can provide many benefits for women with fibroids. They decrease the amount of uterine bleeding by about 50% and decrease cramping pain during menstruation. They also may also decrease the risk of fibroids.
Overview
Symptoms
- Many women who have fibroids don't have any symptoms. In those that do, symptoms can be influenced by the location, size and number of fibroids. In women who have symptoms, the most common signs and symptoms of uterine fibroids include: 1. Heavy menstrual bleeding 2. Menstrual periods lasting more than a week 3. Pelvic pressure or pain 4. Frequent urination 5. Di…
Causes
- Doctors don't know the cause of uterine fibroids, but research and clinical experience point to these factors: 1. Genetic changes.Many fibroids contain changes in genes that differ from those in typical uterine muscle cells. 2. Hormones. Estrogen and progesterone, two hormones that stimulate development of the uterine lining during each menstrual cycle in preparation for pregn…
Risk Factors
- There are few known risk factors for uterine fibroids, other than being a woman of reproductive age. Factors that can have an impact on fibroid development include: 1. Race.Although all women of reproductive age could develop fibroids, black women are more likely to have fibroids than are women of other racial groups. In addition, black women have fibroids at younger ages, and they'r…
Complications
- Although uterine fibroids usually aren't dangerous, they can cause discomfort and may lead to complications such as a drop in red blood cells (anemia), which causes fatigue, from heavy blood loss. Rarely, a transfusion is needed due to blood loss.
Prevention
- Although researchers continue to study the causes of fibroid tumors, little scientific evidence is available on how to prevent them. Preventing uterine fibroids may not be possible, but only a small percentage of these tumors require treatment. But, by making healthy lifestyle choices, such as maintaining a healthy weight and eating fruits and vegetables, you may be able to decrease y…