Cancer Video | Treatment Survival & Education

What are uterine fibroids?

What are uterine fibroids?Uterine fibroids are lumps that grow on your uterus. You can have fibroids on the inside, on the outside, or in the wall of your uterus.Your doctor may call them fibroid tumors, leiomyomas, or myomas. But fibroids are not cancer. You do not need to do anything about them unless they are causing problems.

Fibroids are very common in women in their 30s and 40s. By the time they are 50, about 80 women out of 100 have fibroids. But fibroids usually do not cause problems. Many women never even know they have them.

What causes uterine fibroids?
Doctors are not sure what causes fibroids. But the female hormones estrogen and progesterone seem to make them grow. Your body makes the highest levels of these hormones during the yearswhen you have periods.

Your body makes less of these hormones after you stop having periods (menopause). Fibroids usually shrink after menopause and stop causing symptoms.

What are the symptoms?
Often, fibroids do not cause symptoms. Or the symptoms may be mild, like periods that are a little heavier than normal. If the fibroids bleed or press on your organs, the symptoms may make it hard for you to enjoy life. Fibroids make some women have:

Long, gushing periods and cramping.
Fullness or pressure in their belly.
Low back pain.
Pain during sex.
An urge to urinate often.
Heavy bleeding during your periods can lead to anemia. Anemia can make you feel weak and tired.

Sometimes, fibroids can make it harder to get pregnant. Or they may cause problems during pregnancy, such as going into early labor or losing the baby (miscarriage).

How are uterine fibroids diagnosed?
To find out if you have fibroids, your doctor will ask you about your symptoms. He or she will do a pelvic exam to check the size of your uterus.

Your doctor may send you to have an ultrasound or another type of test that shows pictures of your uterus. These help your doctor see how large your fibroids are and where they are growing.

Your doctor may also do blood tests to look for anemia or other problems.

How are they treated?
If your fibroids are not bothering you, you do not need to do anything about them. Your doctor will check them during your regular visits to see if they have gotten bigger.

If your main symptoms are pain and heavy bleeding, try an over-the-counter pain medicine like ibuprofen, and ask your doctor about birth control pills. These can help you feel better and make your periods lighter. If you have anemia, take iron pills and eat foods that are high in iron, like meats, beans, and leafy green vegetables.

Channel: Education
Uploaded: February 14, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Author: YourDailyApple

Length: 00:09:52
Rating: 4.27
Views: 12586

Tags: communications science Fibroids YOURDAILYAPPLE medicine hysterectomy physical health

Video Comments:

bornearth (November 16, 2008 at 11:35 pm)

thanks for sharing your story.

Choctawu (November 10, 2008 at 4:00 am)

Try Novasure...it appears to be a good remedy. I am considering it for myself.

InnocentNaughty (September 20, 2008 at 11:42 pm)

Is there a clear way to prevent them?

hunnysuckledream (September 17, 2008 at 12:26 am)

Its possible that being overwieght can contribute. It can cause extra estrogen to build up and fibroids grow from the effects of estrogen.

moedeb456 (September 15, 2008 at 3:34 am)

Thank you so much, I was wondering why I was feeling the way that you described. I'm going to get checked out.

InnocentNaughty (September 14, 2008 at 3:35 pm)

I heard that hospitals have quotas when it comes to hysterectomies because they are relatively easy and safe to perform, but they are VERY expensive. I hear that Black women are targeted especially for them.

InnocentNaughty (September 14, 2008 at 3:33 pm)

I thought Asians had like the best diet, so this is news to me.

InnocentNaughty (September 14, 2008 at 3:32 pm)

Did the doctor say diet was the main culprit for getting fibroids? I don't have them, but I am a black woman and have heard that most black women have them, and I want to PREVENT them.

InnocentNaughty (September 14, 2008 at 3:27 pm)

Thanks for the info. I've been thinking about cutting back on the sugars as well.

Aimyaah (September 9, 2008 at 5:53 pm)

I can say that I used to drink a beer every night and noticed that when I did I would cramp more and more. So I quit. My tummy is rather large but notice an increase in size when I drink alcohol or any kind of dairy or chicken. So, I stopped eating dairy products, except shredded cheese. I eat mainly soy products in place of milk products and its not so bad. I really beleive meat affects women's uterines more than any other food. Anything not natural should not be eaten.