| Fibroids are the most common non-cancerous | | | | |
| tumors in women of childbearing age. Fibroids | | | | Sudden, severe pain due to a pedunculated |
| are made of muscle cells and other tissues | | | | fibroid |
| that grow in and around the wall of the | | | | |
| uterus, or womb. The cause of fibroids is | | | | The most common symptom is prolonged and |
| unknown. Risk factors include being | | | | heavy bleeding during menstruation. This is |
| African-American or being overweight. | | | | caused by fibroid growth bordering the |
| | | | uterine cavity. In severe cases, heavy |
| Fibroids Causes | | | | bleeding may last as long as 2 weeks. |
| | | | Fibroids rarely bleed between periods, except |
| Fibroids are most common in women aged 30-40 | | | | in a few cases of very large fibroids. |
| years, but they can occur at any age. | | | | |
| Fibroids occur more often in black women than | | | | Fibroids Diagnosis |
| in white women. They also seem to occur at a | | | | |
| younger age in black women and grow more | | | | Diagnosis is usually accomplished by bimanual |
| quickly. | | | | examination, better yet by gynecologic |
| | | | ultrasonography, commonly known as |
| Never having given birth to a child (called | | | | "ultrasound." Sonography will depict the |
| nulliparity) | | | | fibroids as focal masses with a heterogeneous |
| | | | texture, which usually cause shadowing of the |
| Onset of your period prior to age 10 | | | | ultrasound beam. In cases where a more |
| | | | precise assay of the fibroid burden of the |
| African American heritage (occurring 3-9 | | | | uterus is needed, also magnetic resonance |
| times more often than in Caucasian women) | | | | imaging (MRI) can be used to definite the |
| | | | depiction of the size and location of the |
| Obesity is associated with the presence of | | | | fibroids within the uterus. |
| uterine fibroids. (Of course, which came | | | | |
| first -- the weight or the fibroids -- is | | | | How are fibroids treated? |
| still an unanswered question.) | | | | |
| | | | There are many treatments for women with |
| Consumption of beef, red meat (other than | | | | fibroids. Medicine can shrink some fibroids. |
| beef), and ham has been associated with the | | | | Some women need surgery. A new way to treat |
| presence of uterine fibroids. | | | | women with fibroids is called uterine fibroid |
| | | | embolization. |
| Fibroid Symptoms | | | | |
| | | | Androgens. Your ovaries and your adrenal |
| Most fibroids don't cause symptoms-only 10 to | | | | glands, located above your kidneys, produce |
| 20 percent of women who have fibroids require | | | | androgens, the so-called male hormones. Given |
| treatment. Depending on size, location and | | | | as medical therapy, androgens can relieve |
| number of fibroids, they may cause: | | | | fibroid symptoms. |
| | | | |
| Heavy, prolonged menstrual periods and | | | | Vaginal, or hysteroscopic, myomectomy. |
| unusual monthly bleeding, sometimes with | | | | Performed through the vagina and cervix, this |
| clots. This can lead to anemia. | | | | procedure uses an instrument called a |
| | | | resectoscope, which allows surgeons to view |
| Pelvic pain and pressure | | | | the uterine fibroids through a small fiber |
| | | | optic device. The surgeons are able to shave |
| Pain in the back and legs | | | | off the fibroid growths using a hot |
| | | | electrified wire. This technique is used on |
| Heavy menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia), | | | | small submucous uterine fibroids. |
| sometimes with the passage of blood clots | | | | |